Cheaper House washes

[Schmutz Man]

Here's something that caught my eye while I was in Columbus the other day: any house wash $99.00 , single deck $69.00, dbl deck $99.00. Price good thru December. I saw this advertised in the local paper and also picked up one of those slick full color Dollar Stretchers and saw another ad from another company with equally low prices !

We don't wash houses or decks- am I wrong or is that, too cheap ? I'm thinking of having these guys come up and do my house.

What's going on there ? Any thoughts?

Schmutz man

 

[Jim Bilyeu]

Schmutz,

That's why we gave up doing cedar shake roofs. Company advertising to clean and seal any shake roof for $ 199.95. I can't even put a ladder up to the roof for that kind of money. Even if I could I wouldn't.

I've sat back and watched these guys doing the job and all they do is wash down the roof with a water hose and throw on some oil. They're not doing the cedar any good but the home owner, all they can see is saving allot of money.

Just wasted to much time chasing bids witout good results. Don't like doing shake roofs anyway so gave it up to a lost cause.

Jim Bilyeu
Exterior Woodcare

 

[Richard R.]

You don't even won't me to get started on this one.
These people are either very slow, or they are very crooked and belong in jail.
They don't realize how many people they are hurting. Better yet, they don't care. There is no way possible anyone can do a GOOD! job by charging only the cost of fuel and cleaning material. Someone has to take the loss and I can assure you these fly by night contractors are not going to take the full hit on this one. This only means that both the contractor, customer and we the professional powerwashers get hurt. The customer and this profession usually suffer the most.
It's just that I work my ???? off for a measly $275 for most of the houses I wash and I can't imagine someone doing it for much less. I don't mind a contractor charging lowball prices as long as they tell the customer up front what their getting for the money, but to make someone think they're are getting something reasonable for that amount of money is a disgrace.
Well I better get off of the subject before I say something not worth saying.
I guess by now you know where I stand on this issue.
Yes, it is to cheap and can't be done right for that price.
And Yes, I hope they read my post. Maybe they can explain this mystery and we all can walk away with a better understanding.

Richard R.

 

[spraymasters]

Richard,,,,,just say it like it is
We have the same folks here doing the same thing. They are out of business within a year but that year hurts my business.
It is hard to educate the customer when all they see are the dollar signs.
Den

 

[Jon]

Those are the gypies that travel the country during the summer, they do roofs, driveways and anything else that suckers are willing to pay for.

I am sure what they use is nothng more then watered down stuff, shines and looks good but 6 month later nothing to show for it.

Same group sells those REDWOOD lawn furniture.

 

[Richard R.]

Dennis,
Your absolutely Right!
If I could find a way to file fraud on them I would. That's how bad I think they're hurting the customers. Hurting me is one thing, but hurting our customers is a whole different ball game. I just wish the courts would give me a chance to prove how that kind of shotty work constitutes fraud.
It wouldn't be the first time we've put some fly by night contractors in jail. Not powerwash contractors, but other contract laborers who take advantage of our local consumers. It wouldn't make so much difference to me if I only knew the customer was aware of the two seperate processes.
All it takes is a written statement and a few photos and the judge issues a warrant. Usually it was the ones that went after the elderly. I would go after them in a heart beat and never loose sleep over it. All this amounts to is taking $69.00 or $99.00 to wet someone's house down. In my books, that's not House Washing as they advertise. If that's what the customer wants and expects, I have no problem with them whatsoever. If we don't start going after these fly by night contractors in our line of business, our kids coming up behind us aren't going to have nothing but a prayer.
Carved Stone has put together a real nice educational website that helps the customer understand the do's and don't of powerwashing. I put part of this piece on my flyer before I pass them out.

Richard R.

 

[Schmutz Man]

Hi again fellows,

I knew there was something low-ball about those prices, however when I took another look at their ads - one said thousands of washes completed - the other, says he's a member of PWNA with a logo and is a Wolman contractor.

These type people are definitely the pimples on the butt of society, for sure.

What's the solution, as I said we don't do decks or houses, but we run into similar price screwers in the kitchen grease biz. Eventually, in our industry they roll off the roof (LOL) and go away.

