part timers

M

mario

New member
i was reading a post about where this industry was heading? and i think Chris hit it right on the head. The only ones that will survive are the old tomers close to retirement or the part timers with good jobs that work a 4 day week, off 3, and could call in sick the next 2, that use this industry to buy sh...t that they dont really need. While the full timers have to pay bills and put food on the table. i also belive that that the residential area is plauge with guys that have no licence no ins, but the people dont care. They have 250,000$ homes but will pay you 99.00 to hack it up.So in my opinion residential is fare game, but for us part timers, Stay out of full timers commercial work! Ask the full timer if you could work for him or her for 5 cents a sq. ft.. thats what you were gonna cut his throat for anyway. you earn your stripes, you just dont take them.
 
By some standards I am a part timer. I do not see it that way though. I work a day job and also put a tremendous amount of time and energy into my business. I do commercial work and it is all night work. I rarely ever work in the day time, as my customers are not available then.

I do not support my business from my other job, ever. Not a single penny goes that way, and it never will. My biz is self supporting and is needed to survive in a very high cost of living place, not to buy frivolous junk.

If I were to lose or leave my day job, it would be a tight spot, but if I were ever to lose mu business, I would crash hard and be broke in a New York minute. Life would never be the same.

I will work the day job until I am ready to wash in the day time. Residential is just not my idea of a good time, although pool cleaning is very appealing and can be very lucrative. I should get a small fleet of Ford Rangers and hire high school kids for that one.
 
sorry Mr. Alan, this wasnt intended for hard working guys like you and others, but i know for a fact that there are fire men, bankers, gov workers. making 60,000 a year and calling in sick to go to Vegas with the money they made hacking up houses on the side.
 
Wow, I could really take offense to this thread. Point of fact - I am a part timer. Another point of fact - I make just about $60K before taxes in my full time job. My next raise should get me there. I do not like my full time job at all. I get absolutely no sense of gratification or pleasure from it. I watch the clock all day waiting for 4:30 to come around. I'll tell you something - That is a really lousy way to spend five days a week.
The thing is, in my area, I can't really support a family of 5 on $60,000 a year. My wife also works, because she has to. She doesn't make anywhere near what I do, but she is also available to take time off for the kids when they are sick and out of school etc. So the trade off for that flexibility is lower pay. It works for us. The cost of living in this area is extremely high. We have THE highest gas taxes in the nation, bar none, housing costs are right behind Silicon Valley, utility prices are among the highest in the nation with accross the board increases coming after the first of the year. So, when you make a comment insinuating that $60,000 is a high salary, it really depends on the area. It would be difficult to support a family of 5 in a decent apartment for that. And yes, I said apartment. I can not afford a house around here.
Like Mr Alan, I too have all the necessary insurance, I am licensed through the State Department of Consumer Protection, even though it is not required for powerwashing, I chose to do it because it gives my clients an added sense of security to know they have a State Agency to go to if I do not make a problem right. I pay all the same taxes that full timers pay, although at a much smaller scale, I'm sure. I use my profits to build my business. I do not squander anything. I have 3 girls that need to go to college. I can't afford to squander anything. Although I must admit, my wife and I went to Foxwood casino last month. We each had $50 with us. That's it - $100 total. And we won't go back for at least 6 months. But, that is our time alone with each other.
I just hate being lumped into a group with the stigma of lowballers just because I am currently a part timer. I have aspirations of running a thriving full time business one day. But, in the mean time I have responsibility for the raising and support of my children. A responsibility I take VERY seriously.
I too read that other post. I believe it started out about raising the bar for the industry as a whole and getting the public to take us seriously as professionals. And I will be the first to volunteer for anything that would work toward that end. When I start something, I take it very seriously. The only thing I take more seriously is my family.
So, please - If you want to talk about lowballers, let's talk about lowballers. Let's not make generalizations like part timers being lowballers, because we are not all bad. Granted some are terrible, but not all.
 
thompsonpw said:
Wow, I could really take offense to this thread. Point of fact - I am a part timer. Another point of fact - I make just about $60K before taxes in my full time job. My next raise should get me there. I do not like my full time job at all. I get absolutely no sense of gratification or pleasure from it. I watch the clock all day waiting for 4:30 to come around. I'll tell you something - That is a really lousy way to spend five days a week.
The thing is, in my area, I can't really support a family of 5 on $60,000 a year. My wife also works, because she has to. She doesn't make anywhere near what I do, but she is also available to take time off for the kids when they are sick and out of school etc. So the trade off for that flexibility is lower pay. It works for us. The cost of living in this area is extremely high. We have THE highest gas taxes in the nation, bar none, housing costs are right behind Silicon Valley, utility prices are among the highest in the nation with accross the board increases coming after the first of the year. So, when you make a comment insinuating that $60,000 is a high salary, it really depends on the area. It would be difficult to support a family of 5 in a decent apartment for that. And yes, I said apartment. I can not afford a house around here.
Like Mr Alan, I too have all the necessary insurance, I am licensed through the State Department of Consumer Protection, even though it is not required for powerwashing, I chose to do it because it gives my clients an added sense of security to know they have a State Agency to go to if I do not make a problem right. I pay all the same taxes that full timers pay, although at a much smaller scale, I'm sure. I use my profits to build my business. I do not squander anything. I have 3 girls that need to go to college. I can't afford to squander anything. Although I must admit, my wife and I went to Foxwood casino last month. We each had $50 with us. That's it - $100 total. And we won't go back for at least 6 months. But, that is our time alone with each other.
I just hate being lumped into a group with the stigma of lowballers just because I am currently a part timer. I have aspirations of running a thriving full time business one day. But, in the mean time I have responsibility for the raising and support of my children. A responsibility I take VERY seriously.
I too read that other post. I believe it started out about raising the bar for the industry as a whole and getting the public to take us seriously as professionals. And I will be the first to volunteer for anything that would work toward that end. When I start something, I take it very seriously. The only thing I take more seriously is my family.
So, please - If you want to talk about lowballers, let's talk about lowballers. Let's not make generalizations like part timers being lowballers, because we are not all bad. Granted some are terrible, but not all.
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Scott, you're cool, I think many just lump things together in general, Im sure Mario knows some good part timers

