We just starting whispering about offering this new service and we are already getting hit up for estimates left and right (don't even have my system yet!).
Here's a job up for bid. What sold her was the clean lasting 4-6 times longer than pressure washing.
75 concrete patios. (See attached pics 2-4)
Normally, we would pressure wash these with a surface cleaner. About 15 of them have medium to heavy moss growth. I figured I would use the surface cleaner to clean those first, then hit all 75 with an SH/Green Wash mix, followed with Plant Wash.
My thought is have 2 guys working together, one applying, the other constantly rinsing the grass with plant wash.
Few questions - considering I've never done this before. I'm going to be flying down to LA for Softwashapalooza in August, but I need help now.
I assume these are the steps (please correct/clarify if I'm wrong -
Spot treat heavy moss growth with surface cleaner and pressure washer first
Apply SH/Green wash mix (thinking a 2% ratio) to concrete patios
Let it dwell for 10 minutes
Rinse it into the grass with cold wate
Rinse heavily with plant wash
How much should I bid this for a sq. ft.? Normally we charge $0.20 sq. ft for surface cleaning with a pressure washer, and I'm figuring I would do the same with SoftWashing...Just hopefully, doing it a LOT faster...
Obviously I'm going to pad the bid for moving furniture and spot treating heavy moss.
Up for potential business is thousands of thousands of sq. ft. of driveways and garage areas in this condo complex(see 1st pic), along with the 75 upper membrane patios (done 2x/year).
Please guys - hit me up with some advice!
-- Edited by Brandon Vaughn on Wednesday 5th of June 2013 03:55:08 PM
-- Edited by Brandon Vaughn on Wednesday 5th of June 2013 03:58:07 PM
I would flip step one and two in your about e scenario. We apply the solution then surface clean over top diluting the mix. We usually fly threw the concrete when doing it this way
I agree with Michael as well. The rest of your plan sounds fine.
Jeff Thompson said
Jun 6, 2013
I charge .20 sq ft for flatwork as well.
Michael Derose said
Jun 6, 2013
That price is right on
Lee Kendall said
Jun 6, 2013
all that sounds good.. I wouldnt tell them it will last 4-6 times longer than pressure washing though.. they will have you back there in 2 years doing it for free lol
Brandon Vaughn said
Jun 6, 2013
Lee Kendall wrote:
all that sounds good.. I wouldnt tell them it will last 4-6 times longer than pressure washing though.. they will have you back there in 2 years doing it for free lol
Thanks Lee - noted! All I can go off at this point is other people's marketing materials. I am literally green with all this. I haven't even bought or used SH yet... Definitely a little nervous, but I'm studying and learning as fast and as hard as I can.
Do you guys buy your SH from pool shops or online?
Ray Burke said
Jun 6, 2013
What Mike Derose said...also if you apply first, then SC, it will help with your rinsing.
Steve Salley said
Jun 6, 2013
Brandon
Just follow this advice given here. We will pretreat a really heavily infested concrete section and let it dwell while we do the roofs, housewashing or whatever and then when we fire up the SC, the release from the concrete is quick and dramatic to the customer
John Aloisio said
Jun 6, 2013
Brandon,
to reply to you second question. We all buy our SH from various places. Some guys from Univar, some from local chemical companies And some from pool places. I personally use two different sources, but I have struck a deal with a local pool supply company, and the have the best price right now. You need to do some shopping around and see who can service your needs and has a good price. Prices range all over the country in a large margin. I am paying a little under $2.00 per gallon, I know some prices in NY have been uparoun $5.00/gallon. The guys in Florida at one time were paying around $.70/gallon.
Shop around, talk to a lot of suppliers and find a company that fits your needs.
Dan Dykstra said
Jun 6, 2013
Sounds like you have got some real good advice from some very good people. You should have no problem taking on this job.
AC Lockyer said
Jun 7, 2013
Thanks for jumping in and getting this one Y'all.
AC
Brandon Vaughn said
Jun 7, 2013
AC Lockyer wrote:
Thanks for jumping in and getting this one Y'all.
AC
AC - I'll see you in August. I'll be buying my plane tickets within a couple weeks!
Brandon Vaughn said
Aug 23, 2013
OK Gents, I landed this puppy. My skid is shipping out today and I just bought my dedicated SoftWash truck this week. We've scheduled it for week of Sept. 16. I did a demo using a pump up sprayer and our surface cleaner showing how we would tackle the heavy moss covered areas.
My biggest concern is with homeowners coming out onto their patios and tracking bleach water into their homes. I'm suggesting handing out flyers to all homeowners the week before we come answering FAQ's about the service.
Any of you guys have any samples of something you would use? I'm thinking somewhere would include - "Our solution is not to be tracked into homes - it will spot carpets! Please keep yourselves and your pets off your patios until they have fully dried.
Thoughts and advice?
Zach Maynard said
Aug 23, 2013
If you apply bleach first then pressure wash after, there wouldn't be much bleach left.