Schmutz Man

 

[ron]

lets see home depot pressure washer there top of the line $1000
zep house wash 'makes 20 gal' =$7.00
zep deck cleaner 'makes 20 gal'= $7.00
1 pump up sprayer $18.00
call envir spk get fake X jet $79.00
1 gas can $12.00
1 garden hose $20.00
AD cost $200
got your s10 pick up, no insurance, would'nt know how to get a gutter clean if you wanted too,
cleaner works like crap, but its safe enough to water your lawn with, always have your ready pattened remark''what did you exspect for $99''
1st day of ad- no going for quotes- tell all customes that ad price is for cash only or ad %25
you should get min of 10 calls per day while ad runs 5 will have decks [per ad he runs meny]
you get all your investment back in 1 day then its all money in your pocket after that.
Now ''get this'' there is a guy that puts these wash packages together for you[you being a collage guy] and sells them to you for %25 over his cost, runs the ads, takes the calls,calls you on your cell phone to give you your next job, and takes 10% cash on every job.
He gives everone the 20 min ''training course'' free
The topper of it is at the end of the season be buys all equipment back for 50% then starts all over again next season. he is also smart because ho puts the chems in 5 gal buckets[no lable] and marks them up another 25% if anything [equipment] brakes he just takes it back to home depot for a brand new one.
AND THAT MY FRIEND IS WHAT AN HONEST HARD WORKING GUY IN MY AREA HAS TO DEAL WITH.

 

[ParadiseProWash]

Lets see I have been in this bus. for 3 yrs and like you said I have seen them come and go. I do this part time for health insurance reasons. I am by no means cheap if I dont average $65.00 an hr on a job I feel like I have lost money did I lose money the answer is probably not but that is how i feel.
When I have a customer after I give them a quote and they start in on me on how that is highway robery and this and that I tell them that they need to call one of those guys and get what they want to pay for a half a** job and then think about what I told them.
I also do wood restoration and after I tell my customers what they can expect from one of these guys and how their deck or home will look I can usually get the job. What I do is remember where they have been and what they have screwed up and tell the customer where it is and tell them to go look what they will get for their hard earned dollar if they want to go with one of them. I always provide references with all my quotes and ask the new potential customer to call them and check me out.
Ok I will stop b**ching I guess we all have a problem with this it just chaps my hide when they get away with it.

 

[Ron Musgraves]

I couldn’t read all the post on this subject because I just cant. Here is my version of this guy and I have told this story before.


I’m charging 175 to 225 per unit. Each unit takes and averages of three hours. My average hourly rate is 50.00. I lost this customer to a guy who now does them for 100.00 dollars across the board.


one night I was shopping at a grocery store near my house really late. I just pulled up to this center where I see my guy who took these accounts from me. He had just got there and was starting to roll out. I went in the store to get some milk and just a few other things. I was in the store 27 minutes. When I came out of the store the job was complete and this guy was pulling away.

I want you all to know I lost this account because the customer said I was way too high. They actually said I was robbing them.


Let’s examine the facts.

I charge 175.00 per unit and make and average of 50.00 per hour.

They charge a 100.00 per unit but make and average of 200.00 per hour.

Who is robbing who??????????????


I’m sure this company is doing the same thing and also up selling the customers.

 

[rllipham]

Open Leter to Ron at 141.150.144.223

A reply to your above message. You nailed me.

I have just started in the business. I bought the $1000 power washer. I bought a trailer. I bought the hose and other basics.

Then I started advertising $49.95 washes and screwed everyone.. NOT FOR A MINUTE.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
You touch the wrong button with your post.......

I set a budget and did what my budget allowed. I did research as to what to buy how to start and what my limitations might be. I also started with a mission statement and a workplan. My goal is to make this a stand alone business in three years.

"To provide a safe quality washing job at a fair and profitable price."

Before I go any farther I have been involved in chemical and engineering research for the last 25 years. I know a good deal about soaps and other aspects of this job.

