newbe looking for any advice. - Page 3 - Power Wash Network "The Power Wash Contractors Forum"

oneness · #21 (**permalink**) 06-02-04

Workman's Comp insurance doesn't cover someone you're not employing...

You're assuming your "new" information didn't get through my neural path...Of course it did...I just got filtered out by my common sense. Not every new idea is a smart idea...this one isn't. Hopefully one day you won't find that out the hard way.

Bufnwax · #22 (**permalink**) 06-03-04

Woww! you're too smart for me.

oneness · #23 (**permalink**) 06-03-04

You didn't need to tell me that. Glad you see the light.

#24 (**permalink**) 06-04-04

bufnwax, could you email me a copy of the contract you give to homeowners? You talked about it in one of your eariler posts:
"I don't have insurance now...I had a paralegal draw up a contractural agreement -- that for all intent and purpose is a disclaimer of "incidental damages."
I too do not have insurance so I would like to see what you have. I'd really appriciate it. You can send the email to: perfectionpw@hotmail.com
Thanks.

OrangeCrest · #25 (**permalink**) 06-04-04

Quote:

Originally posted by Bufnwax
OrangeCrest: Who you do business with may require proof of ins...

I work for a contractor who is the 19th largest in the nation for residential building...

How you describe insurance has the same passion I have towards gambling.

I had an incident that fortunately wasn't one where someone just so happened to be walking by at the time.

I had a ball valve on my surface cleaner that burst and shot out boiling water about hip high.

Unlike my normal luck of being in the wrong place at the wrong time, I was lucky no one was walking past my surface cleaner when it blew; but just seconds prior to that, two floorers did walk past it.

I have people walk right up on me and right in the path that I am washing. People don't seem to have the concept of high-pressure water being expelled at 220-degrees.

Stupidity doesn't work against a person that was stupid enough to walk into the path of a power washer.

I had water blast me in the chest and forearm, believe me, the skin fries on contact, and I still have the scares 1.5-years later.

Just out of curiosity, what would you do if you did, or your employee blasted someone with boiling water?

You know a multi-million-dollar lawsuit is on its way; recall the customer that spilled hot coffee in her lap at McDonalds?

I believe in standing up for my wrongs and righting that wrong. I would hope that if a business or person did this to me, that I would be compensated because if I don't work, my kids will loose everything that I have worked so hard to build up to be able to provide them the best chance of success in their futures.

One other question, are you a corp. or LLC?

I don't know if a business could be held criminally responsible for not being insured, but if you ruin someone’s livelihood, don't you believe they should be?

oneness · #26 (**permalink**) 06-04-04

Orangecrest:

Contrary to many people's mistaken belief, the owner of a corporation CAN be sued...Just because someone is incorporated doesn't absolve them of any personal liability. In some cases, yes. In some, no. The example you gave was perfect...You could easily blind someone or cause major damage to much of their body, etc, with that kind of accident. Hard to believe someone could be stupid enough to rely on a document drawn up by a paralegal to absolve themselves of any liability for damaging someone's property or person just for the sake of saving some money. I look at insurance no only as a protection for me, but also for my customers. God forbid I damage something major, or hurt someone...I don't want to have to tell that person "Sorry...no insurance, no real assets, out of luck buddy." That's just plain irresponsible...but then again, you have responsible business owners, and you have irresponsible jerkoffs who look only at their bottom line. Some even get away with it.

Dan S · #27 (**permalink**) 06-05-04

example 3000-10

I got a call last week from a Real Estate Management firm. They contracted a "power washer" to clean all the condo's ( about 100 of 'em) they never asked them if they had Ins. They only assumed they did. Here what happen was this "power washer" used GET THIS >> ACID on stucco walls and dis-colored the whole side and pitted all the glass as well. what a butt hole.

Now part of this blame should be with the real estate company for not checking .... but it also turns out that this "power washer " has been in business for 5 years and never had Ins. he has been sued 3 times and now 4.

this is what gives us the bad name as contractors.

I say enstead of trying to educated the guys who think they can "get by" without Ins. Just let them go they will find out the hard way and for the most part they will not be around long .

If you cant afford Ins. then you cant afford to be in this business.

The days of throwing a wal-mart p/wer in the back of a rusty ole S-10 are over.

To find a true "low baller" just look for the guys who have no Ins. If they cheat on that end what else are they cheating on.

OrangeCrest · #28 (**permalink**) 06-05-04

A Chevy S-10? Now that should be a warning in its self...

oneness · #29 (**permalink**) 06-05-04

I ran into one of these guys Thursday while getting re-stocked on pool chlorine at the pool store. A rusty S-10 pulled in with a beat up rusty HD washer in the back and a guy gets out and grabs his one (yes, one) 2.5 gallon container so he can get some more chlorine...