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sadj

New member
I have a question. Just for the hell of it I purchased a commercial pressure washer a few months back, now more and more people (friends relatives and others) are asking me to pressure wash things for them, i.e. decks, driveways, patios, buildings. I am getting tired of doing this for free. I have no idea what to charge people. What are some general guidelines as to pricing

Thanks
Dave
 
I guess my first question would be, what are you really looking for? A side job? Possibly doing something like this full time? Legit or just a weekend warrior?

You will find a lot of help here. No matter what you intend on doing with it, there are people here that help and you can search past posts. That's a good way to do it. There is a lot of information available.

You should charge around $60.00 an hour if you want to make a meager profit. This is legit. I couldn't make it on that. When and if we wash, it's quite a bit higher but we are set-up to wash much faster and much better than a guy just getting started.

Good luck in your new endeavor. Pressure washing is the best industry I have found.... I actually love it!

Call or email me anytime if you have a question.
 
Use all your friends houses and deck for practice, see how long stuff takes you and figuire out your price, I dont charge my true friends, cause I know I will need something done, welding, parts, etc.... I just ask for materials....

Matt
 
Hi Justin,
Thanks for the reply. Well when I purchased the pressure washer it was just so I can use it aound the house and shop. But since I seem to have this growing list of people who want things washed, the wheels in my mind are starting to turn. I truly have fun doing it and I thought to myself...hey why not charge for this. As I looked into it I found that there is a whole pressure washing industry out there that I never knew about. I am looking for a second business to get invloveld with and thought this might be what I'm looking for.

Thanks
Dave
 
This is a great business to be in Dave. If you need any help, just email me. I try to get on the boards as much as time allows but sometimes that can't always happen.
 
sadj, if you do what justin tells you to do you may go broke very quickly. If he tells you the correct way to do it. Shop around for parts and service. DO NOT go with the first offer to sell you stuff. I get incredible prices on everything, I won't say where but if you want to know email me. Be very careful on here as to who's advice you take and who's you don't take. Some have very good advice and some try to act like it. So Justin, which is it, you wash on one post, you might on another post, in an email to me you don't wash at all when I offered you a contract because you are too busy building overpriced rigs. If you are going to charge, get a biz license, in pa you have to get your tax id #, get commercial liability insurance, workers comp. ins., pay to advertise. After you do all that you will have to charge some real money. Oh, you also need experience!!!
for example, I am not the cheapest around, yet I always seem to get called to fix other so called contractors mistakes. Did a quote on a driveway clean and seal for 750.00 last year. Customer went with a fly by nighter for 400. I am in the process of stripping off two layers of sealant, cleaning and then re sealing correctly. This time around I charge them 2100. funny they are paying a total of 2500 for something that could have cost them 750. I would just like to say thank you to all you screw ups in my area, you are making me a fortune.
sadj, if you want to make it a biz, do it legally, we REAL contractors hate the guy with a HD machine and some bleach and HD chems who go and call themselves power washers and make a bad name for the rest of us, and especially when you start low balling real contractors bids. Also, with little or no experience going and doing certain jobs will almost guarantee to get you sued if you don't know what your doing. Be Careful!!
 
You know Mike,
Justin has many extremely happy customers. You have not delt with him professionaly at all. You are just sore about the name factor. So why don't the two of you stop slamming each other and start helping others. As for experience, Justin has more than 6 years and has been very successful. He knows what he is talking about.
sadj, Mike is right about not going with the first person you talk to, but at least talk. You decide who you feel comfortable with. You decide who is helping and who is just blowing smoke.
 
In this corner we have......

No really, with all this free work you should get to your time and make up your own prices.... Some people charge a 100.00 a hour, some people charge 40.00 a hour, just dont forget, you will have alot of hidden cost that people fail to add in to every bid....

I for one charge x amount of dollars...

Matt
 
Well, thanks for the info everyone. I wasn't quite expecting the fight in the posts I just saw. That was pretty wild.
I have been looking to get involved in a second business. I enjoy doing the pressure washing and it seems like it could be what I am looking for.
As far as being legit, if I decide to go at this on a permanent basis I will look into all aspects of the industry. I am sure I have TONS to learn and it will take time. I nurtured my other business into a first class outfit. I would plan on doing this one the same way. One set at a time, learning as I go. I would look into all the legal aspects of the business to make sure my ass is covered on this "Sue Happy" blue marble we call earth.
I really appreciate the help that people have given me so far on here. I am also thinking about moving up to a trailer setup, so if I do decide to got into this full gun I'll be ready, and if I don't...... I'll have a hell of a setup to wash my car...LOL

Thanks again for all the help
Dave
 
Justin,

Thanks for stepping up and putting an end to that.......


