Power Washing and Roof Cleaning Forum

DirtyRoofcom · Approved Exterior Cleaner

we're in trouble

Art O · Approved Exterior Cleaner

Someone got me the other day. I was in at $375, lost it to $300. Guy was selling his home. I wasn't going there at that price.

Maverick Contracting · Approved Exterior Cleaner

just read a post on "gregs" list for house washing starting at $75!
I'll charge that just for putting my boots on, another $50 just to get my ass off the couch.

Dave · Approved Exterior Cleaner

I deal with that all the time. Got a "softwash" company over here that charges .13-.18 sq. ft.
On 1500 sq ft. of shingle, covered in moss and lichen only charged $50 to rinse all of it off after washing. That's after charging .16 per sq. ft to wash

John Aloisio · Approved Exterior Cleaner

Sounds like Jersey numbers! It was a little slower a couple weeks ago and the number really fell off. Funny how people would want to put themselves out there for such prices and have the same exposure issues to deal with, if they charged profitable numbers.

its been a race to the bottom here in NJ this summer. Our mix of work has changed to 75% commercial. We were About 50/50 last year and this Spring, but way too many cheapies on the residential side.

I would rather have my guys work four, ten hour, profitable daye than five crappy days.

I just lost a roof last week that I quoted 525 for the roof and someone did it for 150 for the front half only. funny how people panic when the phones slow down.

BlueRidge · Approved Exterior Cleaner

I have heard so many people talk about the cheap customers. This year for some reason they have crawled out of the wood work. I know I have had my share of the cheap ones. I have only had one person tell me about the other price $85.00 less and asked me to meet it. I told him it was a good price and he should get the guy to do it.

We all know the guys out there working for beer money, without proper insurances seldom make it through the winter. It surprised me the amount of people who could care less if someone is insured. They just want cheap, cheap, cheap. Price isn't everything and every one of us has learned that no matter what, quality comes with a price. Like John, we are working more towards the commercial market where the headaches and complaining is much less.

Diamond Roof Cleaning · Approved Exterior Cleaner

August has been a pretty good month so far. I have been holding my pricing. I have seen other companies price jobs out that I would never go to. Doing 400 dollar roofs for 300. I bid a roof for 400 this past week and the guy told me he found someone for 250. I told him to hang up on me and call that other guy right away becuase that is a hell of a deal. People are funny. I am booked out thru the beginning of the second week in September. So I'm not going to lower my pricing much.

Diamond Roof Cleaning · Approved Exterior Cleaner

It's always been a race to the bottom here in jersey. I just don't want to be part of it.

BlueRidge · Approved Exterior Cleaner

Diamond roof Cleaning wrote:
It's always been a race to the bottom here in jersey. I just don't want to be part of it.

As I read these posts about the NJ bottom feeders I wonder if you guys have seen what these "companies" have as far as equipment. Are they the same people year after year? Do they do this as a sideline and their other main source of work, painting, remodeling, etc. keeps beer in the fridge. Every one of us know the real costs involved with having 12.5 SH around anything metal or mechanical. We also know what kind of work it takes from the office to the evening and weekend repairs. I have always said I will stay home and go broke before I bust my ass and go broke!

Side note: I went look at a brick cleaning job of two curved steps to the front door landing 8' high. I finished the estimate and took it to the HO. An elderly guy so I already gave him a senior discount. He said come look at my deck. Ground level, about 10 x 12 with four sections changing direction with opposing angles. Basically every other joist the angles change direction. I explained to him that cleaning that is time consuming since we couldn't just clean along each straight board. He said I'll give you $100.00 to clean that and if it turns out right you can do the front. I told him I would not clean it for that price since it cost $75.00 just to park in his driveway. He kept trying. I told him I needed to go but he wanted me to know if we were in the neighborhood to call him. The shredder got his paperwork! Maybe some guy told him he would clean his deck for 125.00!

John Aloisio · Approved Exterior Cleaner

Brett,

It ranges here from guys who have been doing this for a while and have the investment in equipment, to the "Chuck In the Truck" fly by night, weekend warrior. Even some of the guys who are real companies are extremely one dimensional and singularly focused on price. Typically it is a lack in sales training and not understanding a P & L (Profit and Loses) report.

Your mention about insurance reminds me of a home owner I ran into two years ago. We did Xmas lights that year....NEVER again. We did a pretty nioce job for a guy in PA that I later found out, was the largest Workers Comp lawyer in the PA/NJ area. He has TV commercials and over 400 employees. Reason for my story, is that he looked surprises and very S/Hed, when I handed him a COI with my proposal. He told me he really never thought to ask the other guys for insurance certificates. NOW...we were going to be putting lights on an outline around his whole roof and ridge line, and also 2 25" trees.....Not sure what he was thinking, considering that his entire living is made off of WC insurance claims.

Diamond Roof Cleaning · Approved Exterior Cleaner

Everybody is guilty of bidding jobs to low. There is always a reason. Unfortunately some just make it a business model.

Dave O · Retired Member

This summer has been different that the previous summer for us. Usually there is a slow down. However, business has been steady this year. Saturday was a challenging day. During the first job, a PVC coupling sprung a leak and had to be replaced. During the second job, a quick connect sprung a leak and had to be replaced. We then had to stop and refill our SH supply as we used it up on the first two jobs and didn't have enough for the third job. Regardless, it was a good day.

