little help

[robert rudd]

I'm in need of a litle advice. I have done a ton of research, got licesed and ins. and have been praticing on family and friends driveways and decks...I guess now I am feeling that it's about time I start to take this adventure to the next level. I do also know I still have a lot of learning to go...but with the help on this board and a few others, I feel I have gained enough confidence to start this business.

My question is I still feel there are quite a few trade secrets out there on how to survive running a pressure all day long...ie: squezzing that trigger all day long starts to hurt like hell. I know there as to be a better way to do this..I came up with my on jerry rig, but I was wondering if you guys could share a litte advice...

I have tried to contact a few pressure washers here in town just to see if I could take them out to lunch and introduce myself and talk a little about the business....No takers on this offer as of yet. I don't really know why they feel I am some sort of threat to thier business? I still feel I have a lot to learn and don't feel I would be a threat to anybody who has a successful business already. But apprently there is alot of insecurity up here in Oregon.

Iwould love to work with someone for a day or two to get the feel of how someone else runs thier operation. If anyone out there is feeling like helping out a new guy who is serious and done his homework about the business before writing this thread, than your help or any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thakns again to all of your posts..they have been very encouraging and damm funny at times.





Well I would like to say thanks to

 

[RogerG]

Welcome Robert and congratulations on your research, proper licensing & PRACTICE!! We're far to far away to offer work for you but hey, we're always around here in cyberland to try and support as best we can.

As far as the fatigue from the squeezing....there's a gadget out there called the Third Hand....or you can try the tennis ball trick. Although they will rest the tired digits, they have their drawbacks from a safety stand point at times. We've not tried them so maybe someone that uses one or the other method could pipe in with some experience or advise.

Again, welcome to the board

Celeste

 

[deckrock]

Robert,

You'll learn a lot from Celeste. Take as much advice from her as you can. She's communicated a lot to us and doesn't seem to expect anything in return (Or perhaps we just haven't received the bill from her yet) LOL

I don't think local pressure washing guys would want to talk to you, we've tried to meet with some others in the area when we started up also and no one was interested in meeting.

Sometimes there's power washing forums in the off-season listed on this site.

 

[Aplus]

OK here's a bone I'll throw out.........

Forget about the third hand or tennis balls for holding your gun open. Just go and buy a high quality easy-pull trigger gun. They require less force to squeeze and keep operating.

If you're hand still gets tired using a quality gun, then take that tennis ball and start some hand squeezing exercises......

 

[smittie1984]

I have to agree with Aplus. I'd be too scared to have my gun on wide open. Suppose you are using an extension wand and you suddenly have it get too close to window or the siding. Which will happen from time to time. You have to be able to let go of that trigger quick. Otherwise you'll be paying for new siding or a new window plus whatever you destroyed on the other side of that window.

Also if you are just starting out and are able to stay busy all day everyday then tell me your marketing strategy Please!!! When it comes to driveways are you using only a wand or a driveway cleaner. Cause when I started out I used wand only just to get use to the gun. But my wrist would be dying. Now I use a driveway cleaner and I can use that thing all day long. And houses don't bother me much either. But after a while you build strength there and I guess your able to do more. Now Decks dobother me but I think it is just the position you are holding your gun in.

Also working with someone for 1 day helps a ton. When I started this business I was too scared to do houses. I would only do driveways. But I went with a guy who has been doing this for 10 years and he taught me how to do things. How to wash houses, driveways, etc. And I immediately improved and then I had the courage to do houses.

If you have to offer to work with the guy for a week. Tell him your moving to some other place (preferably far far away) and you want to learn a new trade. Be sure to explain your moving because of family and wife's work. Before I met the guy who taught me that was a story I was going to tell so I can learn. Well not the wife. I am too young for that story to really fly. I was going to say College. And I was going to offer to work for free.

But best of luck to you.

 

[robert rudd]

thanks

Thanks everybody for taking the time to respond to my post. I guess I was really just using the hand and gun thing as an example..I have adjusted my work out program to include some hand excercise's lol....Anyways thanks for the help..and if anyone could use a hand some day to gve me some pointers...and your on the west coast I could probably travel for some quick education.

 

[Henry Bockman]

I'm in Germantown Maryland so it's a pretty good trip to get here but I guarrantee I can teach you quite a few tricks to help you get up and running and save you a lot of pain, agony and wasted money. Come and work with us for a few days, I've had people come from farther away than you before.

 

[bmuccioli]

the best advice to starting off is pricing the job correctly. we've all been in your shoes and it's still tough, especially for family and friends. go to XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX's website and print a price guide out and use it very closely.

decks-$1.00-1.50 per sq. ft
houses-$100-500 (depending on size)
pavers-$.75-1.50 sq. ft (clean, sand, seal)

any other questions, call/email me

blake 313-682-0699/bmuccioli@hotmail.com

 

[Mark]

Robert,

I might be able to help you out with
some training in the Sacramento area! [hello]

 

[robert rudd]

thanks

Hey, Henry thanks for the offer to come out for some training...I have thought about it and might see if there is something on this side of the country that might work out. You said you have had people come father than me to see you....where the heck would that be? lol I don't think you can get much father than where I am unless your coming from another country.. lol

ANyways thanks again....And Mark I'll give you a call today about that machine and talk to you a little bit about some possible training.

 

[Henry Bockman]

Actually they were from Canada..lol

The way I figure it, even if it costs 1,500 to travel somewhere and work with someone for a few days or a week it's still going to be well worth it. The alternative is doing it on your own, making your own mistakes and wasting your own money for a few years and not to mention working a lot harder than you have too. I bet if everyone started out by working with a strong established company for a week or two the 5 year failure rate for a new PW business would be a hell of a lot lower than the 80-90% it is without it!