Where are we heading ?

[The Cleaner]

Hi all, i just wanted to take a minute and ask everyone where they see this proffession of ours going in the future? We see our work as a proffessional entity, something tangible and worth speaking of.

What i do notice is that many people and other proffessions look at us as nothing more than a part time job for extra money. I know first hand that there are many of us that do very well at this so called hobby and would like to see this turn into a respected industry, one that we all can be proud of.


This forum is a great place to be heard, but our greatest contribution to this industry is our customers word of mouth, be it residential or commercial. We may all be separate companies all striving for the same goals but as a industry we are one.


The only way that we can prove our worth as a true proffession is through educating the public as to the differences between us and them, and we all know who them is. I consistently turn jobs down that are not in my pricing range, now i dont mean this to sound like i dont need or want the work, but we need to get the standards of this industry where they should be.


We all had to start somewhere, and for some that meant trying to be the cheapest in town, and that is why we are in the shape where in. When i started my company i made a promise to myself that i would give this 5 years of solid hard work and sweat, why i say 5 years is that anyone who has been in business before knows that on average this is the time it takes to establish yourself in a given area. Along with that promise i also made a commitment not to LOWBALL myself out of business, instead i would give my customers the best service with the best equipment and chemicals that are available.


It took me every bit of the 5 years to make my company a well respected and familiar name in the Tampa Bay area of Florida. But instead of trying to LOWBALL and get every job that called, i gave them a price that would actually make me money and keep them as a client for years.Most LOWBALLERS are looking to be in and out ASAP so they can move on to the next hack job!! and leave that trail of lousy service in thier path, which comes back to haunt us all.


I think i am rambling and venting at the same time I take great pride in my company that i have built from nothing but hard work and perseverance, but if just a few of the new people who read this post realize how hard alot of us have tried to make this industry a respectable one, and go out there and make a name for yourselves without compromising the integrity of the very industry you are pursuing.

And thats all i got to say about it.

 

[K.J.]

Well said Nick!
I just spoke to another new, seasoned fellow cleaner in our area today and talked about the same issues.
Things slow down during certain times of the year but, that can easily be combated by charging accordingly while you are busy or just steadily busy.
Don't take jobs for peanuts if you are slow as this is what drives prices down year after year. I know, I know , sometimes this is easier said than done ,but you must battle on and stick to your guns to go on in this business.

 

[Apple Roof Cleaning]

Hi all, i just wanted to take a minute and ask everyone where they see this proffession of ours going in the future? We see our work as a proffessional entity, something tangible and worth speaking of.

What i do notice is that many people and other proffessions look at us as nothing more than a part time job for extra money. I know first hand that there are many of us that do very well at this so called hobby and would like to see this turn into a respected industry, one that we all can be proud of.


This forum is a great place to be heard, but our greatest contribution to this industry is our customers word of mouth, be it residential or commercial. We may all be separate companies all striving for the same goals but as a industry we are one.


The only way that we can prove our worth as a true proffession is through educating the public as to the differences between us and them, and we all know who them is. I consistently turn jobs down that are not in my pricing range, now i dont mean this to sound like i dont need or want the work, but we need to get the standards of this industry where they should be.


We all had to start somewhere, and for some that meant trying to be the cheapest in town, and that is why we are in the shape where in. When i started my company i made a promise to myself that i would give this 5 years of solid hard work and sweat, why i say 5 years is that anyone who has been in business before knows that on average this is the time it takes to establish yourself in a given area. Along with that promise i also made a commitment not to LOWBALL myself out of business, instead i would give my customers the best service with the best equipment and chemicals that are available.


It took me every bit of the 5 years to make my company a well respected and familiar name in the Tampa Bay area of Florida. But instead of trying to LOWBALL and get every job that called, i gave them a price that would actually make me money and keep them as a client for years.Most LOWBALLERS are looking to be in and out ASAP so they can move on to the next hack job!! and leave that trail of lousy service in thier path, which comes back to haunt us all.


I think i am rambling and venting at the same time I take great pride in my company that i have built from nothing but hard work and perseverance, but if just a few of the new people who read this post realize how hard alot of us have tried to make this industry a respectable one, and go out there and make a name for yourselves without compromising the integrity of the very industry you are pursuing.

