Contract Cleaning

The Cleaner

The Cleaner

Vetran Washer 30 Years Plus
Recently i have been contacted by several companies that post on this board. I know that i am not the only one contacted, because we share info all the time.

Alot of these calls are about putting bids in on large properties. This is a great opportunity for some, but there are companies out there that have never attempted nor have a clue on how to bid these jobs.

This is the perfect example of why anyone thinking of doing any serious contract cleaning should attend these R/T. There is no way that you are going to be able to go from house washing and dumpster pad cleaning to doing 500,000 GLA S/C.

First off most of these P/M will have multiple location in multiple cities and even multiple states. Just the logistics alone of running the road and moving at a pace that will enable you to be proffitable is a task all it's own.

Not only will you need the proper rig to handle such a task, but plan on laying out thousands of dollars and waiting 30 to 40 days if your lucky to get paid. The only way to properly acheive this undertaking is by exsperience.

And the only way to get this knowlege is to attend these R/T and also working along side a contractor who has been doing this type of cleaning for years. Learning how to approach a P/M on these large properties is not so difficult the hard part is doing the work properly without doing damage.

Just using the wrong chemicals or the wrong pressure on the sidewalk surface can lead to a claim on your insurance and a loss of an account. I dont mean this to sound like it cant be done by a novice but i know that i worked my way up over time as alot of the guy's here on this site.

My best suggestion to anyone moving up to bigger projects would be to get with a company close to you that has been at it for years, and see if you can give them some free help for knowlege. Or pass the project on to them and make some money together and gain confidence and knowlege at the same time.

This is a great place to network with other competent contractors, i have been networking for at least 10 years and never lost an account because of it. This will enable you to cover a large area for your customers, and in turn working with other contractors will get you work in your area that they send your way. WIN WIN !!
 
Nick is correct, I have seen post by members that thought that 5000 square feet of flatwork was large, large is sooooooo much more than that, like Nick we clean 10's of millions in square feet of concrete each year. Hundreds of miles of curbing ect.

This did not come over night and it took years to devolip the skills and know how to clean efectively and with great speed, for example we have cleaned as much as 15,000 square foot an hour per night and those can be 10 to 12 hour nights and we will do this for weeks in a row. (Talk about wanting to throw yourself in front of a truck !) You have no choice when you are 1500 miles from home and paying 300 to 400 in gas and diesel a day + labor for 2 to 3 guys besides yourself, you have to get it done or it just cost more money. Like Nick said you need thousands of dollars up front on these types of contract cleaning just to make it work then play the waiting game and still have money enough to work when you get back the next 30 to 60 days and sometimes 90+ days until you get paid.

However it can be lucrative and fun at the same time too. We have been to New York this year and are on our way back again to Maryland for the 4th time. since May. (Thanks to Nick)

I am always open to a labor for learning situation, I have had guys that went with me and saw how things are done and it has taken 10 years off their learning curve and opened their eyes to other possibilities for their business.

We are going into our 14th year in this business and I still learn everyday. If someone wishes to learn I will show you and you are welcome on site (to work) if I am close by you.
 
The concrete KINGS!!!

Very True. I have passed on other types of work, just for the fact I didn't want to damage the surfaces. large new construction concrete. Did I want to pass? No, but I thought it was better than damaging the surface and my reputation.

Sometimes you got to go for it, sometimes you wont make the good money because lack of experience. We are lucky these BB's & RT's give us networks use them if its offered

I hear often, actually not as much as in the past, that you can't make money working for PM's or commercial or condos, that PM''s suck LOL. Thats BS you can make it, you just got to figure out how and how to do it efficiently.

15,000 sq ft an hour, You are the human Swabby :D
 
jlpressure said:
15,000 sq ft an hour, You are the human Swabby :D
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Really not to hard if you think about it, if we clean on a regular basis it is easy to keep clean and you run through them much faster than if it had been 5 years

Also you have to figure that we have three hot machines running with 28 in surface cleaners and 1 man pulling hoses moving the truck ect...
 