Also I bet many if not most started PWing part time I was PT for a few years

3 girls college, oh fun. My wife wants a 3rd child, I told her she's crazy. I would like 5 kids if I could afford it or afford a butler & a live in nanny lol
 
thompsonpw said:
Wow, I could really take offense to this thread. Point of fact - I am a part timer. Another point of fact - I make just about $60K before taxes in my full time job. My next raise should get me there. I do not like my full time job at all. I get absolutely no sense of gratification or pleasure from it. I watch the clock all day waiting for 4:30 to come around. I'll tell you something - That is a really lousy way to spend five days a week.
The thing is, in my area, I can't really support a family of 5 on $60,000 a year. My wife also works, because she has to. She doesn't make anywhere near what I do, but she is also available to take time off for the kids when they are sick and out of school etc. So the trade off for that flexibility is lower pay. It works for us. The cost of living in this area is extremely high. We have THE highest gas taxes in the nation, bar none, housing costs are right behind Silicon Valley, utility prices are among the highest in the nation with accross the board increases coming after the first of the year. So, when you make a comment insinuating that $60,000 is a high salary, it really depends on the area. It would be difficult to support a family of 5 in a decent apartment for that. And yes, I said apartment. I can not afford a house around here.
Like Mr Alan, I too have all the necessary insurance, I am licensed through the State Department of Consumer Protection, even though it is not required for powerwashing, I chose to do it because it gives my clients an added sense of security to know they have a State Agency to go to if I do not make a problem right. I pay all the same taxes that full timers pay, although at a much smaller scale, I'm sure. I use my profits to build my business. I do not squander anything. I have 3 girls that need to go to college. I can't afford to squander anything. Although I must admit, my wife and I went to Foxwood casino last month. We each had $50 with us. That's it - $100 total. And we won't go back for at least 6 months. But, that is our time alone with each other.
I just hate being lumped into a group with the stigma of lowballers just because I am currently a part timer. I have aspirations of running a thriving full time business one day. But, in the mean time I have responsibility for the raising and support of my children. A responsibility I take VERY seriously.
I too read that other post. I believe it started out about raising the bar for the industry as a whole and getting the public to take us seriously as professionals. And I will be the first to volunteer for anything that would work toward that end. When I start something, I take it very seriously. The only thing I take more seriously is my family.
So, please - If you want to talk about lowballers, let's talk about lowballers. Let's not make generalizations like part timers being lowballers, because we are not all bad. Granted some are terrible, but not all.
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i wasnt going to comment on this thread, but then i said why not? first of all, theres nothing wrong with being a part timer. i have read numerous threads insinuating part timers dont get the job done right, but thats not true at all. i myself am not a part timer but i do understand what your going through. with all the responsibility you have im quite sure you do the best possible job you can. so whether its part time or full time we're all striving towards the same goal every day and thats to support ourselves and family, and get by in this world!
 
There are LOT'S of great part timers doing this business.
Many have the attitude "Hey, I make good money at my day job, and I will NOT work for nothing"

However, some have the attitude that whatever money they make is gravy, even if they cut everyones price to make their gravy.

I THINK it is the latter Mario was talking about.
 
Hey Mario, why dont you get your facts straight. I am a firefighter full-time and I dont make anywhere near 60,000 a year. I pretty much work all of my off days to support my family. I have ins & license and have done alot of research on the various sites to make my business as professional as I can. And I am not a lowballer. Get your facts straight b-4 you lump all "part-timers" into 1 category.
 
Curious. In my area there are part timers, but nearly zero residential work. In the 19 years I have been in business, I think that I have worked at two homes that could be classified as residential work. And those were paint prep.
My biggest problem with competition is a full time guy that used to be a pro football player that has a ton of money in the bank, and really wants to have a business so that he can be in charge of something. It is a pain.
However, in the time we have both been in business he has filed for bankruptcy under 4 different business entities, and also managed to ruin some of the best fleetwashing accounts in the metro area.
It all washes out in the end, and the cream will rise to the top.
 
