New Business Concerns

[TNT]

Helo all,

New to the forum but enjoy all of the information I have seen so far.

I am from the Pacific Northwest and am very close to starting a new pressure washing business targeting residential and commercial. I have done qite a bit of research on my area and do not see alot of competition which is good......I hope!

We have a considerable amount of rain here and wondered if anyone else has experienced the impact of this as it relates to this business. The winters are mild here with temperatures only below freezing for maybe a couple weeks.

My other concern is that if I only work nice days in order to keep the business at it's maximum capability for the year will it be a burn-out not being able to evr enjoy the nice weather with family, etc.

If any of you have experience in either of these areas I would love to hear from you.

Thanks all and hoping yu success in your ventures.

Lynn

 

[Larry L.]

We had a wet winter,high winds and a colder than normal winter,it's been bad for business.With weather like this when you get to wash things are dirtier than normal making your profit smaller if you do not plan ahead and ajusting price on "depending".If you plan your work Monday thru Friday your family life will be ok,if working ever weekend it will have its ups and downs.I had whether work the winter months as to work the hot part of the year.The heat is worse on the body as to a few cold fingers and toes.Yes,after a few years some do burnout and I recken most at one point feel the same way.I could go on and on and tell you how great this business can be or I could go on and on and tell you how sorry this business can be.Some business is slow about paying,some may not pay at all,it takes time to weed out this type business.
So your best laid out plans may not work at the begining which can be costly in learning.Its like most business,depends on what you want and how much you want of it and the will power to get it.
One thing for sure whether its winter or summer your going to get wet and some jobs dirty and stinky.
Good luck in your planning,main thing is the planning for family life,you could even end up with empoylees to do the weekend work.

 

[New Look]

Great post Larry and great advice -

Lynn - if you are going to dive into the washing industry seriously then you WILL have to make sacrafices in your personal life.

 

[DAFF]

Lynn, keep in mind some wash jobs are easier and more profitable to to in the rain or on dreary days. The trick is to make the customer feel you are the best candidate for the job and know the biz inside and out. Sure it seems silly to wash somthing in the rain but in fact it help in the dwell times heat exhaustion and open up you work week.

On the other side of the coin it can also be too hot to wash during the heat of the summer. On a 95 deg day could you see yourself acid washing!!!! I think not, unless you like unhappy customers and damaged property. With some understanding of the indiustry and some good time management skills you can be a sucessful buisness person and family person. Family life will allways come first. Children grow up too fast and come first 100% of the time.

DAFF

 

[TNT]

Thanks guys!

I apprecite the feedback and am ready to dedicate and make sacrifices to make this work. hey Daff I ws really ineterested in your response regarding better dwell times and heat exhaustion in wetter climates. maybe you (or anyone else) could elaborate a little with an example.

Thanks again,

Lynn

 

[DAFF]

The simpliest way to explain is to wash your car in the direct sunlight on a 95deg day. How did it turn out?? Were you happy with all the water spots?? How long did it take before the wet surface flashed and became dry??? Did the soap work well or dry up on the glass and make a mess??

Same vehicle but change the temperature to 80deg and heavy overcast. How do you think these conditions will effect the outcome?? Will it take more or less time to create the same results?? The working conditions are better or worse WRT heat??

Now this is the senario you have to prove to the customer in order to win them over. By picking the right working conditions you can save lots of money, time and get better results.

DAFF