I figure that each time I move the rig it costs about 15 minutes in flatwork and 30 minutes in fleet work. It drives me nuts when my guys would rather move the rig than just run more hose.
 
Scott Stone said:
I figure that each time I move the rig it costs about 15 minutes in flatwork and 30 minutes in fleet work. It drives me nuts when my guys would rather move the rig than just run more hose.
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Thats how we do the condos we always have 400 ft on our reels and have added up to 200 more feet. I can't stand rolling up everything unhooking from lifts and moving rigs, its a big waste of time.
 
The Cleaner said:
Recently i have been contacted by several companies that post on this board. I know that i am not the only one contacted, because we share info all the time.

Alot of these calls are about putting bids in on large properties. This is a great opportunity for some, but there are companies out there that have never attempted nor have a clue on how to bid these jobs.

This is the perfect example of why anyone thinking of doing any serious contract cleaning should attend these R/T. There is no way that you are going to be able to go from house washing and dumpster pad cleaning to doing 500,000 GLA S/C.

First off most of these P/M will have multiple location in multiple cities and even multiple states. Just the logistics alone of running the road and moving at a pace that will enable you to be proffitable is a task all it's own.

Not only will you need the proper rig to handle such a task, but plan on laying out thousands of dollars and waiting 30 to 40 days if your lucky to get paid. The only way to properly acheive this undertaking is by exsperience.

And the only way to get this knowlege is to attend these R/T and also working along side a contractor who has been doing this type of cleaning for years. Learning how to approach a P/M on these large properties is not so difficult the hard part is doing the work properly without doing damage.

Just using the wrong chemicals or the wrong pressure on the sidewalk surface can lead to a claim on your insurance and a loss of an account. I dont mean this to sound like it cant be done by a novice but i know that i worked my way up over time as alot of the guy's here on this site.

My best suggestion to anyone moving up to bigger projects would be to get with a company close to you that has been at it for years, and see if you can give them some free help for knowlege. Or pass the project on to them and make some money together and gain confidence and knowlege at the same time.

This is a great place to network with other competent contractors, i have been networking for at least 10 years and never lost an account because of it. This will enable you to cover a large area for your customers, and in turn working with other contractors will get you work in your area that they send your way. WIN WIN !!
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I rarely post here due to the pro uamcc nature of this board, but I must respond to this. Is the point of this post to scare smaller contractors away from bidding commercial or to convince them to cut you in to do the work and throw a little money to them. I, and many others, went from residential only to cleaning for pm's and commercial work in multiple cities and states. We never went to a round table event to learn what to do. Are the round tables beneficial and will they help with the learning curve?--without a doubt, but they are not a necessity. Don't want to start a big argument here, and those that know me know how I feel about the detriment the uammc and other union type activities will do to the business, but I don't want younger guys scared away by posts like one quoted above. If you can make it to a round table that you feel is beneficial go to it and appreciate the ones that put it together and donate their time. If you can't make one keep working and if youhave a good business head you will suceed.
 
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offdutyfireman said:
I rarely post here due to the pro uamcc nature of this board, but I must respond to this. Is the point of this post to scare smaller contractors away from bidding commercial or to convince them to cut you in to do the work and throw a little money to them. I, and many others, went from residential only to cleaning for pm's and commercial work in multiple cities and states. We never went to a round table event to learn what to do. Are the round tables beneficial and will they help with the learning curve?--without a doubt, but they are not a necessity. Don't want to start a big argument here, and those that know me know how I feel about the detriment the uammc and other union type activities will do to the business, but I don't want younger guys scared away by posts like one quoted above. If you can make it to a round table that you feel is beneficial go to it and appreciate the ones that put it together and donate their time. If you can't make one keep working and if youhave a good business head you will suceed.
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Hey William,

