"Undesirable" jobs?

CrownPressure

New Member
...'Here is a question for the experts and veteran pressure washer companies. What would you consider to be the most undesirable jobs that you get calls for? Jobs that maybe you dread doing? But yet those types of jobs may be plentiful?

The reason I ask is because since I'm just starting out, I'm anxious to go after work that maybe others have shunned.
The gravy jobs are a breeze and will always be there but I've got a gut-feeling there's a lot more out there.

Thank you, fellas.
 

Reider

New Member
Deck stripping/staining. Maybe if I got quicker at the staining part, I'd be willing to go after more of this work. It seemed like half of the leads I received this Summer were deck jobs. I'm in PA though and don't know what the market is like in CA. I would think CA has more strict regulations on the types of stains one can use.

If you do pursue this type of work, contact Jake Clark from Armstrong Clark. Jake is a great guy with one of the best stains I have ever used. I believe they are based in CA.
 

Josh_D

New Member
Yeah...not fun...but sure is good for the ole sense of accomplishment

Steep roofs with no gutters, and lots of expensive landscaping and sensitive flowers under the roof line.

I also hate it when people want me to wash big decorative boulders. Lots of awkward angles, and it seems impossible to not splash mud all over yourself.

That seems to be as bad as it gets for residential though. The one thing I think I would hate to try is KEC. I can't imagine working with all that thick grease, having caustic dripping down at you, and having to worry about drainage inside a kitchen
 

Ron Musgraves

Administrator
Staff member
Anyone without Money
...'Here is a question for the experts and veteran pressure washer companies. What would you consider to be the most undesirable jobs that you get calls for? Jobs that maybe you dread doing? But yet those types of jobs may be plentiful?

The reason I ask is because since I'm just starting out, I'm anxious to go after work that maybe others have shunned.
The gravy jobs are a breeze and will always be there but I've got a gut-feeling there's a lot more out there.

Thank you, fellas.
 

sizemore2000

New Member
Anyone without Money

Lol! I definitely dread going to work for someone with no money. I do KEC, and I always get that customer that waits too long in between service. They usually get mad when I tell them the price, and I have to remind them that my price quote was for every 3 months. KEC is the worst, and there is lots of it out there.
 

Clean County

New Member
Stripping solid color stains so the customer can have it recoated with a transparent stain. These type jobs pay real well but there is never a guaranty that you can get all of the solid stain out. In my case we use to sand and even at times replace some of the wood because the stain was just to deep in it such as the spindles on a deck. Some of these jobs we ended up getting "Married" to and time = money and eventually it wasn't worth the headaches that are involved.

Same goes with doing two tone colors where one is a solid such as spindles/rails on a deck and the surface is a transparent stain. Did these type jobs years ago but I determined for us it's better to pass these off to the painters.

Both of the above type jobs are out there if that's your thing.
 

Reider

New Member
Deck stripping/staining. Maybe if I got quicker at the staining part, I'd be willing to go after more of this work. It seemed like half of the leads I received this Summer were deck jobs.

Well, after educating myself more and examining this market from a different perspective (thanks to Everett Abrams), I am not considering deck stripping/staining as undesirable this year. I am actually starting to like them and look forward to some of the challenges they pose. Now if only Mother Nature will start to cooperate.
 

Doug Rucker

PWN ADMIN TEAM -
Staff member
Well, after educating myself more and examining this market from a different perspective (thanks to Everett Abrams), I am not considering deck stripping/staining as undesirable this year. I am actually starting to like them and look forward to some of the challenges they pose. Now if only Mother Nature will start to cooperate.

That's all it takes. Proper education from the right educator.
 

archie_MN

Moderator
After today, I can say with absolute certainty that deck cleaning on a 38 degree rainy day is the most undesirable work....but playing with squirt guns is still better than any other job.
 

Our Sponsors

Top