And thats all i got to say about it.

WE are heading nowhere Nick.
Most of us will not be here 5 years from now.
This business will become the land of part timers and Momma's Boyz, those with a second income.
The business is too easy to get into, and all of us are not on an equal playing field.

These boards have allowed knowledge and secrets to too easily fall into the hands of those who will cut our throats.
In our desire to help each other, we have cut our own throats.

Personally, I WILL survive, because that is just me.

It is the newer guys that will not make it.

There are WAY too many in our business now, and more coming everyday.

It is what it is Nick, nothing more, nothing less.

Soon, prices will get so low, those w/o a pension or a working wife will die.

In the last 5 years, I have watched a zillion come into the bizzness, and go away.

One in a hundred makes it, for long.

This is how I see it Nick, wish I had a better outlook.

 

[The Cleaner]

WE are heading nowhere Nick.
Most of us will not be here 5 years from now.
This business will become the land of part timers and Momma's Boyz, those with a second income.
The business is too easy to get into, and all of us are not on an equal playing field.

These boards have allowed knowledge and secrets to too easily fall into the hands of those who will cut our throats.
In our desire to help each other, we have cut our own throats.

Personally, I WILL survive, because that is just me.

It is the newer guys that will not make it.

There are WAY too many in our business now, and more coming everyday.

It is what it is Nick, nothing more, nothing less.

Soon, prices will get so low, those w/o a pension or a working wife will die.

In the last 5 years, I have watched a zillion come into the bizzness, and go away.

One in a hundred makes it, for long.

This is how I see it Nick, wish I had a better outlook.

Damm Chris!! I thought i was holding back.. LOL

 

[jlpressure]

Professionalism is the key. It will help you get & keep work. I have seen to many condo complexes, with siding & shutters with wand marks all over, screens that have marks & cuts in them. I have had to many customers tell me horror stories, of companies doing sub par work, not showing up etc etc.


Sometimes these hacks or uneducated PW contractors actually help my biz. I have and keep many customers with our professionalism. I still wish there were no hacks, but they are every where and in most trades. But you are right, its pretty cheap & easy to get into PWing, which makes it harder on us who want to make a good living.

There are to many doing PWing, but I don't think they all are going to hurt us. You have to have dedication, persistence and strive to be great at what you do, and the hacks just don't have it in them to last

Be the best you can be and think of professionalism every day

Jeff

 

[bigchaz]

I dont think it has anything to do with where the "industry" is heading, blah blah blah.

YOU are responsible for your own success. Its the same in any business. Having a nation wide respect for your trade doesn't excuse you from providing a quality service. Whether people see value in a trade has to do with individual contractors.

I don't work for the magic "industry" Nor do I care about making a name for said magic "industry". As a business owner I serve my clients with the best possible service. They pay more than any other company in my area, but also get what they pay for.

All of you guys have been in business a long time and are very successful. I fail to see why everyone makes such a big deal out of "part timers" and "lowballers". I'm the freshest contractor there is and I still don't compete with them at all. If you cant make money because someone down the road has a hose in the back of their buick, you are a terrible business person. Simple as that. If you dont make it in the business its your own fault. Quit blaming other people for your failures. Either you planned poorly to begin with, or you fail at marketing yourself to the position you need to be in

As for where we are heading? Wherever you pave the path to. There will always be dirt, mold, nasty decks, etc.

 

[Kory]

I dont think it has anything to do with where the "industry" is heading, blah blah blah.

YOU are responsible for your own success. Its the same in any business. Having a nation wide respect for your trade doesn't excuse you from providing a quality service. Whether people see value in a trade has to do with individual contractors.

I don't work for the magic "industry" Nor do I care about making a name for said magic "industry". As a business owner I serve my clients with the best possible service. They pay more than any other company in my area, but also get what they pay for.