The first thing was look at this board and others.
I discussed the different soaps with local vendors and also called manufacturers. I carry all MSDS sheets with me. I use necessary safety equipment. I carry a fire extinguisher. I did not "GO PUBLIC" until all was right.

I first did my house. Needed more hose. Bought it.

Did a neighbors house (NO CHARGE). Needed a turbo. BOUGHT IT!

Tried to do my brother's mobile home. (NO CHARGE) Needed extensions. Stopped bought extensions returned and completed the job.

Next was a local mom and pop grocery.(AGAIN NO CHARGE) I tried. I was not satisified with the job. I can see I need heat to remove heavy oils and gum. I WILL STAY AWAY FROM THAT MARKET UNTIL I HAVE A HOT UNIT.

I did a deck at no charge. First I took old lumber and practiced on the lumber.

WOW!! 5 jobs and not a penny of revenue. How can I stay in business. I will because most of the bugs are worked out. I have experimented with different soaps, surfactants and bleaching agents.

I know my limitations......I know my value.............I am a professional..........If I can not do a job I will pass.............I have lived in my area for more than 40 years...............

I may under bid a job and the established guys in town will trash me. I underbid because I am learning. I have bid and won $1,000,000+ technical jobs for my employer. I know not to leave money on the table.

I do good work.....I price fair.........and yes I have a $1000 pressure washer.

If this offends any one too bad. The post putting the upstart company with the home depot washer in the basket with the scammers offended me.

I am sure some or most of the successful operations today started with the HOME DEPOT SPECIAL and a DREAM!!!!!!!!

 

[Andy Wheatley]

rllipham,

Welcome to the board!

 

[Clean County]

There's people by me that also advertise house jobs for $99 and deck jobs for $69 or whatever. I seen work that was done by those lowballers and what garbage work it was.

Learning the trade is one thing but to charge assinine prices is insane. For one thing people that do this do hurt the reputation of our business and more importantanly(to them) they end up hurting themselves because old customers will expect to get the same price or close to it again if they want to use there services again in the future which I would imagine most times they won't because of the slop work they did in the first place.

Learn the trade but don't screw yourself and others by charging nutty prices because your only hurting yourself and others by doing so.

One last thing, I seen a house just recently where one of these lowballers did. He charge a low price and all he did was spray bleach all over the house and hosed it off with a tiny do nothing pw. THe house reeked of bleach and it didn't even look clean. The homeowner was very disapointed and she stated that she was going to put a stop in the check she gave this guy. She said he was only at her house for less then an hour and then he left. Yea he made aprox $100/hr but now she is going to stop the check he got. And if her plants die because of the saturation of bleach on them he will be in alot more trouble and for what.

Do the job right the first time and get paid the correct amount for doing so. Don't be a knucklehead.

 

[David Saulque]

Have you ever seen the movie The Loved One? The film was made in the 60s and the ads for the movie stated the movie "Will offend everyone". Good movie, however in your first post you have managed to do much the same thing. Ron Marshal and the other member have vast knowledge in this field, that could help your vast test program. We all have two goals 1. to make money 2. Make the customer happy. Other goals start with # 3

David

 

[Larry L.]

<b><font color=green>Welcome to the board rllipham


""I have bid and won $1,000,000+ technical jobs for my employer. I know not to leave money on the table."""

If you can do that good for your employer why cann't you do it for yourself,,,take your time reread your post not as you typed it but the way someone else will read it..Print it out and save it and read it again in three years or better yet repost it in 3 years.

This is a different trade then technical jobs,I was a salesperson and turned that kind of money evey week for my employer.

You think your employer would go out and wash a house for 49.95 and turn around and hallower you nailed me plus telling he has research as to what to buy how to start and what my limitations might be.

To me it doesn't say to much for you as the reason I say reread your post b/c I can pick it to death as to what your saying,,,cool down alittle we're here to try to help you get more money so you can buy the hot unit plus get what your worth,I'm sure your worth more than the 49.95 but if not you want be around in three years to repost your post...have a safe 4th.

 

[Jon]

rllipham,

You stated:

"You nailed me."

No one is out to get you here, we are here to help others and ask and learn from others.

