-
Check out this this free event.
anybody from australia?
- Thread starter alexjereb
- Start date
Yup im down here in sunny Melbourne! Running a brickcleaning/pressure washing company. There are a few of us running amuck in here, it's the best source of information you can get on the net (once you have worked out the conversion rates from GPM to LPM etc etc) Just ask a question and someone in here will have an answer (usually)
What type of pressure cleaning are you into? Sydney prices would be nice, but competitive I'd imagine!
What type of pressure cleaning are you into? Sydney prices would be nice, but competitive I'd imagine!
Last edited:
thx. i'm just starting. i have a win cle franchise, and i m looking into getting into pressure cleaning. i've done it b4 as i was working as a rope access technician. Prices in syd are annoyingly competitive as there is an army of cheap labourers 
) I usually loose a job over to a guy happy to do it for half the price, but this is business.
I’m not sure yet if it will work out, as there are just a few guys doing pressure cleaning, and a lot of window cleaners. 4 ads for the first and over 10 for the second.
Are u insured? The only company willing to insure me was nrma for 100 a mth. Just curious if the price is too high. Most likely as jobs will come in I’ll have questions)
alex
) I usually loose a job over to a guy happy to do it for half the price, but this is business. I’m not sure yet if it will work out, as there are just a few guys doing pressure cleaning, and a lot of window cleaners. 4 ads for the first and over 10 for the second.
Are u insured? The only company willing to insure me was nrma for 100 a mth. Just curious if the price is too high. Most likely as jobs will come in I’ll have questions)
alex
yep, fully insured, have to be these days to get the bigger jobs. Workcover is through Allianz, wasn't a bad rate, and 3rd party liability ($10mil) is through QBE Mercantile. They have a 'trade pack' and also insure all my equipment (including trailers). There are a few around, I think CGU also do general trade insurance, best to get a broker onto it.
You will find that there is always someone who will sacrifice themselves to the discount gods to get a job, and more than likely these individuals are either uninsured (low overheads) or weekend warriors(working for flash money) either way just check the 'trading post' week to week and there is always a bargain pressure cleaner to buy from some putz who thought they could make an easy buck.
I just stick to my prices and sell my service and quality over the competition. The only things that differentiate me from my competitors is service and quality, just keep on giving and they will keep coming back, regardless of price.
You will find that there is always someone who will sacrifice themselves to the discount gods to get a job, and more than likely these individuals are either uninsured (low overheads) or weekend warriors(working for flash money) either way just check the 'trading post' week to week and there is always a bargain pressure cleaner to buy from some putz who thought they could make an easy buck.
I just stick to my prices and sell my service and quality over the competition. The only things that differentiate me from my competitors is service and quality, just keep on giving and they will keep coming back, regardless of price.
johnmurrell
New Member
another (nearly) local
G'day
Someone else who understands metric [hello]
G'day
Someone else who understands metric [hello]
3
cool, its good to know that there are other guys from au. just had my first job on wed, a wood deck. went ok inspite of my "domestic" pressure cleaner ( 2700 PSI, 9 l/m). a few other jobs lined up, just curious how it will work out. i'm charging $3/sqm, is it ok or should i charge more? any advice highly appreciated. is there an association of pressure cleaners in au?
alex
cool, its good to know that there are other guys from au. just had my first job on wed, a wood deck. went ok inspite of my "domestic" pressure cleaner ( 2700 PSI, 9 l/m). a few other jobs lined up, just curious how it will work out. i'm charging $3/sqm, is it ok or should i charge more? any advice highly appreciated. is there an association of pressure cleaners in au?
alex
Nope there is no Pressure Washers Association down here, there is just no-one to pull their finger out and get it organised! Basically it's forums like this that you get the most benefit from.
As for pricing on your first job, I usually charge 2.50-3.00 (depends upon filth) for a concrete clean, really don't do decks here, though they will take off in another couple of years as they are the 'in' thing to put on your house atm!
Just curious as to how the drought is effecting boyh Sydney & Brisbane?? We have restrictions on surface cleaning here now, but not with wall cleaning (weird, as I can churn through double when brickcleaning) and summer is going to be a dry one as well so I'm thinking they will turn the screws even more!
As for pricing on your first job, I usually charge 2.50-3.00 (depends upon filth) for a concrete clean, really don't do decks here, though they will take off in another couple of years as they are the 'in' thing to put on your house atm!
Just curious as to how the drought is effecting boyh Sydney & Brisbane?? We have restrictions on surface cleaning here now, but not with wall cleaning (weird, as I can churn through double when brickcleaning) and summer is going to be a dry one as well so I'm thinking they will turn the screws even more!
johnmurrell
New Member
Water, what water?
G'day fellas
Water restrictions are a shambles
While on level 2 I could do your roof, but not your driveway etc, and had to use h/press to do your walls (but I do a lot of old (50 to 100 years) timber homes with big gaps in the external boards or no external boards, so I use garden hose and brush even though not allowed).
Now we are on level 3 and I can do roof, walls, drive etc as long as it is with a "water saving device" which I take as high pressure, or atleast higher than normal hose pressure, but I still hand wash the old timber places and gutters with garden hose as it uses less water.
The biggest problem is the public perception that it is not allowed and the desire to save water (which is fair enough as we approaching 25% capacity and level 4 restrictions). Last week I removed spider webs with ye olde web broom - quite quick, but left a few stains; and dry brushed insect screens - slow as needed to do both sides as they were FITHY.
Of course the government solution is to build more dams (on valuable farm land), to store the rain that isn't falling.
Cheers
G'day fellas
Water restrictions are a shambles
While on level 2 I could do your roof, but not your driveway etc, and had to use h/press to do your walls (but I do a lot of old (50 to 100 years) timber homes with big gaps in the external boards or no external boards, so I use garden hose and brush even though not allowed).
