Two questions

Scott Stone

Scott Stone

New member
Okay, I have two questions for everyone out there. If you do not want to reply to me here, you can e-mail me at the-washer@msn.com

#1 What was the biggest mistake that you made when starting your power washing/pressure washing business?
#2 What do you wish that you would have known then that you found out now through hard knocks?

For the record, if you are shy about answering the questions for some reason, this post will be deleted as soon as it dies.

Scott
 
Hey Scott,
I would say the biggest mistake I did when I first started Powerwashing was that I started so late. I started 7 yrs ago when I was 34. I should've started my business years before so that way maybe at this point in my life I wouldn't be doing almost all the work like I am now. The body wears down the older you get.

As for question #2 Chemicals Chemicals Chemicals!!!. When I first started I pretty much avoided using chemicals(Cleaning Solutions etc.) and now I use them most of the time. I'm still learning about this but the more I do learn the easier it gets to clean.

John
 
Mistakek #1 I bought a 210 gallon water tank to go in the back of my 1/2ton truck, TOO MUCH WEIGHT. I then bought a 16' utility trailer to go behind my suburban. That works great except now I want an enclosed trailer because my equipment is out in the weather. Mistake #2 Also I advertised in the real yellow pages $60.00 a month I got 6 calls and landed 4 jobs off that add. It bearly paid for itself I want be doing that again. I am going with local small newspapers around my area this year and advertising Exterior Wood Care we will see how that goes this year. I have lived and learned and am still learning.
 
How to bid a really big job and not have to kill myself in the process. My very first job I promised the world and had no idea how much work it really was going to be. I was there for 24 hrs. solid and only really charged for what should have been a 5 hour job. I learned fast!! I quit doing so much work for so little money.

The place hadn't been cleaned in 10 years, and I got to do 10 years worth in one weekend!! I was sure I had gotten into the wrong business!!
 
1. My first huge mistake didn't happen until my 4th year. I bid a 2 story cedar home with a two tear deck and a third that wrapped around a swimming pool. I had no idea what kind of I was removing or what would take it off. Turned out to be CWF UV. After three weeks, when the job was finally finished the amount I charged was $67.00 less than my cost to do the work. It almost put me out of business. That was when I promised myself I would learn as much as I could about chemicals and wood restoration in general.

2. This one is easy. I wish I had known that as a rule of thumb when they say, "If we like how the first 3 turn out we will go ahead with the rest" they never intended to do more than 3 in the first place. I let too many property managers beat me up on price trying to get the "BIG CONTRACT" when they knew from the start they were only going to do "the worst of it this year." I've even stooped so low as to go back and do "just a couple more" at the discounted price. Now I know, I charge what I charge for a reason. Now I am more likely to clean one for free as a demonstration than to discount based on a speculative number.

Hope this helps!

Russ
 
hmmmmm I haven't hmmmmmm made no mistakes,I don't think hmmmm,remember I got into this as a hobby,I wasn't looking for a new line of work,just a hobby to play with but if I had known at the time it was going to turn into a business in the short time it did this is what I'd wish I had done.

Lucky I started with a 5 gpm 3000psi hotwater which I think is the most important part in building a new business,its a wash anything rig.

(1) I wish I had choosen a 1 ton flatbed,a business plan and a con'puter.

(2) this is the one that should be first,but I wished I had known more about chemiclas as to their do's and don't,it's been a costly mistake by not knowing the ingredients in a chemical.

I still look at my little business as a hobby and have learned alot in the 10 years of not knowing.I liked to have let it almost kill me in 8 of those years,more,more more which was quickly coming to a burnout in this business,almost got out of it b/c of it,,,,,,so I guess you could stay that was my first mistake by not stopping long enough and realizing it wasn't a hobby but a business without a plan........hopefully after I enjoy myself this year I'll get a plan to get bigger again and realize a burnout can be over come.
 
Yeah, i told Scott already that equipment is the bigest mistake people make. i believe i see more guys buy the wrong equipment.

disrtibutors are the main reason that guys get the equiped wrong. i see more guys tell me they thought the distributor set them up right. when in fact they sell them a 4 gallon a min machine to trim out some more profit. maybe thinking at a later date they will up grade them to what they really need. this back fires if the distributor does not warn the buyer that what they are buying is not the top on line stuff. when the buyer realizes that they bought equipment thats not really the most efficient. they are then pissed they waisted money and for a little extra or the same price they can get a 6 gallon a min machine.

second biggest mistake, guys and gals get into this business thinking its going to be easy. theres nothing easy about this business. its hard work everyday, i love it but dont get into this business with the attitude that your going to steal money from people.


third mistake, reality of what it will really take to complete jobs. time & costs. we all have made this one and sometimes we can still make this mistake from time to time.

the list goes on and on, i guess we just need to be honest with ourselves.

i'm sure there are only about 1000
 
Listen up,

There is really no such thing as 1 or 2 things, all would agree chemicals are one of the top item and I too did not know much about them.

Won't get into long talks about what products I use(d) and such but I continue to test out enviromental friendly stuff.

About equipment, what Ron said is not how my supplier was with me, he kept asking why I want so much, yes a tandem axle, two 220 gallon tanks etc., he said start small and build up.