If I can jump in here for a minute. I don't think Nick was trying to scare anyone. I have met Nick and even before I met Nick (The Cleaner) he has always been a helpful contractor to most anyone that would ask. I think he was saying that some jobs aren't for the novice and if a novice takes it on and screws something up it will be a painful lesson. I took from his post advice, if you want to grow a Round Table or Labor for learning is a great way to learn many of the ins & outs. I personally don't think any guy with a 3 gpm cold water machine should think they can do 500,000 sq ft of concrete, may damage it and I know he will lose money. Nick was great at the RT offering advice and speaking when he thought it was right to jump in.
Its just liker with me around here I lost a 15K a year job to a guy that had two 2.2 gpm minute machines, 30, 2 & 3 story condo buildings, not only did he not get them clean and did some damage, he undercut our industry by charging 45% below the lowest bid he damaged our industry, one that is trying to get away from the image of a bunch of guys that aren't really a trade. We know we are a professional trade but many dont and if Nick or anyone wants to point out go to RT's or labor for learning or start out small I think is good advise. I started small, learned from the school of hard knocks I didn't start to do condos or large concrete jobs my 1st few months in biz but there are many that have tried and failed or who would like to try.

I am a true believer like you if you have determination and a good work ethic you can make it in this biz from the ground level up. I just posted this response because I know Nick and he is a straight up guy who is good, very good at what he does and cares passionately for the industry he should he's been doing it for over 15 years. I dont think he's trying to make all the money. He offered me several months ago to get in on something big, I passed, because I didn't want to do nights, but Nicks one of those share the love and I just wanted to speak for him. Plus even thou he's an OLD MAN, he can hang with the best of them on a night on the town. Althou I might be taotally wrong about Nick The Cleaner, he might just be trying to scam the new guys and get rich himself:eek: ;) ;) :D


As for this PWI board being Pro UAMCC, thats almost funny, if you knew the recent past history of some of the conflict that went on with members of PWI vs Uamcc you really wouldn't think this is or was per sa a pro UAMCC board. UAMCC post on all boards and their own. Yes I am pro UAMCC first reason because I have met and known many of its team and I trust they are doing this for the Contractors and to help lift the industry. Union type I dint know about that. They haven't asked for any money and will not take any money until its set up with a package to offer. There are at least a couple/few orgs that in the past have started, taken money and really never offered anything much so I understand the skepticism on an org, we ALL have it at times.

I got a question about your anti UAMCC, is there a reason that you could share, it might help in forming the org. Or is it just past history with other failed orgs past or present, I understand theres been a few. Just trying get some insight


Like I & you said most anyone can make it in this biz, if you have good biz sense, determination, some brains. but even better some help from those that have gone through the school of hard knocks is great
 
offdutyfireman said:
Thanks Jeff, I hope that I didn't come across that RT's were a bad thing, I just wanted to stress that it is not "impossible" to go commercial without them.
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No you didnt come across that RT's were a bad thing at all brother. I was just speaking up for Nicks charater, he's a hell of a nice guy and a helpful guy to newbies & vets

Anytime you are in the area give me a call. Hope your fall is busy
 
Great info guys.

I bet a lot of people just do not think about what it takes to keep them going to keep the job going while in or out of town like fuel, rooms, food, pay the workers and let them send the money home so bills can be paid, etc....

If you want to go big, you need to have some money in the bank to keep you going like 10K to 20k for those jobs that have your machines drinking the gas and diesel.

I was doing a lot of concrete the past 2 December's and It was not a huge job but a lot of work separated into different locations in another town and I was using around $150.00 to $180.00 in gas and diesel per day every day until the job was over and then waited to be paid 30 days later.

It is nice to get those checks when the work is done but you have to have money in the bank to keep you going until those checks get here.

Fuel is only a part of the equation. You also have food, rooms, fuel for the trucks, spare parts to keep on hand and have to have before going out on the road so a little $25.00 gun or $78.00 spray bar does not shut the job down. When on the road you need to have spares of everything or you look at shutting down the job and having to pay a lot of money to have something rushed in from out of town to get the job rolling and possibly delaying the next job making you look bad.

I have told this story about a local guy that never kept spare parts on his trailer but he got shut down on a Friday nite for a little $0.15 O-Ring. He could not get anyone on the phone and waited until the Monday morning to get the O-ring to start up the job again.

