Power Washing and Roof Cleaning Forum

waxman18324 · Founding Member Rest in Peace

Chick-Fil-A

BlueRidge · Approved Exterior Cleaner

I have known people who clean them on Sundays since they are closed. That is a fair price for commercial and their fast food isn't cheap!

It's a shame more fasts food restaurants don't keep their places clean.

Chris · Exterior Cleaner

Most of the guys around the country that I know of that clean them, they do it on a Sunday since they are closed.

I bid more than that for the drive thru lane (back when this first location out of the malls was opened it was only a single lane), from the beginning of the building around to the same spot on the other side of the building along with the dumpster pad and sidewalk around the building. I forgot how much that bid was, it was about 10 years ago or so.

They went with a competitor, did not even respond to me after I did a demo for them that looked great right before their pickup window, cleaned a 3'x12' area, including the gum and not even a response after I left a few voice messages and sent a few emails so I guess I was more expensive than the other bids.

Now they have built another location and are opening a 3rd location. Not sure what it is about those chicken sandwiches but they are great.

waxman18324 · Founding Member Rest in Peace

Thanks guys for the feedback. Doing the work on Sunday was the plan all along. If it rains on Sunday I can get it done at night during the week.

Chris,

When you did the store was it new, weathered or neglected concrete? This place is brand new and shouldn't take long to maintain. Jon Karmerzyn of Revive Power Washing is a friend of mine and south(50 miles) of me here in PA. I've been on Chick-Fil-A jobs with him and he knocked it out in about two hours. This location mirrors the ones he does. We have other power washing jobs on Sundays that this will fit in perfectly. This location is in a prime area for us where the developer has a Taco Bell, Sonic, Auto Zone, Dunkin Donuts, Mexican Restaurant and other numerous small retailers. That was my thinking behind my pricing. Then again perhaps I need a check up from the neck up.

Hank

Chris · Exterior Cleaner

This demo was after it had been open for a while, no idea of who was doing the work but it looked bad so the demo really stood out a lot.

There was a ton of gum from the order sign to the pickup window, almost like nobody was cleaning it at all.

They do have someone doing it now, don't know who is doing it but I am guessing they are lowballing it because of the concrete damage.

waxman18324 · Founding Member Rest in Peace

Thanks Chris for the feedback. My quote has been submitted. They called to let me know they received it. Now it's hurry up and wait. Time will tell.

Hank

Mario · Approved Exterior Cleaner

Price sounds fair to me me however I think they might not feel the same.

waxman18324 · Founding Member Rest in Peace

Thanks Mario. If I don’t get I’ll live with it.

Hank

John Aloisio · Approved Exterior Cleaner

I stopped bidding fast food places a few years ago because they are just too cheap. I know a lot of guys make a living doing them, but it is not worth the exposure, overhead and expense for the small ROI. All of the ones I bid went dirt cheap and the schedules they wanted for the cleanings were a PITA. When you have employees actually doing the work, it just does not add up for me. I can make a LOT more money doing other projects. Just my opinion. I see too many people in our industry who are slaves to their business. I know a lot of them. It really doesn't make sense to keep competing in certain markets and for such sub standard pricing, especially if it will cut into your personal life so much. Most of us got into business for ourselves, to better our situation....monetarily and personally. When you start to chase the business and over do it, you might as well just get a nine to five job and clock out!

BlueRidge · Approved Exterior Cleaner

John Aloisio wrote:
I stopped bidding fast food places a few years ago because they are just too cheap. I know a lot of guys make a living doing them, but it is not worth the exposure, overhead and expense for the small ROI. All of the ones I bid went dirt cheap and the schedules they wanted for the cleanings were a PITA. When you have employees actually doing the work, it just does not add up for me. I can make a LOT more money doing other projects. Just my opinion. I see too many people in our industry who are slaves to their business. I know a lot of them. It really doesn't make sense to keep competing in certain markets and for such sub standard pricing, especially if it will cut into your personal life so much. Most of us got into business for ourselves, to better our situation....monetarily and personally. When you start to chase the business and over do it, you might as well just get a nine to five job and clock out!