He did say nothing smaller then 3000 PSI, 5 GPM with burner and I did buy that. Had I known more about equipment I would have gone for higher GPM but for now mine works just fine.

Plan ahead, I did 3 month of research on this business, asked more questions then I got answers for and it was not hard to seperate the truth from the braggers.

Age to me is not a factor as long as your in good health and in "good shape". That last remark I was not in at the time, trust me there and don't ask me to explain as it is history now.

That is enough from me.
 
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Maybe More than 2 Answers LOL

First mistake was not just going ahead and doing it fulltime. I worked a 40 hour job in between washing soooooooo many trucks and when I finally realized that Truck Washing was a honorable and semi-lucrative way to make a living I quit my job and have never looked back!!

I brushed way too much early on!!!! I always tried to cut corners and ended up with cheap one step soaps that required lots of brushing. Since I've gone to a 2 step process that I can control at the gun I've had to do alot less brushing and feel better. If the rinsing agents in the soaps are good, it's amazing how much better the job comes out. I also went through the dionized water phase in my bizz and I know alot of people will disagree with me, I think it's overrated. A full charge on a 50,000 grain water softener is enough.

A third HUGE mistake I made was lowering my price twice at an account that I'd been at for 10 years because some "newbie" thought he could wash 10 wheel tractors for 5 bucks, and 45' trailers, also for $5.00!!!!! It took me a few years to get back to the price I had come down from and if I had it to do again I'd walk away from that account and let the dude work for free (especially in the wintertime)... There comes a point in time after you've done this for a long time that you kinda feel a little bit secure about what you do and how you do it. But we can never feel totally secure can we LOL, cause afterall the EPA might be hiding in the bushes!!
 
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Booyah,

I have asked before and have forgotten your name again. Could you please post it in the signature area.

i want to repliy to your comment about the price lowering, i agree that lower your price is bad. your just telling your customer that you have been charging to much instead of letting them find out that the other guy is not charging enough.

this exact thing happen yesterday to a fellow contractor.

Adam Mosley, Maybe adam will reply and tell the storie?
 
Ron

I know you've asked me for my name before and that's why I sign my posts at the bottom (Chuck). I guess you're talkin about using the signature area and as soon as I figure out how to do that my name will be where it's supposed to be. I hope!!
Chuck
 
TY

Thanks Ron....I still don't know how to use it, and I did click on the signature box?? I also just tried to post a picture in Members Pictures threads but screwed that up to LOL... No big loss though cause I ain't that much to look at. :p
Chuck
 
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I would have to say the first mistake was taking advice on running my machine directly out of a water tank from an employee from a local chemical dealer. I have been using a transfer pump with a check valve and water reducing valve for the last few years when using a water tank and it has saved on check valves. The second mistake was buying chemicals from that same company. I was paying way too much. After a lot of research I now have my own brand. We believe in letting the chemicals do the work they were designed to do. I just have to add one more thing, not purchasing a X-Jet sooner. This is the best tool you can have for washing two story houses. No matter what you plan to clean the most of, houses, decks, concrete, ect. the right tools and chemicals are essential to perform the task at hand! With the knowledge from a lot of people on this board this is a good place to learn and help others. Helping people always comes back to you in the long run.
 
As for the story Ron was talking about, I had a customer that had been on monthly for only two services when he decides that he wants to cancell because I dont rinse his entire parking lot. Apparently the last company he had,( the company that managed to severely damage his concrete without ever really cleaning it well), did rinse his parking lot. And all for $10 a month less!

As for Scotts ?
would have to be equipment, its my fault for not researching more, but when you go to a dist. and ask for the best all around setup, with an emphasis on concrete. And they sell you a Hydrotek3300psi 4.5gpm 16hp (not bad, but certainly not the best for the job. When I use a 6gpm machine Im in heaven.

Also one of the more important mistakes I made in the begining
was not getting agreements down on paper, I think I spent to many years in small towns. Live and Learn!
 
Bidding jobs cheaper then I should (don't get me wrong I still make money on them but I realize later I could have gone higher and still got the job). I've only been in this business for a 1 1/2 years and I wanted to start it 10 years ago but never did until now. I been fortunate to have a brother and dad who have been in the business for over 10 years, so they helped me get the right equipment, chemicals and the training to use it all.


Pat:)
 
Okay, this post has had as of right now, 257 views, and 16 posts. That works out to one post for every 16 views. The rest of you that are looking can not convince me that no mistakes were made on start up of your respective businesses. I would really appreciate it if you would respond to the post. It would help a little project I have going out a lot.

BTW, Biggest mistake, spending too much for a used pressure washer to start out. It lasted five years, but I still spent too much. What I wish I knew, Sales techniques and a better understanding of chemicals.

Any way, a few more repsonses would be appreciated.

Thanks Scott
 
1)I guess i would have to say that i put to much trust in others by letting friends and family work with me....thay just want more more more and work less and less quality,along with having no respect for me of my equiptment. 2)using less than top quality chemicals 3)promising more than I could deliver and still make a profit.....live and learn I guess....wish I would have stayed a 1 man show longer if that makes any since.:rolleyes:
 
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