Best machine for starting out?

[K in Kent]

Thanks K, that's a great bit of advice mate I appreciate it!

From the outside looking in that is definitely what strikes me about starting a PW business is actually getting the work. Where I am based there would (potentially) be lots of work but as you mentioned, it is acquiring it and the knowing how to which will be the hard part. 

It's definitely at the forefront of my mind in regards to the actually getting the work, not doing it (although I will need to learn that too of course, but I have enough friends/family that I could do for free if needs be just to know how to get off on the right foot and get my head around providing a good service.)  

What is considered for diversifying work? Window/carpet cleaning I've read, is there anything else for over winter? 

I WFH in my main job and have the majority of the day available as well as weekends to have a side/second job which is the reason I want to start this in the first place so for winter I can just buckle down with that to get started, obviously it will be a different ball game if I go full time on the pressure washing!

Depends how far u want to go but you could market yourself as a one stop shop for exterior cleaning services and a basic soft wash set up is very affordable and hugely versatile e.g u could think about fascia/soffits/gutters, conservatory/ con roof, upvc / timber cladding, render, brickwork, after builders cleans, roof tiles etc etc.

All of these can brng work in through the wnter and patios/drives/decking are the most seasonally affected.

However, I am defintely NOT suggesting u just start doing any of the above. My view for what its worth is that they all need thoroughly researching to understand how best to do it and do it safely. There are also heavy duty chemicals involved such as hypo and hydrochlorc acid (brick cleaner). Now that is nasty but also very useful and effective when used properly.

But these are meant only as potential addons.

You could also incorporate soft wash with pressure washing and sell it as a low pressure safer alternative to jet washing a delicate material such as Indian Sandstone - potential USP. And u should look at the local competition and think how u can do it better and sell it customers ....and not just churning out the standard drivel abouthow commtted u are to customer service. why should customers pay u instead of another frm? Whats in it for them? thats what it comes down to.

I know I'll get slated for this but resanding/ sealing block paving can be an earner as can sealing in general. Others on here who certainly know their stuff will have a different view on it, but in my experience customers are more than happy paying for sandstone sealing....black limestone can be an earner too but of course it is absolutely essential u understand what sealers do and when and how to use them or not use them i.e. rain forecast. That will be given as a reason for not doing do it but we have plenty of dry weather.

But its not for everyone but can be another string in your bow and a USP not offered by competitors. It's also a great way of demonstrating your knowledge and expertise both in person and within your site. It has the potential for all sorts of authoritative content.

decking is another and oilng/staining

 

[Pjj]

Depends how far u want to go but you could market yourself as a one stop shop for exterior cleaning services and a basic soft wash set up is very affordable and hugely versatile e.g u could think about fascia/soffits/gutters, conservatory/ con roof, upvc / timber cladding, render, brickwork, after builders cleans, roof tiles etc etc.

All of these can brng work in through the wnter and patios/drives/decking are the most seasonally affected.

However, I am defintely NOT suggesting u just start doing any of the above. My view for what its worth is that they all need thoroughly researching to understand how best to do it and do it safely. There are also heavy duty chemicals involved such as hypo and hydrochlorc acid (brick cleaner). Now that is nasty but also very useful and effective when used properly.

But these are meant only as potential addons.

You could also incorporate soft wash with pressure washing and sell it as a low pressure safer alternative to jet washing a delicate material such as Indian Sandstone - potential USP. And u should look at the local competition and think how u can do it better and sell it customers ....and not just churning out the standard drivel abouthow commtted u are to customer service. why should customers pay u instead of another frm? Whats in it for them? thats what it comes down to.

I know I'll get slated for this but resanding/ sealing block paving can be an earner as can sealing in general. Others on here who certainly know their stuff will have a different view on it, but in my experience customers are more than happy paying for sandstone sealing....black limestone can be an earner too but of course it is absolutely essential u understand what sealers do and when and how to use them or not use them i.e. rain forecast. That will be given as a reason for not doing do it but we have plenty of dry weather.

But its not for everyone but can be another string in your bow and a USP not offered by competitors. It's also a great way of demonstrating your knowledge and expertise both in person and within your site. It has the potential for all sorts of authoritative content.

decking is another and oilng/staining

Agree with this apart from the sealing ,it’s a pita and customers don’t want to pay  the material costs let alone the labour charges involved . But this aside it’s good advice . 

 

[WirralWash]

Remember when doing 'family and friends' work take lots of before and after pictures so you have good images for your website and fliers etc. 

Yep that was absolutely my intention mate, will be doing videos too!

 

[K in Kent]

Agree with this apart from the sealing ,it’s a pita and customers don’t want to pay  the material costs let alone the labour charges involved . But this aside it’s good advice . 

Thanks for that and I guessed you'd pull me up on the sealing haha.

I respect that pont of view and it's based on your considerable experience but I fnd the complete opposite to be the case. n fact I can't remember the last time I did some sandstone or block paving and the customer didn't want it sealed. And this is not something I push, they already knew they wanted it.

