# Pressure Cleaning



## Pressure Cleaning (Nov 1, 2007)

Hi guys I would like to know how many painters provide pressure cleaning service and if so where are you located.

Siding Cleaning
Brick Cleaning
Deck Cleaning and Sealing

Thanks


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## timhag (Sep 30, 2007)

I provide pressure washing services here in Steeler Country, Pittsburgh, Pa.


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## slickshift (Apr 8, 2007)

*OK*

Yes
Massachusetts


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## Pressure Cleaning (Nov 1, 2007)

We don't do much painting unless customers ask us to complete some exterior trim work. What % of your work is pressure washing? Would you rather just stain a deck or do you not mind power washing it.


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## timhag (Sep 30, 2007)

We do about 10% pressure washing. We do mario lemieux house and that takes up about 8% of our 10%.


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## slickshift (Apr 8, 2007)

Wetwash said:


> What % of your work is pressure washing?


Hard to say
Traditionally "deck recovery" has been a large part of my seasonal work
This includes PWing....but see the answer below


Wetwash said:


> Would you rather just stain a deck or do you not mind power washing it.


I don't mind at all
If I had my druthers, I'd just as soon follow a properly cleaned and prepped deck
I have done so working for other companies
In my case often the PWing is not sold as an add-on or stand alone
It's simply a prep tool
In the case of decks, it's often part of a "apply mildecide, pw it off, apply deckcleaner pw it off, apply wood brightener, pw it off" process
Doing it with a hose would take way to long

Same with exterior prep
It's expedient and efficient
However, I would not mind simply following after a properly cleaned exterior, as I have done when working for others


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## Pressure Cleaning (Nov 1, 2007)

Do you guys go after much pressure cleaning business or just if a customers ask?


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## timhag (Sep 30, 2007)

Wetwash, I have my annual customers and rest is as it comes.

Tim


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## Pressure Cleaning (Nov 1, 2007)

Tim, thats great.


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## Tmrrptr (May 4, 2007)

*pw*



Wetwash said:


> Do you guys go after much pressure cleaning business or just if a customers ask?


Wet, I frequently solicit paint work or pressure washing, then try to upsell other things we do. Money is real tight right now, with the housing bubble thing that has expanded into the credit situation all around. It's been real difficult to get folks interested in improvements, even to protect their investment...


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## slickshift (Apr 8, 2007)

Wetwash said:


> Do you guys go after much pressure cleaning business or just if a customers ask?


Nearly all of my PW work is part of the prep
If they ask for (just) a wash, I'll do it
I don't push it...but I'll list it under services provided

Mostly it's some thing like a call on a deck job, and me saying first it needs a PW, then I'll stain....something along those lines


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## Pressure Cleaning (Nov 1, 2007)

The market has slowed. If the news cycle changes in Jan - Feb all should be good. :thumbup:


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## Barry M (Sep 28, 2007)

*Pressure Cleaning Business*

I think it works both ways. I own a pressure washing business and that's what I do but I have taken on some painting projects because I was asked but I don't push for them.


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## Tmrrptr (May 4, 2007)

*All good?*



Wetwash said:


> The market has slowed. If the news cycle changes in Jan - Feb all should be good. :thumbup:


Have you given that much thought, Wet?

Local bank just laid off a bunch of girls because they don't need 'em.
I looked on web news and Wamu closing branches in New England because mortage biz will be down 40% next year.

14 month supply of houses on the market.

Following the Christmas crunch, how many folks do you think will buy homes in Jan - Feb so they can be in time for close of escrow in tax season?

Even black&decker posted a downturn, in part because of slow housing market.

If you see any lite at the end of the tunnel (like a nationwide program of improvement to our countries deteriorating infrastructure) I sure would like to hear it.


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## Pressure Cleaning (Nov 1, 2007)

Tmrrptr said:


> Have you given that much thought, Wet?
> 
> Local bank just laid off a bunch of girls because they don't need 'em.
> I looked on web news and Wamu closing branches in New England because mortage biz will be down 40% next year.
> ...


