How long have you been in business?

This post was done before, but I'll bite. We started in 1993 by accident as well, while cleaning my house when I first moved here from NY. Started cleaning houses in my area and branched out into commercial when no one was really doing much flatwork. One thing led to another and we really went full bore on commercial cleaning.

At the time I didnt know that alot of my existing clients would hire me to do out of town or even out of state work for them until I asked for it. Thats when we really started to roll, that was the begining of our Mobile Contract Cleaning Biz. We were working from Key West FL to Massacusetts out to Mississippi cleaning for many P/M companies.

Before we moved here to FL I worked with my Dad from when I was 18 at Local 29 Blasters,Drillrunners and Miners Union, we did large excavating in the Tri State area of NY and all five boroughs. Then I started a small Trucking company in NY in 1988 until 1993 then sold that along with a few homes I owned up there and moved down here to FL.
 
10 years of fun

I have been in the cleaning business since 1999. It has been great watching the business grow. (even with the economy)
I can remember the first year in business. I literally ran everything out of the back of the truck. One particular day seems to stick out in my head, here's why.
I was washing a customers home. I had to get up on the roof to reach a stubborn section of the house. Coming back down after the cleaning, the ladder kicked out, I was falling head first when my watch caught the gutter and flipped me around so that i landed on my back. Customer comes out to make sure im o.k.. I was !!

Then!

The customer asked that i move my truck so that she could run to the store. I was hopping that she was going to pick me up a fresh batch of pride since I had just disposed of mine. When backing up I had to stop suddenly because of a speedy car. When........I launched my newly purchased power washer about 40 feet into the street from the bed of the truck. :withstupid:

A decade later I'm still in the business. Multi- trucks/employee's and tons of hard earned pressure washing knowledge.

I'm new to this forum but I'm looking forward to learning more and sharing what I've learned.

Thanks for reading
www.underpressurewash.com
Mark
 
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underpressurewash said:
I have been in the cleaning business since 1999. It has been great watching the business grow. (even with the economy)
I can remember the first year in business. I literally ran everything out of the back of the truck. One particular day seems to stick out in my head, here's why.
I was washing a customers home. I had to get up on the roof to reach a stubborn section of the house. Coming back down after the cleaning, the ladder kicked out, I was falling head first when my watch caught the gutter and flipped me around so that i landed on my back. Customer comes out to make sure im o.k.. I was !!

Then!

The customer asked that i move my truck so that she could run to the store. I was hopping that she was going to pick me up a fresh batch of pride since I had just disposed of mine. When backing up I had to stop suddenly because of a speedy car. When........I launched my newly purchased power washer about 40 feet into the street from the bed of the truck. :withstupid:

A decade later I'm still in the business. Multi- trucks/employee's and tons of hard earned pressure washing knowledge.

I'm new to this forum but I'm looking forward to learning more and sharing what I've learned.

Thanks for reading
www.underpressurewash.com
Mark
Click to expand...

Thats a funny story...we all have them !! :welcome:
 
The Cleaner said:
Thats a funny story...we all have them !! :welcome:
Click to expand...

Awsome posts my power washing friends. Isnt this a great business to be in?? We love it.
 
My last job working for someone else was for a 20 year stint. I started with them as a convenience store manager and after 4 years I was asked to develop a training / Security department which I did and was in charge of for many years until the chain of 45 stores decided to become branded and my department was dissolved. I went to work for them back in a manger role while I investigated business opportunities. I found several message boards and researched the biz for over a year. I started P Wing for $$ in 2002 Part time while I continued to work at the store (hating every minute, retail sucks!!)and within 4 months realized that this would be viable.

Did houses , decks and anything else people wanted cleaned. Isnt it amazing on some of the things we get calls on to clean? First unit was a 4 GPM 4000 psi Northern tool Hot trailer (hydrotec) Ran that for several years and built a 7x14 enclosed 8.5 3500 psi set up. (so much more cleaning power, anyone starting out and looking at flat work, buy high GPM!)

Have added , awning cleaning, Graffiti removal, Window cleaning and parking lot striping since then. I am considering offering Tile and grout cleaning but have lots of research to do yet. I do 90 % commercial work now and am doing well. Just need to get over the next revenue volume step and than perhaps i can have "Crews" and I can spend more time supervising and selling.

Still trying to find a niche for creating revenue for the cold months. Snowplowing isn't an option however I did do a couple of Ice dams jobs this Winter. Would rather make money inside if possible tho. Im a freeze baby!!
 
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