And I'm not talking about random jobs now and then. I do a great many of these and must average at least 1 a week every week through spring and summer, and it's very probably more than that if I were to work it out. I'm still getting block pavng enquiries this time of year - but obviously  explain I can't be using sealer and to wait untl spring.

The cost doesn't have to be prohibitive and there are affordable brands of a decent quality. Resiblock aren't the only sealer on the market after all - but some people who have done 5 minutes research online insist on Resiblock and are happy to pay for it. (and I'm referring to Superior for block paving and their sandstone sealer. I'm well aware of 'Trade' but it's still pricey)

But anyway, regardless of the argument for and against I was suggesting it as a consideration and something extra to offer that his compettion don't. It's good to have some extra options and sealers are only a minefield when used inappropriately.

Personally I spent literally months looking into them in detail before ever using any - I think I was researching the subject for an entire winter. But my view is they can be affordable and application is surprisingly straight forward and easy enough.

We'll have to agree to differ. ?

 

[Pjj]

Thanks for that and I guessed you'd pull me up on the sealing haha.

I respect that pont of view and it's based on your considerable experience but I fnd the complete opposite to be the case. n fact I can't remember the last time I did some sandstone or block paving and the customer didn't want it sealed. And this is not something I push, they already knew they wanted it.

And I'm not talking about random jobs now and then. I do a great many of these and must average at least 1 a week every week through spring and summer, and it's very probably more than that if I were to work it out. I'm still getting block pavng enquiries this time of year - but obviously  explain I can't be using sealer and to wait untl spring.

The cost doesn't have to be prohibitive and there are affordable brands of a decent quality. Resiblock aren't the only sealer on the market after all - but some people who have done 5 minutes research online insist on Resiblock and are happy to pay for it. (and I'm referring to Superior for block paving and their sandstone sealer. I'm well aware of 'Trade' but it's still pricey)

But anyway, regardless of the argument for and against I was suggesting it as a consideration and something extra to offer that his compettion don't. It's good to have some extra options and sealers are only a minefield when used inappropriately.

Personally I spent literally months looking into them in detail before ever using any - I think I was researching the subject for an entire winter. But my view is they can be affordable and application is surprisingly straight forward and easy enough.

We'll have to agree to differ. ?

No I wasn’t pulling you up on it just sharing my experience we are all different and our customer want different things, I like to see and hear how others work ,but what you do wouldn’t work down hear typical Cornish people don’t like spending money but ones moving down from up country are far happier to pay a good price ???? I think we have sealed around 4 drives in total and I hated every muinit of it , right pita , and to be honest didn’t find that the finished results lasted any longer than a non sealed drive they still go green , most customers down  hear are happy to have the drive cleaned every 3-4 years and dont mind paying for that but won’t pay for sealing , over the last 3 years I have found the pressure washing enquires have really dropped off no idear why , but softwashing buildings has taken off big time so we are doing far more of that now , 

 

[scottish cleaning service]

I like doing PW jobs in Spring/Summer time because it dries quick and I can go back on a hot afternoon and sand. Usually get great customer satisfaction. Think I'll raise my PW prices next year with everything going up in price.

 

[K in Kent]

No I wasn’t pulling you up on it just sharing my experience we are all different and our customer want different things, I like to see and hear how others work ,but what you do wouldn’t work down hear typical Cornish people don’t like spending money but ones moving down from up country are far happier to pay a good price ???? I think we have sealed around 4 drives in total and I hated every muinit of it , right pita , and to be honest didn’t find that the finished results lasted any longer than a non sealed drive they still go green , most customers down  hear are happy to have the drive cleaned every 3-4 years and dont mind paying for that but won’t pay for sealing , over the last 3 years I have found the pressure washing enquires have really dropped off no idear why , but softwashing buildings has taken off big time so we are doing far more of that now , 

Yeah sorry, wrong choice of words,  meant you'd have a different perspective on the subject because  remember you mentioning it. I like to keep prices sensible that people are prepared to pay and I can still earn from with minmum time and effort. But I try and steer clear of gloss or wet look finishes and tell the customer they'll have to decide for themselves which sealer they want and I'll apply it. They rarely turn out like the marketing pics and  don't want to be held responsible if they're disappointed.

Agree with you about soft washing and I think that wll continue as people become more aware of it. Customers like the idea of a soft wash , they just aren't familiar with the actual term. But once its explained they like it and I can see pressure washing becoming more and more niche and used on fewer hard surfaces - mainly patios and drveways in the domestic sector. Personally I never use high pressure on things like brick, render, roofs, cladding and house/bulding exteriors in general. Currently it's only those in the industry that know anything about soft washing but that wll slowly change and it could even end up regulated at some point.

Definite growth potential in soft washing, and as with sealing, it's another subject that needs to be understood before diving in. You've got to know the chemicals involved, what they're good for and what they aren't