Phil Rogers was doing a few in MD a few years ago. From what he told be the pay was good for what he was doing on Sunday morning.

As to the rest of your comment... I quit bidding as well. Raising Canes called me 7 years ago and had demands, to include bringing our water. I got a call from their new maintenance company in December, I told her there was no way we could get the work done for the 550.00 they were willing to spend. She begged me for a quote since there was no one around who was set up to do this. I let her know the estimate was going to be much higher. In my travels I stopped by and sent her a quote for 2800.00. I never heard a word! No surprised or bothered at all.

Chris · Exterior Cleaner

Same here, I stopped bidding on fast food and restaurants in general.

I got an olive garden and did them a few times then after I finished the location in the early morning I got a call from the new District Manager telling me that I am no longer needed, they got someone from the valley to do them. The valley is the border towns on the Texas/Mexico border about 2.5 hours away.

This olive garden was the sidewalk around the building and the dumpster pad and I gave them a great price for $169.00 every 2 weeks and took me about 1.5 hours so it was not too bad but not making a killing off of it.

When you think about it, the new guys (probably her relatives) were driving 2.5 hours each way to do this job and I doubt they were charging more but you never know.

It sucks when they will drop you here for a few dollars less with a new competitor so I pass them on to a guy here that I know of and he sends me house washing jobs so it kind of works out good.

jneilson · Exterior Cleaner

I think unless your doing 3 a night its not worth it, Put on a night guy with a 5.5 and heat. Its all about the routes and how they are set up. we did 3 specifically in Daytona, all 4 were side by side. 250 each. 1000 for the night and labor was 180 a night. A set up like this was great but we never found another set up like this. I gave them up. Then came Taco Bell. NO loyalty

The only one I do now is 1 chilis restaurant. A friend of mine is the manager so, we do them twice a month. I send out my guy early morning on those days. We get paid and never pay for meals. I won't get into them again unless it was a one time cleaning at full non maintenance pricing.

waxman18324 · Founding Member Rest in Peace

Great feedback(+-) coming in on this subject. Let's keep it going. We only work 7 1/2 months a year up here due to the climate. We already do some bi-weekly accounts on Sundays and this particular job will fit right in to get a $1000 worth of work for a Sunday. I run everything out of the two car garage at the house. I got rid of my shop back in July of 2018. It's just me and another guy on the truck(it's the only exercise I get). My kids are all grown up(Thank God) so working Sundays is not an issue for me. The visibility I will get is in this mall will only help. We are the only the professional full time full service company servicing the resorts, camps, schools, churches, strip malls, etc up here.

Hank

jneilson · Exterior Cleaner

waxman18324 wrote:
Great feedback(+-) coming in on this subject. Let's keep it going. We only work 7 1/2 months a year up here due to the climate. We already do some bi-weekly accounts on Sundays and this particular job will fit right in to get a $1000 worth of work for a Sunday. I run everything out of the two car garage at the house. I got rid of my shop back in July of 2018. It's just me and another guy on the truck(it's the only exercise I get). My kids are all grown up(Thank God) so working Sundays is not an issue for me. The visibility I will get is in this mall will only help. We are the only the professional full time full service company servicing the resorts, camps, schools, churches, strip malls, etc up here.

Hank

Im moving back, NEILSON EMPIRES POWER WASH.

waxman18324 · Founding Member Rest in Peace

Come on back brother as I need to good challenge.

Hank

jneilson · Exterior Cleaner

waxman18324 wrote:
Come on back brother as I need to good challenge.

Hank

I can't, I would never be tan!

waxman18324 · Founding Member Rest in Peace

LOL.

Hank

Dave · Approved Exterior Cleaner

i do work for them. I sanitize the indoor play areas. I bid on the cement and windows, did not get them. They will go with the lowest price they get. The company doing them by me are doing it for next to nothing, and the cement is oil and grease stained all the time. They set the price they will pay by what the cheapest price that any of the locations has gotten.

Chris · Exterior Cleaner

Thanks for the information Dave.