I can understand where you are coming from. I am a fireman also, and do 45k/yr before taxes, retirement, 401ks, & family health insurance for starters. I work 3-4 days during the work week washing and do commercial work on the weekends when needed. I do not work for cheap, nor do I do cheap work. I have a wife and 3 boys to support so I do what needs to be done, I work. I put myself through fire school washing houses and have a great passion for the fire service. I have been doing both since 1994 and have watched tons of fulltimers crash and burn, but it wasn't my fault. I take my career very seriously and it is a way of life as any fireman will tell you. I make more money washing and have done more in a day than I do in a two week fire dept. paycheck on several ocasions. I splurge on things like daycare, afterschool care, college funds, food, gas and light bills to name a few. I wish I could go to Vegas, but I don't have the time because I spend my days working for a better life for my family. I do more work than many fulltimers I know, it's because of our quality of work and nothing else. When I retire in 14years I hope to pass off what I have built up to my boys, maybe then I too can splurge on Vegas.
 
I guess we also fall in the part timers category....Nathan works a full time day job driving a semi 200 miles into the mountains and back everyday. He works for a company much like FedEx, but he delivers packages on a larger scale (exp snowmobiles, hot tubs, etc). He busts his balls day in and day out pushing nearly 60 hours per week. I as well work a full time position at a construction company as an office manager.

Our business is mostly nights and weekends as most of our clients are commercial and fleet. Our pressure washing money and our full time job money never cross. Most of us are part timers not by choice, but by the fact that we are building our business. We are not lowballers, not at all. We refuse to lowball ourselves out of business and i feel that we are actually the smart ones.
 
I'm going to throw my spin on part-timers - particularly the ones that have weighed in here. I see these as some of the more responsible people in our industry - they are contributing full time to society (especially those in the EMS, Firefighter, Law Enforcement, military and teaching fields). NO ONE could live on the salary of a public servant, yet they do those jobs anyway. For someone to classify these guys as "part timers" with the term slanting toward lowballer is just wrong.

As long as a part timer is doing business within quality industry standards, more power to them. We started part time (with Roger's full time job dangling a lay-off over his head). It just happened that we grew enough for him to walk away before it occurred and today we celebrate our 4 year birthday.

With that said, if my company works 100 hours a week, does that make me a full full timer and those that only work 39.5 hours a week part-time full timers?

Full time should be defined by what you and your heart & mind put in your business, not the number of days or hours you work.

Just my puny .06 worth.

Celeste
 
I am surprised by some of these responses. I really thought most of you were full time at your PW business. It's nice to know I'm not as alone as I thought I was.
I charge a fair price, in line with my full time competitors, sometimes more than they do. I also refuse to lowball myself out of business as Nicole said in her post above. I want to get the jobs that are worth my time, not bust my butt for peanuts. This is hard work and we should get paid accordingly for it. My competitors work as hard as I do and I would never try to take work away by undercutting them, and I don't believe they would do that to me either. I don't have alot of competitors, but the ones I have actually met are a pretty stand up group of people. If I get a job, it's because I sold it, not because I stole it with a lowball bid.
I hope this response and the one above did not come accross as blasting anyone, because that is not really my style. I know Mario did not mean part timers in general. I'm sure he was referring to a certain group of hacks. But, hacks are also working full time in this industry. It's not limited to part timers. So, Mario, my apologies if I came accross too strong.

So, does anyone have any ideas about how we can get the public educated about power washing as an industry? How can we get 60 Minutes to do a story on our industry? I have seen people getting taken advantage of because they didn't know they could get their roof cleaned or their deck restored. I have even seen siding replaced because the home owner didn't think it could be cleaned. Roofs, decks and siding replaced for no good reason. All that money wasted because of a lack of knowledge about this industry. How can we fix it???? Who do we look to for help? What resources do we have as a group?
I volunteered to speak at a home buyers seminar in my town. The bank that was sponsoring it, my bank, refused to allow it because it was not directly related to financing. They thought it would just confuse people. They also said if they let me speak, they would have to make time for every home maintenance and repair contractor to speak as well. I see their point. But, I am still trying to get them to touch on property maintenance during their seminar.
 
PowerWash Pros said:
I guess we also fall in the part timers category....Nathan works a full time day job driving a semi 200 miles into the mountains and back everyday. He works for a company much like FedEx, but he delivers packages on a larger scale (exp snowmobiles, hot tubs, etc). He busts his balls day in and day out pushing nearly 60 hours per week. I as well work a full time position at a construction company as an office manager.

Our business is mostly nights and weekends as most of our clients are commercial and fleet. Our pressure washing money and our full time job money never cross. Most of us are part timers not by choice, but by the fact that we are building our business. We are not lowballers, not at all. We refuse to lowball ourselves out of business and i feel that we are actually the smart ones.
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Nicole, well said..I admire your stand.

Its not long before you quit that job and start making the money in your business you want to make to take it full time.

I tell you guys a secret. I started full time and in the begining i wish i was nicole. We all need to eat and i took some jobs i shouldnt have.

If i had been working maybe i would not have been able to build fast. Smarter i would have built.

Over the years i have changed and have found whats profitable for me.

Hats off to all who start and build wisely.
 
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