Canada Forum?

Not sure, my idea is based off things like equipment, cold weather services to offer, truck/trailer setups for our climate, best places for chem's north of the border.
Even here in Calgary there are many pressure washing companies that operate, although many of us only meet at the water fills. I know I started 3 years ago with little info to go on and have learned much through trail and error along the way that I don't mind sharing. There are spots all over the forum, but to have a Canadian one that allows us to point new guys in the right direction might be of some help.
Give you the perfect example, equipment costs and pricing. Getting stuff from you guys down south is way cheaper, but what are the trade offs that go along with that. Shipping, warranty, duty all play factors in the final cost and are something that can be talked about. Different shipping companies are better then others at getting stuff across the border and won't ask for your first born when it shows up at your door.

It won't be in the top 10 of forums, but it will help those looking to get into the business maybe ask and have questions answered.

Just a thought.
 
Benjamin said:
Not sure, my idea is based off things like equipment, cold weather services to offer, truck/trailer setups for our climate, best places for chem's north of the border.
Even here in Calgary there are many pressure washing companies that operate, although many of us only meet at the water fills. I know I started 3 years ago with little info to go on and have learned much through trail and error along the way that I don't mind sharing. There are spots all over the forum, but to have a Canadian one that allows us to point new guys in the right direction might be of some help.
Give you the perfect example, equipment costs and pricing. Getting stuff from you guys down south is way cheaper, but what are the trade offs that go along with that. Shipping, warranty, duty all play factors in the final cost and are something that can be talked about. Different shipping companies are better then others at getting stuff across the border and won't ask for your first born when it shows up at your door.

It won't be in the top 10 of forums, but it will help those looking to get into the business maybe ask and have questions answered.

Just a thought.
Click to expand...

Is Epps a Canadian Manufacture? A guy here worked in Canada for years, the Ex president of the www.pwna.org was from Cananda
 
Epps, never heard of them before you mentioned them, but my google search puts them in SW Ontario, or 3600 km's away from me. I know where they are only because my Father and his large family grew up in the same town its located in. Many Canadian Companies can't compete with price or even close to what is offered down south.
An example, a 900,000 btu burner down south, $2700, up north between $7-8k. General 302` Thermostat, $30 in the USA, paid $68+tax up here.
If a Canadian Pressure washer unit/parts site that was close 20% lets say was alive this would also be the best place to advertise it as well.

Noticed this in the top, might want to fix

"Ideas to improve PWI Express your oponions"

"Ideas to improve PWI Express your opinions"

Surprised nobody noticed that...
 
Benjamin said:
Epps, never heard of them before you mentioned them, but my google search puts them in SW Ontario, or 3600 km's away from me. I know where they are only because my Father and his large family grew up in the same town its located in. Many Canadian Companies can't compete with price or even close to what is offered down south.
An example, a 900,000 btu burner down south, $2700, up north between $7-8k. General 302` Thermostat, $30 in the USA, paid $68+tax up here.
If a Canadian Pressure washer unit/parts site that was close 20% lets say was alive this would also be the best place to advertise it as well.

Noticed this in the top, might want to fix

"Ideas to improve PWI Express your oponions"

"Ideas to improve PWI Express your opinions"

Surprised nobody noticed that...
Click to expand...

Lets see what the staff thinks
 
Sunshine said:
I've seen forums where they have a Canadian Region/whatever and it had no action. Zero. The posts were months to years between getting responses. Just my .02 cents.
Click to expand...


Nice to see you back Soleil!

I agree with you. It's a good idea Benjamin, but like Soleil said it's not gonna get much traffic. Mind you, it would be nice to have an area that has Vendors that are willing to ship here...hmm.
 
dieseldad97 said:
Mind you, it would be nice to have an area that has Vendors that are willing to ship here...hmm.
Click to expand...

Heck, I'll ship to The Great White North. No problem.
 
Many of you will ship up north, but will you warn us if shipping becomes a little much?

I have ordered a bunch of stuff lately from the US, some things come right from them, some are drop shipped. Did you know that with UPS Standard shipping every shipment pretty much has a $30 brokerage charge on it.

How many people have ordered a burner or entire unit from the US and know some of the ins and outs of it?

What about products that we can find on this side of the border that allows us not to make UPS richer?

I know the Grime scene has a forum in which Canadians are encouraged, although its basically an "Every where, but the USA forum". Like I mentioned, I don't expect this forum to be the most visited or anything, but just a place to ask questions that are related to us up north and get answers.
 
Benjamin, the suppliers are not made aware of our brokerage fees or duties as they are charged on our end once delivered. The best way to know what to expect is simply to check with the shipping company.

As long as you know the price of the item you are buying you will be able to check your brokerage.

I believe that the onus is on us to then compare pricing up here in Canada.

I personally think that if there is a Canadian region, PWI could lose some potential members from Canada.
One of the first things they will do is check out that region and see that there is not much to it and figure that there is nothing here for them. Other than the above, most information is not specific to us or the US, if it is a thread can be started to ask about it.
 
Ups calls me all the time asking if they can broker my stuff and can never tell me what the cost is. Typically the only way I figure out the exact cost of duty is what appearts on the CC bill.

You are right, there are certain things that are cheaper and others that are not once all is said and done. Give you an example I just got 2 hosetrac reels from down south. The distributer has free shipping on most things when they are shipped in the US. So I punched in the size and weight of both reels into UPS and came up with $120 approx cost. Shipping was not on my original invoice, figured I would pay something, didn't expect it to be close to 50% cost of both reels combined. This final cost was way different then I was expecting and by the time it turned up it was a little too late.
So how does this relate to a Canada forum well if we share mistakes like this others can avoid them. Not saying to avoid hosetrac or getting a reel down south, but maybe ship it to the border and go pick it up and import it yourself. The free US shipping to that location and all you are out is time and fuel depending how far it is.

Another example, a burner down south is so much cheaper then up here. Was looking for 10-12 gpm and best price I could find in Alberta was $7500-9000. Where I was able to get the freight up here for half that with me doing the importing. I took a bit of a blind leap as I have never shipped anything that big and would encourage those getting into the business to consider it an option. Info like this helps others out, yeah you could search the net but typing in "importing pressure washing burner into Canada" I don't think will get the answers they are in need of.

I am not looking for a forum to spill my client list or trade secrets, but there are things like insurance companies and what you need to get started that are different up here.

There are pros and cons, I just think there are things we could share and learn that could benifit others.

Just my 2 cents
 
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