Patrick G · Approved Exterior Cleaner

Eric one is Mr. Grime and the guy out of St. James. Some women just called me yesterday ...had all her estimates in front of her. Wanted to know how much I would take off price If she didn't do garage roof. I told her thirty bucks...she replied "That's it thirty dollars " I said yep....I didnt get that job.

Patrick G · Approved Exterior Cleaner

I was in Roslyn today...I saw a grey pickup with a magnetic sign on doors.....Roof Cleaning ...one ladder on a rack..........I was going opposite way couldnt get number.

Jeff Thompson · Approved Exterior Cleaner

Just lost a job at 8:30 last night. Calls yesterday afternoon, needs it done today for a party this weekend. 3000 sq ft. Gave her my price. She calls last night and says another contractor is doing it for $200...thats like .07 cents a sq ft.

I'm not a vindictive person or anything like that....but I wouldn't shed a tear for her if this guy kills all her plants. You get what you pay for.

Art O · Approved Exterior Cleaner

I bid a church and gave a far price, Roof Stucco, walks, patio and more. I went by there today. Guys are up on a giant lift power washing the roof. I gave them a Ray folder with everything in it. How to, a contract, Insrance. Lic, Everything I could stuff into the folder to educate the board and they hired 2 Mexicans and a fat dude dancing on the ground. I just can't figure it out .

Diamond Roof Cleaning · Approved Exterior Cleaner

"They hired 2 Mexicans and a fat dude dancing on the ground. I just can't figure it out . "

They will get what they paid for. A piñata. You never know what your gonna get.

Patrick G · Approved Exterior Cleaner

Did Art just call me fat?

Brandon Vaughn · Approved Exterior Cleaner

Low-ballers have and will always been around. And with all these new online service marketplaces, it will continue to drive prices down.

Stick to the right demographics and you'll deal with it FAR less. I picked up a targeted database for free through my local SBDC - from ReferenceUSA. It's a service most SBDC chapters will offer for free if you ask. Sent out a mailer to the list and got a high response rate with a higher than average closing rate.

It the oceans are red & bloody - head to the blue ones!

Maverick Contracting · Approved Exterior Cleaner

Huh, saw him in Roslyn Pat? I'll keep a lookout, did you see an area code?
Yesterday I saw a painting sign (cardboard) in same area written in marker or paint looking as unprofessional as can be with a Suffolk area code, probably pulls a wagon with a bicycle 😁

Patrick G · Approved Exterior Cleaner

Lol I saw the same sign...rectangle........on the North side of the street heading West. And stay out of roslyn...thats my area!

Art O · Approved Exterior Cleaner

From across the boarder. Definitely a bag of S hit

John Aloisio · Approved Exterior Cleaner

That's funny...there actually is a bag of pooh in the video..LOL...

Maverick Contracting · Approved Exterior Cleaner

Patrick G wrote:
Lol I saw the same sign...rectangle........on the North side of the street heading West. And stay out of roslyn...thats my area!

EVERY PLACE is Pats

That,s MY area!

Go away!

DirtyRoofcom · Approved Exterior Cleaner

squeeky is the one i keep hearing about from customers. hes doing capes for $300.

On a different note- for 2 years ive been sending postcards and letters to st rose church in massapequa. their slate roof wasn't terrible but could of used a cleaning. well last week when i was driving buy i saw some work going on on the roof. THEY WERE REPLACING THE ENTIRE ROOF!!! I couldnt believe it, it must be at least 150 square.
Im afraid to know what the price tag was on that.

BlueRidge · Approved Exterior Cleaner

DirtyRoofcom wrote:
squeeky is the one i keep hearing about from customers. hes doing capes for $300.

On a different note- for 2 years ive been sending postcards and letters to st rose church in massapequa. their slate roof wasn't terrible but could of used a cleaning. well last week when i was driving buy i saw some work going on on the roof. THEY WERE REPLACING THE ENTIRE ROOF!!! I couldnt believe it, it must be at least 150 square.
Im afraid to know what the price tag was on that.

I had the same thing happen with a church. The roof had dimensional shingles from 8 to 12 pitch in different places. The shingles weren't that old, just discolored. About six months after I sent a letter... they got a new roof. At least 10K sf.

Art O · Approved Exterior Cleaner

Some time they leak so it has to be replaced

Maverick Contracting · Approved Exterior Cleaner

DirtyRoofcom wrote:
squeeky is the one i keep hearing about from customers. hes doing capes for $300.

On a different note- for 2 years ive been sending postcards and letters to st rose church in massapequa. their slate roof wasn't terrible but could of used a cleaning. well last week when i was driving buy i saw some work going on on the roof. THEY WERE REPLACING THE ENTIRE ROOF!!! I couldnt believe it, it must be at least 150 square.
Im afraid to know what the price tag was on that.

Should've went to confession and slipped the priest your card, or, offer an old alter boy favor!

screw it, I'm already goin to hell!

DirtyRoofcom · Approved Exterior Cleaner

HAHAHA

gutterdog · Approved Exterior Cleaner

I miss these forums.