Power Washing and Roof Cleaning Forum

Diamond Roof Cleaning wrote:

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I can assure you that it is very obtainable where you are at. I'm not in a big city either and i have to compete against 15 other companies ( that i know of, there could be more and probably is). Its all about how you want to build your business.

My goal is to be comfortable enough to where i never have to worry about money ( because doing that sucks and its stressful). You should try setting a minimum. Try 150.00. You may loose some jobs and that's OK but i guarantee you'll make more in the long run and work less all at the same time having more time to spend with your family.

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 Ok im going to try that this year. But help me figure out my pricing  then.  If I'm used to doing doublewides at 100.00 in one hour.

I should be at

150.00 for trailer 

20.00 materialso

10.00 ware and tare.

So I should be at 180.00?

John Aloisio wrote:

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... If all you have to offer is price, then that is all you will be to a property owner/manager.

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 That's good stuff to remember right there. 

Start cleaning hoods.

All Kleen Softwash Systems wrote:

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John Aloisio wrote:

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I think a lot hit the nail on the head. When you state you are making $1900.00, did you forget to pay yourself??? Do you have insurance??? Do you have to pay a helper??? Chemicals??? Gas & Travel??? etc... all this is part of a P & L Report (Profits & Losses) you should run once a month. If you do not know all these factors and more, how do you know your business is actually profitable or just cash flow friendly. You may have less overhead than some of your competitors, but why leave all that money on the table. We try to get 2000-2500 per day per truck on commercial work. For buildings over 3 stories that price goes up dramatically. Those apartments look pretty straight forward, but your number seems a little low. Don't forget, if you are there for 4 days, that is 4 days you will not be able to do other residential work, which might be more profitable. Keep things in perspective and do not sell yourself short. If all you have to offer is price, then that is all you will be to a property owner/manager.

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 Our schedule isn't full at all lol. I wish we had that problem of wondering if I could make more in the 4 days somewhere else. We have one house on the schedule for next week, lol. Of course we are just getting back into it now that it's warming back up. Maybe we'll get more business this year.

I tried that home adviser last year, and lost money. Never again. 

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You NEED a website! Facbook is ok but what are you doing to make it easy for people to find you? Your signature has no links. I offered to fix it for you. You must think outside of the box. We all do many different things to get our name out. I joined Virginia Apartment Management Assc and for a year I got ZERO. I had to work it and keep showing my face at any function I could make. Then one day it paid off!

Wix and Godaddy are easy and inexpensive. Templates are somewhat easy. Think of the small things you can do to boost business and then build the rig you need, not what you want from what you have seen. Mike Derose told me in my first days... "Build something and go spray a roof". Jed Clampet would have been proud! Howard Partridge says, raise your prices and go after the customer you want that expects more. The Home Advisor tire kicker aren't the people you are looking for.

 

All Kleen Softwash Systems wrote:

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BlueRidge wrote:

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All Kleen Softwash Systems wrote:

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John Aloisio wrote:

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I think a lot hit the nail on the head. When you state you are making $1900.00, did you forget to pay yourself??? Do you have insurance??? Do you have to pay a helper??? Chemicals??? Gas & Travel??? etc... all this is part of a P & L Report (Profits & Losses) you should run once a month. If you do not know all these factors and more, how do you know your business is actually profitable or just cash flow friendly. You may have less overhead than some of your competitors, but why leave all that money on the table. We try to get 2000-2500 per day per truck on commercial work. For buildings over 3 stories that price goes up dramatically. Those apartments look pretty straight forward, but your number seems a little low. Don't forget, if you are there for 4 days, that is 4 days you will not be able to do other residential work, which might be more profitable. Keep things in perspective and do not sell yourself short. If all you have to offer is price, then that is all you will be to a property owner/manager.

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 Our schedule isn't full at all lol. I wish we had that problem of wondering if I could make more in the 4 days somewhere else. We have one house on the schedule for next week, lol. Of course we are just getting back into it now that it's warming back up. Maybe we'll get more business this year.

I tried that home adviser last year, and lost money. Never again. 

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You NEED a website! Facbook is ok but what are you doing to make it easy for people to find you? Your signature has no links. I offered to fix it for you. You must think outside of the box. We all do many different things to get our name out. I joined Virginia Apartment Management Assc and for a year I got ZERO. I had to work it and keep showing my face at any function I could make. Then one day it paid off!

Wix and Godaddy are easy and inexpensive. Templates are somewhat easy. Think of the small things you can do to boost business and then build the rig you need, not what you want from what you have seen. Mike Derose told me in my first days... "Build something and go spray a roof". Jed Clampet would have been proud! Howard Partridge says, raise your prices and go after the customer you want that expects more. The Home Advisor tire kicker aren't the people you are looking for.

 

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 I want a website, but i need a laptop or computer to build it. Can't build one on this tablet. To have someone build it for me cost too much money.

But I know i need to figure something out for a website for sure.

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I knew someone who went to the library and used the computers there. It's not real easy. You need your pictures, logo, etc on a thumb drive. 

All Kleen Softwash Systems wrote:

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I could go to my mom's house and build it, if you think it help get our name out there.

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Check out Footbridge media. They are based out of Florida. They built my site and I have been at the top of google searches since day one. It's $150 per month with unlimited changes. 