Again if the news cycle changes we will be fine. New housing is only a small part of our business. If you have a problem with the market contact your Congress Men. You don't need a program, you along with every other american need to change your vote or the way you vote when the economy hits rock bottom you will have no choice. Wamu has no direct effect on my business as long as Bush Doesn't strike Iran and a high % of the country feels good about whom the next President will be, there is at least two more years before the crash. If your not making money right now your marketing to the wrong people.


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## Tonyg (Dec 9, 2007)

:hang:

Boy, I feel much better after reading this thread. People made money during the depression, a capitalistic society will adjust to the market, a free market that is.

We just have to find ways to adjust, adapt, and over come.


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## Pressure Cleaning (Nov 1, 2007)

Tonyg said:


> :hang:
> 
> Boy, I feel much better after reading this thread. People made money during the depression, a capitalistic society will adjust to the market, a free market that is.
> 
> We just have to find ways to adjust, adapt, and over come.


Until Then. :tank: We need to cut programs.l


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## Dave Mac (May 4, 2007)

we clean every house we paint, a lot of times they have a deck we do as well. For me I really like powerwashing, the learning curve is much faster then painting and the money is good, people, usually have to do their decks every other year, so that is nice repeat buisness.


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## Tmrrptr (May 4, 2007)

Hey Wet, you are correct. I am marketing to the wrong people.

But I'll get back to yah on the rest of your post... tired now.

We just watched a dvd from the library. Hacking Democracy.

You might take the time to watch it...

I'll be back


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## Pressure Cleaning (Nov 1, 2007)

Tmrrptr said:


> Hey Wet, you are correct. I am marketing to the wrong people.
> 
> But I'll get back to yah on the rest of your post... tired now.
> 
> ...


I'm not talking politics I'm talking business. :yes: If you want to talk about how politics helps your business thats cool (respectfully) otherwise I don't give a rats azz about your politics. Start your own thread about *Hacking Democracy and Stop High Jacking my Thread. *


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## Pressure Cleaning (Nov 1, 2007)

I started this thread too try and achieve a better understanding of what painting companies enjoy or dislike about pressure cleaning. Thanks to those that provided a helpful response.


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## Tmrrptr (May 4, 2007)

*NO Jack*



Wetwash said:


> I'm not talking politics I'm talking business. :yes: If you want to talk about how politics helps your business thats cool (respectfully) otherwise I don't give a rats azz about your politics. Start your own thread about *Hacking Democracy and Stop High Jacking my Thread. *


Hey Wet... I got no boxcutter!
NOT a hijack.

If you are determined politics does not affect business I shall not make reference to powerwashing professionals who are VERY concerned.


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## Ken S. (Apr 18, 2007)

Wetwash,
Pressure cleaning is a very important step in the painting process of exterior substrates. It's an added cost factor(even in a bad economy), but gives a good base to a "well done" paint job.
The use of the right chemical products(chemical injector) to help clean the surfaces are also important. It's an added cost factor to the job, but insures a proper 'foundation' to the paint job.

Do I like it? Do my skilled painters like it! Not really!
Big issue is that most lay people can't phantom the real costs and labor involved doing a "proper preparation methods" paint job. They simply don't want to pay for "what is not going to be seen". The learning curve is just bothersome to them,...and some of us "hacks". Especially here in sunny Florida on days like today, with the north wind howling 15-20 knots and air temps in low forties in the AM! 
Just a part of doing the right job, for sure!


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## Pressure Cleaning (Nov 1, 2007)

We enjoy the work that we perform but we would rather sub out all of our deck staining work, our time would be better spent just pressure cleaning. Ken have you tried working with some of the pressure cleaning companies in your area. We have spoken with some of the painting contractors in our area and they seem happy with only working in their immediate local area and aren’t willing to expand. Finding companies with good work ethics not just talk is time consuming.


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## Tonyg (Dec 9, 2007)

Wet,

Pressure washing has ALWAYS been an essential step in exterior prep (as opposed to interior  ). In past years I probably wouldn't have minded farming our the PW but the price I would use would just be part of my prep MH and hardly worth it to farm out. 

Now, instead of using it as paint prep we sell a "complete house wash" at double the price as what I would have charged for prep. My goal is to build up the PW (house, roof, concrete, and specially decks, as well as commercial) so that I can have a crew running full time PWing. 

