PowerWash Sol
New Member
Hey guys,
I have been reading this form for about the last month of so, probably have well over 100 hours reading so far, and i am amazed at the amount of useful information on here. I started out knowing absolutely nothing about power washing and didn't want to buy books and CD when i could just go on here. So here is my story.
My name is Joe Lindberg from Amery Wisconsin, and i see there is someone form west bend Wisconsin on here too, and a sophomore chemistry major at the university of Wisconsin-eau Claire. This summer was rough on me for getting a summer job so i decided that since i couldn't find a good job that i would make one. So i have dedicated this summer to starting a power washing company, PowerWash Solutions. The business is up and running, legal wise, but not yet functioning. I haven't started advertising yet because i wanted to learn as much as possible to the point where i am comfortable and confident in knowing what i am talking about. I also wanted to wait to advertise until i had my business cards, invoices, shirts made up and selected what chemicals I'm going to use and where to get them. I also spent a lot of time looking at what type of chemicals you guys are/have been using and where you get them, mostly for deck restoration. I know a lot cheaper place to get raw chemicals such as: sodium hypochlorite, sodium hydroxide, oxalic acid, trisodium phosphate, and many more...(its where my college gets their chems from) but you will have to email me for that. I have yet to get a website ($499) an enhanced logo ($225) flyer's, door hangers, magnets for fridges and thank you/ postcards. The idea behind the magnets and thank-you/postcards was to send them out after i finished the job and talking to the customers. I have also spent a lot of time developing a price list for my services, which i might include in another post or you could email me if you want.
For my equipment, i was thinking of getting a Graco power washer (3540DD model) which runs about $1700 on sale, a nice chemical sprayer, and a surface cleaner.
My main question so far has been how did you guys start. I want to make a respectable compnay that i can have to help pay the bills through dental school, so i am trying to avoid the hack appeal that i see a lot around here (mostly the landscaping, lawn mowers, and construction company's?). My plan was to spend some money get the logomade, get the door hangers made and post them all over around the lake homes to start, then post the flyer's in hard-ward stores and leave some business cards there and do some networking with the managers there too. Then place a 24 week ad in about 3 papers (about $1200) and thats about all i got for now. Total budget will be less then $5000 which can all be written off 100% this first year as a startup cost.
So i know this is a lot but i needed to put it somewhere so people can read and comment, so thanks and let me know what you think.
I have been reading this form for about the last month of so, probably have well over 100 hours reading so far, and i am amazed at the amount of useful information on here. I started out knowing absolutely nothing about power washing and didn't want to buy books and CD when i could just go on here. So here is my story.
My name is Joe Lindberg from Amery Wisconsin, and i see there is someone form west bend Wisconsin on here too, and a sophomore chemistry major at the university of Wisconsin-eau Claire. This summer was rough on me for getting a summer job so i decided that since i couldn't find a good job that i would make one. So i have dedicated this summer to starting a power washing company, PowerWash Solutions. The business is up and running, legal wise, but not yet functioning. I haven't started advertising yet because i wanted to learn as much as possible to the point where i am comfortable and confident in knowing what i am talking about. I also wanted to wait to advertise until i had my business cards, invoices, shirts made up and selected what chemicals I'm going to use and where to get them. I also spent a lot of time looking at what type of chemicals you guys are/have been using and where you get them, mostly for deck restoration. I know a lot cheaper place to get raw chemicals such as: sodium hypochlorite, sodium hydroxide, oxalic acid, trisodium phosphate, and many more...(its where my college gets their chems from) but you will have to email me for that. I have yet to get a website ($499) an enhanced logo ($225) flyer's, door hangers, magnets for fridges and thank you/ postcards. The idea behind the magnets and thank-you/postcards was to send them out after i finished the job and talking to the customers. I have also spent a lot of time developing a price list for my services, which i might include in another post or you could email me if you want.
For my equipment, i was thinking of getting a Graco power washer (3540DD model) which runs about $1700 on sale, a nice chemical sprayer, and a surface cleaner.
My main question so far has been how did you guys start. I want to make a respectable compnay that i can have to help pay the bills through dental school, so i am trying to avoid the hack appeal that i see a lot around here (mostly the landscaping, lawn mowers, and construction company's?). My plan was to spend some money get the logomade, get the door hangers made and post them all over around the lake homes to start, then post the flyer's in hard-ward stores and leave some business cards there and do some networking with the managers there too. Then place a 24 week ad in about 3 papers (about $1200) and thats about all i got for now. Total budget will be less then $5000 which can all be written off 100% this first year as a startup cost.
So i know this is a lot but i needed to put it somewhere so people can read and comment, so thanks and let me know what you think.