All of you guys have been in business a long time and are very successful. I fail to see why everyone makes such a big deal out of "part timers" and "lowballers". I'm the freshest contractor there is and I still don't compete with them at all. If you cant make money because someone down the road has a hose in the back of their buick, you are a terrible business person. Simple as that. If you dont make it in the business its your own fault. Quit blaming other people for your failures. Either you planned poorly to begin with, or you fail at marketing yourself to the position you need to be in

As for where we are heading? Wherever you pave the path to. There will always be dirt, mold, nasty decks, etc.

Good luck to you hope to see you in 5. but i dont think we will

 

[Kory]

The Cleaners post was directed as to how we can get people outside of this proffesion to respect it for what it is a proffesion. But there are guys out there that can get in so eazy and ruin it for some of us. Take for example I was at the local PW sales & service shop when a guy asked if with his new PW he could pull water from a pool or the lake behind a house. He was dead serious folks. Now this guy will mess a customers house up its only a matter of time. Now when he does do you think they are going to call and trust another contractor or go to Lowes and buy a unit. chances are they will buy a P.O.S then ruin there own house and say scew it it can stay dirty!

 

[bigchaz]

Good luck to you hope to see you in 5. but i dont think we will

Probably right, but that'll be on my own choice. Care to tell me why Ill fail?

 

[Kory]

Nick, I think nothing will change. Old guys like you will retire (KIDDING). I think you will keep seeing the same thing we see now. Every day I see a new Co. here in tampa. and every day I see equipment for sale on ebay Craigslist and other places. I only hope our market does not see the illgals comming in and killing the market. We have every walk of life here in tampa the rednecks, the retired, the second jobers. these people dont bother me till I see there signs saying $25 driveway cleanings!

I dont think there is a awnser to what we can do to make it better. Org's could help if they could get there stuff together. But on that token people cant agree on issues such as reclaim and others. A good Idea might be start small in your local markets and have a Org for you metro area where guys can meet and try to build a better market together.

Nick and some of you that have 10 or more years doing this what you have seen. Have there been trends or has it been a down hill spiral?

 

[Kory]

Probably right, but that'll be on my own choice. Care to tell me why Ill fail?

Fail is not the point I was after! Your new around here as am I for the most part. I dont know about you or your history and I have not read any of your post to know your character. I do agree that YOU determine Your own success(In Life)! However there are many outside factors that can kill a success rate in a business.

 

[The Cleaner]

I dont think it has anything to do with where the "industry" is heading, blah blah blah.

YOU are responsible for your own success. Its the same in any business. Having a nation wide respect for your trade doesn't excuse you from providing a quality service. Whether people see value in a trade has to do with individual contractors.

I don't work for the magic "industry" Nor do I care about making a name for said magic "industry". As a business owner I serve my clients with the best possible service. They pay more than any other company in my area, but also get what they pay for.

All of you guys have been in business a long time and are very successful. I fail to see why everyone makes such a big deal out of "part timers" and "lowballers". I'm the freshest contractor there is and I still don't compete with them at all. If you cant make money because someone down the road has a hose in the back of their buick, you are a terrible business person. Simple as that. If you dont make it in the business its your own fault. Quit blaming other people for your failures. Either you planned poorly to begin with, or you fail at marketing yourself to the position you need to be in

As for where we are heading? Wherever you pave the path to. There will always be dirt, mold, nasty decks, etc.

Yea your right Big Chaz... Just ask any small business owner who had the unfortunate luck of having a super Wal-Mart move into thier town. Tell me how you compete with that..sometimes your not in control of your own success, they are the ultimate LOWBALLERS they can come to town and shut down every mom and pop store around, that has been in business for 50 years let alone 5 years.You go and tell them that they planned poorly and did'nt market themselves well!!

I did not direct this post toward anyone, i was just stating my concerns about the industry as a whole.

 

[bigchaz]

Point taken about walmart. But do you think having a good industry for mom and pop stores would have helped any?

Sorry my post came across rather strong, my rant is just against these contractors that complain about everything from the customers, lowballers, "the market" in their area. Everything but themselves.

 

[The Cleaner]

Point taken about walmart. But do you think having a good industry for mom and pop stores would have helped any?

Sorry my post came across rather strong, my rant is just against these contractors that complain about everything from the customers, lowballers, "the market" in their area. Everything but themselves.