To me the down side to pressure washing is that the tickets are typically low, $300-$800 for a house wash or small deck, but the up side is that the average MH revenue is twice that of painting. :thumbup: We market both painting and pressure washing. Our goal is to use the PW to pick up a $300 house wash and end up with the $3,000 paint job. If it doesn't need painting now we will be in place next year when they need a painter.


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## Ken S. (Apr 18, 2007)

Wetwash,
I tried subbing the prep cleaning of exteriors about about 20 yrs. ago.
I didn't like the level of work and poor reliability of subs. 
I keep it "in house" to insure the prep and scheduling is to my satisfaction.
I guess I'm 'old school'.


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## spraymonster (Dec 25, 2009)

i also keep it in house only way to insure done to level needed for prep


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## aaron61 (Apr 29, 2007)

xxxxxxxxx

where are the mods


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## aaron61 (Apr 29, 2007)

Hey PC? why does your website link take me to some airport shuttle service????

Anyway we offer a complete line of pressure washing from roof cleaning on.Some I sub out if we don't have the time to get to it.We usually do all of our exteriors that we are going to paint in order for our warranty to be good.


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## RCP (Apr 18, 2007)

aaron61 said:


> xxxxxxxxx
> 
> where are the mods


Working? Cleaning it up as fast as I can!:whistling2:
Now I have to go delete all the quotes!


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## Scannell Painting (Sep 25, 2010)

Pw is part of our prep work. We just completed a home that had ivy growing on it for years & the rotating tip blasted all remnants off with no damage to brick or trim. Homeowners loved the paint job:thumbsup:

Oh, from Mid Ky & travel to surrounding states.


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## Pressure Cleaning (Nov 1, 2007)

aaron61 said:


> Hey PC? why does your website link take me to some airport shuttle service????
> 
> Anyway we offer a complete line of pressure washing from roof cleaning on.Some I sub out if we don't have the time to get to it.We usually do all of our exteriors that we are going to paint in order for our warranty to be good.


That problem should be fixed now. Thanks


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## dubinpainting (Feb 16, 2010)

I think painting and power washing go hand in hand........Only about 20% of my business is powerwashing. I do alot of decks in the summer. Vinyl siding as well. Anytime I paint an exterior I powerwash it first. I just see it as part of exterior prep Before painting. I couldent imagine running just a powerwashing business you should learn to do more. The more stuff you can do the more money you can make.


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## Dave Mac (May 4, 2007)

dubinpainting said:


> I think painting and power washing go hand in hand........Only about 20% of my business is powerwashing. I do alot of decks in the summer. Vinyl siding as well. Anytime I paint an exterior I powerwash it first. I just see it as part of exterior prep Before painting. I couldent imagine running just a powerwashing business you should learn to do more. The more stuff you can do the more money you can make.


 
wich buisness do you see with a higher profit margin??


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## johnpaint (Sep 20, 2008)

Yeah it is very hard to do only pressure washing and make a living, I see them come and go around here.Sad.


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## johnpaint (Sep 20, 2008)

Well I say it's sad but I haven't cried yet.


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## Dave Mac (May 4, 2007)

johnpaint said:


> Yeah it is very hard to do only pressure washing and make a living, I see them come and go around here.Sad.


 
I bet Ken would disagree with that lol, seems he makes a very nice living doing just that.

The thing I really like about pw, is the learning curve, you can take a employee with no experience and have hime being a pro in no time at all, whear as in painting the leaning curve to become a pro is many years. 

PW really seems like a easier buisness to run then painting in all aspects to me.


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## PressurePros (May 6, 2007)

Just like in painting there are plenty of weekend warriors but there are also companies doing $3M plus in gross sales. I'm not in that category but I do okay. 

There are a hundred things to know and monitor to not kill plants, etch glass, oxidize metal, ruin concrete skim coats, how close to wash, when to know if stain is coming off, how to eyeball a deck's pH by color, etc. It is not difficult for new guys to gte the basics to be a helper but I have found that it takes about two years for a crew leader to be able to handle anything thrown at him. Its kinda like the way someone looks at being a painter. It ain't rocket science dragging a roller or brush over a wall but doing it right and identifying what to use and when and developing that right touch take a while.


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