Hank

All Kleen Softwash Systems wrote:

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waxman18324 wrote:

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All Kleen Softwash Systems wrote:

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I could go to my mom's house and build it, if you think it help get our name out there.

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Check out Footbridge media. They are based out of Florida. They built my site and I have been at the top of google searches since day one. It's $150 per month with unlimited changes. 

Hank

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 Cant afford that right now. I need a website that I can build and maintain myself, something cheap.

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 With that cheap attitude you will struggle for awhile. Money is not always the option. 

150 a month is cheap to invest into you business. We live off of our website and really dont spend money for advertising. You have to spend money to make money. I was not being a ass.

I was a painting contractor for 20 yrs and lost it ALL in 08. I didnt have nothing expect for the will to know I was not staying broke.

Diamond Roof Cleaning wrote:

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These guys are not saying this to be mean. We have all been in your shoes someway or another and had the same mindset until we listened to someone else with more experience. My advice is get a credit card if you have to and set up that 150 a month plan for the website and i guarantee it will more than pay for itself within 3 months and youll come back on this site thanking everyone for their advice.

Also get some door hangers made or tri folds and go knock on doors for 8 hrs a day or until your schedule gets full enough to where you only need to do 2hrs of knocking a day.

We are just trying to help you out and to stop struggling. We want to see you grow your business and be successful.

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 Oo i know nobody's being mean lol and the experience is priceless on this sight. We really lost our ass on that home adviser crap last year, and Anita is still steaming over that lol. I'm going to try to get her to go with the website, but she doesn't see the potential in it like we do. Took me a year to get her to switch to softwash lol. I'll get the website started one way or the other. 

I think you are missing the point of what everyone is saying. I also think you missed my original point. I never mentioned Home Advisor. I was explaining to you systems and a way to hold yourself accountable to your business. 

I know you had posted in a different thread about buying a new rig soon, but the horse should come before the wagon. If you cannot make the phone ring...ie.. a website and an actual marketing plan, the rig will sit idle and not make you money. What's the use of buying a $15,000.00 piece of equipment if you have no work for it. 

Nobody is calling you cheap....we just know what works to make the phone ring. 

I f you need to do that apartment job to keep busy and make some money.. do it. But take some of the money you make and re-invest it in the marketing end of your business. Sit down and write out a business plan, and work the plan during the year. If you cannot put it to pen and paper, then it does not existing and you are just throwing crap against the wall to see what sticks. That is vert, very , very , short term. Why do you think there are soooooo many pieces of equipment up for sale????

-- Edited by John Aloisio on Saturday 4th of February 2017 10:32:26 AM

John Aloisio wrote:

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I think you are missing the point of what everyone is saying. I also think you missed my original point. I never mentioned Home Advisor. I was explaining to you systems and a way to hold yourself accountable to your business. 

I know you had posted in a different thread about buying a new rig soon, but the cart should come before the wagon. If you cannot make the phone ring...ie.. a website and an actual marketing plan, the rig will sit idle and not make you money. What's the use of buying a $15,000.00 piece of equipment if you have no work for it. 

Nobody is calling you cheap....we just know what works to make the phone ring. 

I f you need to do that apartment job to keep busy and make some money.. do it. But take some of the money you make and re-invest it in the marketing end of your business. Sit down and write out a business plan, and work the plan during the year. If you cannot put it to pen and paper, then it does not existing and you are just throwing crap against the wall to see what sticks. That is vert, very , very , short term. Why do you think there are soooooo many pieces of equipment up for sale????

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 Not sure I know how to build a business plain. I dont know what you mean, but would love to learn if anyone dont mind teaching me.

Regarding $150 per month. The advice that you've got to spend money to make money is sooooooo true. What you've got to think about is how long does it take for that $150 per month to get you a job. 3 months?? If you got one job after three months you've earned back the $450 you've spent assuming your average ticket is around that. Btw, I hired an SEO guy just to get my website ranked and even the $500 per month I spent with him paid off in time. Some things are throwing your money away, but your web presence is critical. The reason is that when someone wants power washing...almost 100% of the time they go to Google and type in "power washing". If you're not there, they can't call you. If you've got a website with photos, some info about your company, "licensed and insured"...stuff that makes you look like you have experience and know your stuff...you're in the running for their business.

All Kleen Softwash Systems wrote:

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Bryan P wrote:

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Regarding $150 per month. The advice that you've got to spend money to make money is sooooooo true. What you've got to think about is how long does it take for that $150 per month to get you a job. 3 months?? If you got one job after three months you've earned back the $450 you've spent assuming your average ticket is around that. Btw, I hired an SEO guy just to get my website ranked and even the $500 per month I spent with him paid off in time. Some things are throwing your money away, but your web presence is critical. The reason is that when someone wants power washing...almost 100% of the time they go to Google and type in "power washing". If you're not there, they can't call you. If you've got a website with photos, some info about your company, "licensed and insured"...stuff that makes you look like you have experience and know your stuff...you're in the running for their business.

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 If we win the bid on the apartments im going to get that website for sure.

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 Right. That's the way to do it responsibly.  Save a little from the work you get. I get not spending what you don't have, but if you eat all your profits and never put anything back into the business you can't grow.