Now we are on level 3 and I can do roof, walls, drive etc as long as it is with a "water saving device" which I take as high pressure, or atleast higher than normal hose pressure, but I still hand wash the old timber places and gutters with garden hose as it uses less water.
The biggest problem is the public perception that it is not allowed and the desire to save water (which is fair enough as we approaching 25% capacity and level 4 restrictions). Last week I removed spider webs with ye olde web broom - quite quick, but left a few stains; and dry brushed insect screens - slow as needed to do both sides as they were FITHY.
Of course the government solution is to build more dams (on valuable farm land), to store the rain that isn't falling.
Cheers
bugger! we are at 47% atm, and the governmant is looking at placing stage 2 on early. This doesn't effect us, well you can't do driveway washdowns unless it's part of a construction job, but I hear stage 3 will really clamp down on the building industry.
RAIN DAMIT, PRESSURE CLEANERS HAVE TO EAT TOO YOU KNOW!!! lol
RAIN DAMIT, PRESSURE CLEANERS HAVE TO EAT TOO YOU KNOW!!! lol
robert@nhpc
New Member
G'day guys [hello]
It's been a while since I last visited here, its good to see a few more aussies about.
It's been a while since I last visited here, its good to see a few more aussies about.
Hi guys,
Been working the western Victorian area for about 15 years. Trading as Ballarat Pressure Cleaning. I've decided to move to Geelong at the end of the year and will be covering both Geelong and Ballarat. I've been looking at up grading my set up so I can re-use and recycle the water I use . I do alot of brick cleaning but also roofs and graffiti. Water restrictions are now level 4 and it means changing how we do things. feel free to email me any time. pendock@netconnect.com.au
cheers.
Ash.
Been working the western Victorian area for about 15 years. Trading as Ballarat Pressure Cleaning. I've decided to move to Geelong at the end of the year and will be covering both Geelong and Ballarat. I've been looking at up grading my set up so I can re-use and recycle the water I use . I do alot of brick cleaning but also roofs and graffiti. Water restrictions are now level 4 and it means changing how we do things. feel free to email me any time. pendock@netconnect.com.au
cheers.
Ash.
G'day Ash, curious as to how you could re-claim the water from brickcleaning? Been thinking about that for the last couple of days and I feel it may be near impossible what with all the chems & grit/sand etc. Would be a fantastic idea if someone could work out how to as it's going to get worse before it gets better.
johnmurrell
New Member
busy as...
G'day fellas
This last 3 months has been the busiest ever (nearly as busy as the wife has been with christmas shopping LOL) - mostly thanks to water restrictions, I can clean but owners can't, and some extra commercial work.
Hey Alex, with insurance - read the fine print - as NRMA won't allow any commercial work, and others won't allow shopping centres - even if you're just doing exteriors, then there is height restrictions. I renewed mine last month and the best deal was with Allianz.
Alex & Bkel: there is a forum/BB run by by carpet cleaners who are also into surface cleaning/sealing (http://www.australianforums.biz/bb/default.asp).
Cheers
G'day fellas
This last 3 months has been the busiest ever (nearly as busy as the wife has been with christmas shopping LOL) - mostly thanks to water restrictions, I can clean but owners can't, and some extra commercial work.
Hey Alex, with insurance - read the fine print - as NRMA won't allow any commercial work, and others won't allow shopping centres - even if you're just doing exteriors, then there is height restrictions. I renewed mine last month and the best deal was with Allianz.
Alex & Bkel: there is a forum/BB run by by carpet cleaners who are also into surface cleaning/sealing (http://www.australianforums.biz/bb/default.asp).
Cheers
Heya John, Yep Merry Christmas to all. Merry indeed since we are now looking down the tubes at stage 3 restrictions, with no serious rain forecast. Kinda make you feel guilty pressure cleaning a brickwall or factory, but the wife and I are doing everything possible to save water at home so it doesn't feel so bad. Do get some ugly looks from other people though when working away, but hey I have a family to feed and bills to pay.
At what stage do they tell pressure cleaners that they can no longer work?
At what stage do they tell pressure cleaners that they can no longer work?
johnmurrell
New Member
seasons greetings
[hello]
Water restrictions are a pain - why should we hurt when it is the governments' lack of planning and spending that has made things worse.
The restrictions up here started with homes - less then no watering gardens, washing cars, houses & windows etc - basically "put your hose away". The level 4 restrictions are aimed at large commercial users, not us little guys - even though we use a lot of water, it is nothing compared to the manufacturing/proccessing sector etc.
Business was painfully slow for the first 6 to 12 months of restrictions as homeowners tried to save as much water as possible. I think many people put off having their house cleaned and waited for the rain to come and the restrictions to be lifted, but it hasn't happened, and now there are a lot of very dirty houses/driveway/paths/roofs..... and people are realising that life has to go on and cleaning needs to be done.
So, while I'd like lots of rain.... not so much that people can clean their own houses!!!!
[hello]
Water restrictions are a pain - why should we hurt when it is the governments' lack of planning and spending that has made things worse.
The restrictions up here started with homes - less then no watering gardens, washing cars, houses & windows etc - basically "put your hose away". The level 4 restrictions are aimed at large commercial users, not us little guys - even though we use a lot of water, it is nothing compared to the manufacturing/proccessing sector etc.
Business was painfully slow for the first 6 to 12 months of restrictions as homeowners tried to save as much water as possible. I think many people put off having their house cleaned and waited for the rain to come and the restrictions to be lifted, but it hasn't happened, and now there are a lot of very dirty houses/driveway/paths/roofs..... and people are realising that life has to go on and cleaning needs to be done.
So, while I'd like lots of rain.... not so much that people can clean their own houses!!!!