AC Lockyer said
Aug 26, 2013
Zach Maynard wrote:
If you apply bleach first then pressure wash after, there wouldn't be much bleach left.
OK Gents, I landed this puppy. My skid is shipping out today and I just bought my dedicated SoftWash truck this week. We've scheduled it for week of Sept. 16. I did a demo using a pump up sprayer and our surface cleaner showing how we would tackle the heavy moss covered areas.
My biggest concern is with homeowners coming out onto their patios and tracking bleach water into their homes. I'm suggesting handing out flyers to all homeowners the week before we come answering FAQ's about the service.
Any of you guys have any samples of something you would use? I'm thinking somewhere would include - "Our solution is not to be tracked into homes - it will spot carpets! Please keep yourselves and your pets off your patios until they have fully dried.
Thoughts and advice?
I can attest I have cleaned my parent's basement carpet twice with a 1-2% mix after it had been flooded. If you spray first then surface clean it will be well diluted.
I know the claim is 4-6 times longer, but I really don't think it works like that with moss.
I had a very large area of moss that I had nuked with a 4% mix. It all disappeared after a few months, but 2 years later and its starting to form again.
We just starting whispering about offering this new service and we are already getting hit up for estimates left and right (don't even have my system yet!).
Here's a job up for bid. What sold her was the clean lasting 4-6 times longer than pressure washing.
75 concrete patios. (See attached pics 2-4)
Normally, we would pressure wash these with a surface cleaner. About 15 of them have medium to heavy moss growth. I figured I would use the surface cleaner to clean those first, then hit all 75 with an SH/Green Wash mix, followed with Plant Wash.
My thought is have 2 guys working together, one applying, the other constantly rinsing the grass with plant wash.
Few questions - considering I've never done this before. I'm going to be flying down to LA for Softwashapalooza in August, but I need help now.
I assume these are the steps (please correct/clarify if I'm wrong -
How much should I bid this for a sq. ft.? Normally we charge $0.20 sq. ft for surface cleaning with a pressure washer, and I'm figuring I would do the same with SoftWashing...Just hopefully, doing it a LOT faster...
Obviously I'm going to pad the bid for moving furniture and spot treating heavy moss.
Up for potential business is thousands of thousands of sq. ft. of driveways and garage areas in this condo complex(see 1st pic), along with the 75 upper membrane patios (done 2x/year).
Please guys - hit me up with some advice!
-- Edited by Brandon Vaughn on Wednesday 5th of June 2013 03:55:08 PM
-- Edited by Brandon Vaughn on Wednesday 5th of June 2013 03:58:07 PM
Excellent feedback - thanks! Everything else look ok? .20 sq.ft charge sound about right?
The bid works out to be about $6000
Thanks Lee - noted! All I can go off at this point is other people's marketing materials. I am literally green with all this. I haven't even bought or used SH yet... Definitely a little nervous, but I'm studying and learning as fast and as hard as I can.
Do you guys buy your SH from pool shops or online?
Just follow this advice given here. We will pretreat a really heavily infested concrete section and let it dwell while we do the roofs, housewashing or whatever and then when we fire up the SC, the release from the concrete is quick and dramatic to the customer
Brandon,
to reply to you second question. We all buy our SH from various places. Some guys from Univar, some from local chemical companies And some from pool places. I personally use two different sources, but I have struck a deal with a local pool supply company, and the have the best price right now. You need to do some shopping around and see who can service your needs and has a good price. Prices range all over the country in a large margin. I am paying a little under $2.00 per gallon, I know some prices in NY have been uparoun $5.00/gallon. The guys in Florida at one time were paying around $.70/gallon.
Shop around, talk to a lot of suppliers and find a company that fits your needs.
AC
AC - I'll see you in August. I'll be buying my plane tickets within a couple weeks!
OK Gents, I landed this puppy. My skid is shipping out today and I just bought my dedicated SoftWash truck this week. We've scheduled it for week of Sept. 16. I did a demo using a pump up sprayer and our surface cleaner showing how we would tackle the heavy moss covered areas.
My biggest concern is with homeowners coming out onto their patios and tracking bleach water into their homes. I'm suggesting handing out flyers to all homeowners the week before we come answering FAQ's about the service.
Any of you guys have any samples of something you would use? I'm thinking somewhere would include - "Our solution is not to be tracked into homes - it will spot carpets! Please keep yourselves and your pets off your patios until they have fully dried.
Thoughts and advice?
Correct I do the opposite.
AC
http://softwashsystems.activeboard.com/t54775573/new-technical-bulletin-flat-concrete-cleaning/
I can attest I have cleaned my parent's basement carpet twice with a 1-2% mix after it had been flooded. If you spray first then surface clean it will be well diluted.
I know the claim is 4-6 times longer, but I really don't think it works like that with moss.
I had a very large area of moss that I had nuked with a 4% mix. It all disappeared after a few months, but 2 years later and its starting to form again.