I don't do houses or roofs or decks yet I also don't do cheap work, where you live there are more house cleaners then any other state and a lot of them hit on the retired people knowing they will not complain.

Try this, look up the word QUALITY and then learn all you can about doing the best QUALITY work there is.

Sell that instead of low prices and word or mouth will follow you some.

You still have to get out and hustle work, but when I get someone asking me on the phone how much will it cost, I already know I will not do the job, price shoppers don't care about quality.

You are new to this business and what David Saulque said is true, we all here are more then willing to help someone who wants to learn and grow, but if your intent is to steal all our business by low balling you will soon find not one of your questions will be replied to.

Now what Bigboy said is true too, re-read it as if it were from someone else to you, print it out and in a few years if your still in business read it again and you will see a totally different person.

Ron is another who has many years of experinece and can be a good friend if you learn how to read his post when they get long (like this one is)

I can say Ron has given me idea's and I have thanked him for them, I can also say he has bugged the hell out of me and I still talk with him, why because he is good people.

Some don't like me, some don't like Ron, or Bigboy or Dan or any of the guys and gals here, YES GALS, females, Ladies and they are in the business too, it is not male only and I have spoken to some of them. I can tell you they can work right alone side you and you will have trouble keepin up with them.

Now back off with your attitude, cool down and welcome to the best board around. Read past post, read and listen and ask good questions without the feeling that all you have is a Home Depot machine.

It is not just what you have but how you go about your business.

 

[Mike Hughes]

Originally posted by ParadiseProWash
I do this part time for health insurance reasons.

Not to get off the subject, but are you serious? I pay over $600 per month for health insurance for my family, but I think it's worth it to be your own boss. If you think you can make a go of this full time, don't let the insurance hold you back!

 

[ron]

touched the wrong button!

Im sorry. NOT untill you have had to take out the kitty litter and a block of wood to get out the oil stains and an ice scraper to ''get the gum'', start out with a barrowed washer and can only use the car after 5 when the wife gets home because she works farther away then you do an you can''catch a ride''. Learning from the people here and other boards has helped me unbelivably[THANKS EVERYONE]
An exstension to wash a mobile home? barrow a ladder
a trailer? trunk you mean?
FREE!
'' i can cut throats because i don't know what im doing!'' Yea that gives you the OK
EVEN ON MY WORST DAY I MADE $40 PER HOUR.
Evan on my first wash job i had insurance, i felt i owed it to any person that hired me.
I have a better full time job [for the bennies also] truck and a hot water skid unit
and the BEST DAMN WORK ETHIC YOU CAN FIND IN A PERSON. AND I NEVER TOOK A CUSTOMER FROM ANYONE. All mine are first time wash people or work no one else was willing to do. This is no hard luck story this is a sucsess story.
Yea i know i can't spell but thats what happens when you've got to get a job at a very early age. Also
be carefull im 6 ft 3, 290 lbs., and i would not think twice about 'talking' to you about taking one of my hard earned customers because of PRICE ONLY.

 

[ParadiseProWash]

Mike I figured I would get blasted for that statement here is why I said I need the insurance. My daughter was born with multiple holes in here heart and her heart has been reconstructed. A normal heart has four chambers heres has 3. She is 9 yrs old and has had 10 surgerys. Two of which she spent 5 week in ICU in a childrens hospital in Memphis TN. She now has a pace maker which failed last year and she had a stroke. I ask you what insurance company would touch me if I were to quit my full time job and go out to get insurance. The response to this is pre excisting condition and they will not insure me. I hate it but thats life and I do what I have to do. My full time job I work 4 ten hr days then I have Friday, Sat and Sun off.

 

[Mike Hughes]

Paradise,

Well, no arguing there, its a fact that insurance companies don't like pre-existing conditions. Insurance sucks. I wish you nothing but the best with your daughter. Medical technology today is amazing, and I'm sure they are doing their best for her. Keep taking good care of her, as it seems you are.

Thats great that you can work only four days.........I'm sure that makes a huge difference for your business.

Thank you for clarifying your position..........I will keep you and your daughter in my prayers.