Dave,

Start by reading and searching on the bulletin boards..........and shop around for liability insurance............you really shouldn't work for hire without it.
 
didn't mean for it to sound that mean, as for Mrs. Justin, yep, I do get sore when people steal things from me. But hey, I know the truth as well as a lot of people around me, and you. bye. No more posts from me on this board. I am getting a little too busy working to deal with this childish stuff, some has come from me also. To much mis information. I may stop by and read some every once and a while, but for posting or helping, no more. You guys can gouge all the new guys all you want, have fun.
 
Guys there really is no need to attack each other here or on any board.

Sure I know both of you, sure your both trying to build products and make a living and there are places on this and other boards you can post that information too but why not try and be polite here.

I am not going to get into the who stole what from whom, that should be private and legal if it comes to it and none of us desire to be considered jurrors.

Michael do come and read and POST too.

Justin and Mrs. read and post also.

No flames from either and things will work out just fine.

Dave although Michael says "we real contractors" hate the guy with a Home Depot machine many here and on other boards started out with just that and as they grew and had money to spend bought better and bigger equipment.

Do not be ashamed of what you have to start with, just take the advice concerning insurance, chemicals, MSDS sheets, safety and other information and use it.

You said you purchased a commercial pressure washer, what brand, is it hot and cold or is it in fact a Home Depot machine? If Home Depot then it is truly not a commercial machine, daily use of it will wear it out much faster then you think but should be good for 6 month if you take care of it.

You do need to learn about chemicals, certain ones do certain jobs best, concrete needs hot water to do it properly but even with cold water you can clean it, IF you have the proper chemicals.

Jon
 
Let me see, I started part time 14 years ago, with a used cold water machine. I have built it into a comfortable living and enjoy what I do.
Extreme is upset because he used a name that Justin had previously incorporated in their state, so he is doing all he can to slam Justin, Justin used to be a contractor that sold the business to someone else, and is now a distributor, that sets up rigs. I really do not know the price, and don't really care, as I will probably never find the need to buy a machine from Justin.
Justin has been in business fo 6 years , and Extreme for barely a year, judging from when he registered, and my memories of him starting out.
Did I miss something???
 
I have been in business for going on 7 years now and every year my mom asks me to do some washing for her and every year she makes me take money or she gets her feelings hurt.... she knows I have a family to support andshould not do things for free. and on the other hand my brother in law likes his property washed every year so I tell him every customer he gets me I will give him 1 hour of my time, so far it's working well.
 
LI Powerwash:

Thanks! That's a damn good idea. My sister-in-law wants free washing...I may just use your idea!

As far as all the "fighting", I just wish folks would grow up. Hell, if Justin can sell the stuff he's selling at the prices he's asking, who has the right to complain? Welcome to the free marketplace.

It is almost as if some folks resent others for thier successes.
 
My take on doing work for relatives, I did this when I cleaned carpets years ago to.

I do not charge relatives, I do not take their money for a few reasons.

1: Since they are family I gladly do the job, after all if they have something I need I expect the same in return.

2: Since they did not pay for the work they cannot complain and demand I redo the job.

3: It is good they see what we do for a living, neighbors see it and ask about our prices, that is free advertising. As for offering one hour per job they get, good idea as long as the other party is not privy to it.

4: If you do want any type of payment just take what it cost for supplies and fuel, not labor.

5: LI powerwash, stop taking money from your Mom, she raised you and changed your diapers, did you pay her for that and the food she fed you? Sheesh this is your MOM your taking money from, sure you have a family to feed, her daughter in law and her grandkids.

Need I say more about item number FIVE?

As for Justin and Michael, they will work out their problems in time, who knows they might even meet and shake hands and say hey what can I do for you!

Like the donkey meets the elephant, donkey says I am an ass, elephant says I can see that but shake on it, elephant sticks out his trunk, donkey his tail, elephant whips donkey into the air and flings him over his back and where the ass lands is not grass but elephant chips. PHEW what a stink your making donkey, let me clean you up says elephant, so he sprays him and the becom friends after that stink.

Justin and Michael don't want to land there so they will curtail their little personal fighting here, if they must continue it do so privately by Email, snail mail and phone.
 
Why are power washers this way? I wonder if other trades are as ready to cut each others throat? I just recently joined this board, but I've been power washing for 15+ years and it never ceases to amaze me that people in the same trade go after each other in this way. We just bid on a very sizable account-and got it. Afterwards, I found out that our competetors were bad mouthing us more than they boasting their own business, which is one reason why we got the job! Our new customer is very happy with our work, and we are very happy for the business.

There is plenty of work for us all to make a decent living, why not help each other when we can? We all started out as the 'little guy' with crappy equipment. I'm sure most of us learned as we went making many mistakes, it won't hurt to give out a little advise once in a while.

Steve
 
I agree Steve. There's more than enough out there for everyone. If we're not helping, we're hurting so why not just help.

I have a customer in West Chicago. He has one of my trailers.
 
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