No problem... I was just stating the facts here in florida. There are alot of states that have minimal competition, so getting and keeping the work even if it's not the best company out there seems to be easier with little or no competition.

There are guy's up in Alabama who do great all year around, same goes for alot of other states. Here in Florida where mildew should be the state flower, everyone with a few bucks runs out and buy's an entry level pressure cleaning rig and most, not all think that if the lowball in the beginning they will stay busy for a long time.

The truth to that is they are creating a market where people call and expect your price, the guy who has a major investment in equipment and labor cost not to mention insurance and fuel, blah, blah, blah...to be at the level the new guy with nothing but himself and a small rig is at. I know everyone that has been around long enough has gotten the call from a customer that says Billy Bob did my Roof and Driveway last time for $150.00, and the answer is always the same, why dont you call him. We all know the answer to that one.

I swear to you, when i first moved here to florida, a truck pulled up to my home which is in a upscale subdivision, this guy gets out and asked me if i wanted to buy some of the palm trees he had in the back of his truck. I fiqured what the heck, why not if it's a good price.When he got done planting the tree he asked me if i had any HOG'S? yeah he would be willing to trade me his tree and labor for a HOG. The look on my wife's face was priceless, we had just moved here from N.Y. and the first thing my wife say's to me is, where the hell did you bring us to..LOL

I am just giving you a little background on the gret state of Florida, where anything goes. No unions, the right to work state, as long as you dont mind working for nothing. I have always had my own business and this state was a rude awakening for us. Do you know that you can call 10 people to come out and give you an estimate for any type of service, and you would be lucky to have just 1 call you back, let alone show up.


This is the very reason i thought that i should get into business here in florida, all i would have to do is show up and i was golden. Not so, they are so use to the fly buy night guys that come around in a old pick-up truck looking to do work for little or no money at all maybe even a HOG or 2..
most of my work is commercial and we do real well with it but it's ashame that all of the residential work down here is so far and few in between.10 years ago we had so much residential work down here it was almost impossible to keep up.


My last advertising effort was a year in the Yellow Pages with a half page ad. I would have people calling me about a $30.00 driveway. I was touching 1 million homes with that ad for a year, and i could not get enough money from it to cover the $700.00 a month bill. I wish i would have thought about doing this up in N.Y. before making the move down here..

 

[Kory]

Big Chaz our area is overwelmed with contractors the greater tampa area has about 290 PW co. not exadurateing. Some good some bad. With this many contractors prices do go down. Im not crying just stateing the facts supply & demand!

 

[MIKE FP]

Big Chaz our area is overwelmed with contractors the greater tampa area has about 290 PW co. not exadurateing. Some good some bad. With this many contractors prices do go down. Im not crying just stateing the facts supply & demand!

new york is the same situation just a different state.

 

[Kory]

new york is the same situation just a different state.

Yeah, but we are a small city with that many!

 

[MIKE FP]

Yeah, but we are a small city with that many!

ya, but we only get five months of power washing and then it starts to get cold. there's a lot of power washing going on and i am not certain how many are licensed and how many just do it as a side job. at least in the warmer regions you can work most of the year, not so here.

 

[Squirtgun]

Chaz,
When you have a few tricycle motors running around,mortgage and a few other bills that come with life you will think about what the lowballer/hacks are doing to some extent.
For the most part I don't stress out about them since their customers are only focused on price,but I do keep tabs on them just to make sure they aren't making a moves on any of my accounts.

 

[Clean County PW]

Chaz,
When you have a few tricycle motors running around,mortgage and a few other bills that come with life you will think about what the lowballer/hacks are doing to some extent.
For the most part I don't stress out about them since their customers are only focused on price,but I do keep tabs on them just to make sure they aren't making a moves on any of my accounts.

Scott point well taken. What do you do when these guys zone in on one of your accounts?? Besides maybe educating your customer what do you do when they undercut the heck out of ya on a commercial account?? I lost my biggest account years ago when I was doing a bunch of Best Buy stores a month. Somebody comes in and undercuts me by 50% and my prices back then stayed the same for 5 yrs up to that point. Needless to say I lost the whole account and even today the stores I did still look like crap after the new guys took over.