Can you imagine what excuses or lies he had to make up so he would not look bad for not keeping some cheap O-rings on the trailer?

I am not in the same boat as Russ, William or Nick but would like to be soon but that takes time, experience and more money in the bank to keep you going but I am on the right track.

Good luck guys.
 
Hey William what is really funny is that if you search the post concerning the UaMCC you will see the HUGE conflict that was here between myself and Carlos right from the start, I was there largest obstical, I appreciate your concerns and I feel you have made a good point but I am like Jeff I feel the reason for the post was to show that this type of work is not for everyone, we see so many obsticles created by contractors that started jobs that cant handle them. For instance we had a local guy bid .15 cents a linear foot cheaper that us on 68,000 feet of curbing at a new shopping center, we told the contractor he would not be able to do the job (he had 1 machine) well the guy started the job and did about 750 feet and left. Guess who they called ? Now they still want us to do the job for the same price he quoted, so the hack comes in and bids on stuff he has no business bidding on and cuts the price they were willing to pay at first by $10,200. Thats just one example and he tried to clean it all with a 20 in surfacer and damaged the concrete and the pavement with it (by the way he tried to clean the curb with "Greased Lightening" from Home Depot).

As far as the Round Tables they are an invaluable resourse for contractors and networking is a wondreful thing, Jeremy Keifer, Ashley Phillips, Bruce Stanley and Trey Posey and I are all local guys and we share work from time to time, some of these realtionships were built fro the roundtable here last year.

Its all good as long as it helps.
 
These are great topics to speak about. I only posted here because we have been contacted by lots of guy's on this site and other sites.

It always seems to come down to Whats Our Agenda..if I wanted to steal your work or do somthing sly, why the hell would i waste my time on these boards and going to R/T.

I have given more work away over the years than i have ever received, and the work was only given to quality contractors that could get it done without incident. If you can belive this we are in this together to better the industry as a WHOLE, so as Russ said we dont get hacks or should i say Idiot's bidding on properties they have no knowlege of ,and making us all look bad.

Dont tell me that all of you never got that phone call from a customer that said can you come over and clean my house for $45.00 like ABC did last year? We all say the same thing, why not call ABC back? well you no the answer to that one.

Every industry out there has some kind of group or confrences they attend to better the industry, what makes us any different. Before any of you bad mouth what were trying to do here, give it a chance and attend one of these well sponsered and well spoken events, if it's not for you than i suggest you dont form an opinion on something you no nothing about.

Thats right Jeff, i can still hang with you wipersnappers, you by the way are not far behind me..LOL
 
well spoken events, if it's not for you than i suggest you dont form an opinion on something you no nothing about.

I don't quite follow the wording in this sentence. If it is not for me then wouldn't it be more prudent to tell me that it's OK and not for everyone. How can you say that if it's not for me then I shouldn't form an opinion? I "no" as much as I need to by reading the website and comments from it's "members". I didn't come here to fight it and until now have never, on any board, had negative comments about it. I know that it is something that will wither away in time. I fully agree that RT's are helpful, my post was to point out that they are not necessary to succeed, as your post claimed.
 
It means exactly what it say's. How can you make a statement about these events if you have never been to one? Simple as i can say it to you, and i am not looking to start anything with you? I am sure that you are the best P/W in all of fuquay n.c, i see you did'nt capitalize any of your location info? Just how small a town is that? Are you full time P/W or are you switching off between hoses?
 
I never made a comment about one of your events. I commented on your remarks. I don't understand your statement that -if I don't agree with something then I shouldn't form an opinion about it. That is not logical. Fuquay is a small town of about 20,00. I don't do much washing here but it is where my business is located. I quite the FD 2 years ago and have been in business since 1998. I am full time with 3 crews and work primarily in NC, SC and Tn, but we travel to VA occasionaly.
 
See if the two of you meet at a rt you could talk face to face and get a better understanding of each others charcter(spelling sucks). Maybe even share leads. but on the BBS you cant get a feel for atitudes or sarcasm and it starts spats. We are trying to eliminate the everyman for himself stigma around here and create unity with out a union or org.
 
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