Clean It Up
UK General Cleaning Forum => General Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: PSR on February 09, 2021, 03:39:38 pm
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Just a quick question...
If you were to start a pressure washing business now, knowing what you know:
1. What would you do differently?
2. What mistakes would you avoid?
3. How would you get to your goals quicker?
4. What did you think was important, but turned out not to be?
5. How would you get business/clients quicker?
I'd appreciate any replies and advice!
Many thanks,
PSR
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I would firstly ask yourself the same questions.
It's always better to know who we are divulging information to.
You may be heavily involved in the industry but are new to the forum or someone that wants to get started or even someone who has a different agenda.
I can share with Darran, Ed, Splash and others and will help out anybody on the forum but they are big questions being asked, almost a 'How to get what has taken me 15 years to build'.
You are never going to get the most intricate of details from any of us - you may be direct competition, what has been learned has value but even without knowing who you are I will say -
Be professional
Be the very best service out there.
Be better than the competition.
Don't compromise, even when you're up against it or have priced wrongly.
Have a top notch website, learn to blog on the website, to keep search engine ranking high.
Have quality hand outs, business cards that are better, portfolios that will get looked at, rather than filed and binned.
Impress people with industry experience - without being 'look at me'.
Once you are making a good income divert money into other avenues that are separate because at a residential level you're never going to be a millionaire in pressure washing.
If there's a small amount of additional cleaning that has been missed on the quote and it will improve your cleaning just do it. Don't miss additional cleaning that will make your cleaning look better, just hide the extra cost in your quote.
Don't be scared to be the more expensive quote.
Buy kit your business will grow into/have faith that you can make it happen.
21 LPM is standard but it won't allow you to clean car park akko channels or get into drainage (if you want).
If you make do or have a sloppy attitude you may be quoting against someone that really knows the business inside out.
21LPM is standard but 41 LPM will clean quicker - I'm not there to make it seem like I'm earning my day rate, I'm using the biggest pressure washer to get onto the next job, so I can earn more money.
At 41 LPM it's one pass, rinsing is quicker but that can be countered by water supply and live environments. There are a lot on here who don't need that volume and clean perfectly well and have good businesses. My business is no better.
There's no right or wrong - what works for me may not necessarily work for you, you may have a different manner, appearance, perspective, may want to go for a different client base.
Last thing - I would never have gotten rid of my window cleaning business, it had great value, was easy money and I was always at home.
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Hiya,
I really appreciate your reply and the time you have taken to reply.
I'm coming from a professional background and have done consulting for some years now but it's never scratched my itch, so to speak. We don't have a business right now which is why I've asked the questions. We are launching in the next few weeks and only came across this forum recently. We've been through every post! We've also watched hours and hours of YouTube. Not ideal, I know, but it's the best we have.
Where we are there is no competition. The nearest firm is a good 10 miles away with 1000's of houses in between - not that competition is a bad thing.
Pricing is difficult for us when we (there are two of us) don't want to be so expensive we'll lose the business, but not so cheap we look 'too good to be true'. We think we are going to go on a tiered sq metre factor with a minimum charge to cover our costs and income.
We know how to deal with clients professionally and with courtesy, I guess we're just nervous about that first job, first week etc!! ....which is why I've asked the questions. What you have replied with is very kind of you and a massive help.
We hope to be a part of this community and add to the content. We'll see how we get on. If we don't try, we'll never know. Everyone has to start somewhere I suppose.
Again, I appreciate your help.
Regards,
PSR
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If I were to give my beginning self some advice I would say ....
Don’t just offer pressure washing offer all types of exterior cleaning but remember which service creates the greatest income and market that service as a priority
Buy the biggest van you can, I now have a XLWB HR Sprinter
Buy a van based jetter not a pressure washer.
Ignore everything on Facebook its not the real world
Charge high prices and give a service that’s worth a high price
Remember some people who offer pressure washing are as thick as pig excerment and are idiots don’t take anyone advice unless you know their prices and the type of business they run, lots of people talk the talk but they only know what they read on `Facebook
But then I might be a idiot myself so ignore this post ;)
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Just a quick question...
If you were to start a pressure washing business now, knowing what you know:
1. What would you do differently?
2. What mistakes would you avoid?
3. How would you get to your goals quicker?
4. What did you think was important, but turned out not to be?
5. How would you get business/clients quicker?
I'd appreciate any replies and advice!
Many thanks,
PSR
Take professional. advice on what PW to buy. Decide if you are going to have a van mounted jetter, portable unit etc. Buy the best and most professional set up you can afford from the onset. My first professional jet washer was trailer mounted and cost me £10K secondhand. Incidentally I sold the pressure washing business about 8/9 years ago. Call Ben at Rutland Pumps, he will give you good honest advice to fit your budget. Simply tell him your budget and follow his advice. If you know the customer bit as you claim to the only thing you are missing then is on the job practice and skills and of course the one thing nobody can give you EXPERIENCE. Good luck.
Kevin
Kevin
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Where are you based?
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Just a quick question...
If you were to start a pressure washing business now, knowing what you know:
1. What would you do differently?
2. What mistakes would you avoid?
3. How would you get to your goals quicker?
4. What did you think was important, but turned out not to be?
5. How would you get business/clients quicker?
I'd appreciate any replies and advice!
Many thanks,
PSR
hire at least two sales people, teach them how to price, teach them how to get great leads
hire a trainee assistant tech, teach him how to lead, teach him how to clean, teach him great customer service, get him a n assistant tech - repeat repeat
Build a business quickly by working on it rather than in it
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Just a quick question...
If you were to start a pressure washing business now, knowing what you know:
1. What would you do differently?
2. What mistakes would you avoid?
3. How would you get to your goals quicker?
4. What did you think was important, but turned out not to be?
5. How would you get business/clients quicker?
I'd appreciate any replies and advice!
Many thanks,
PSR
hire at least two sales people, teach them how to price, teach them how to get great leads
hire a trainee assistant tech, teach him how to lead, teach him how to clean, teach him great customer service, get him a n assistant tech - repeat repeat
Build a business quickly by working on it rather than in it
It did not work for you...all your staff keep leaving your company.
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Just a quick question...
If you were to start a pressure washing business now, knowing what you know:
1. What would you do differently?
2. What mistakes would you avoid?
3. How would you get to your goals quicker?
4. What did you think was important, but turned out not to be?
5. How would you get business/clients quicker?
I'd appreciate any replies and advice!
Many thanks,
PSR
hire at least two sales people, teach them how to price, teach them how to get great leads
hire a trainee assistant tech, teach him how to lead, teach him how to clean, teach him great customer service, get him a n assistant tech - repeat repeat
Build a business quickly by working on it rather than in it
I did not work for you...all your staff keep leaving your company.
What am I missing here ????
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Just a quick question...
If you were to start a pressure washing business now, knowing what you know:
1. What would you do differently?
2. What mistakes would you avoid?
3. How would you get to your goals quicker?
4. What did you think was important, but turned out not to be?
5. How would you get business/clients quicker?
I'd appreciate any replies and advice!
Many thanks,
PSR
hire at least two sales people, teach them how to price, teach them how to get great leads
hire a trainee assistant tech, teach him how to lead, teach him how to clean, teach him great customer service, get him a n assistant tech - repeat repeat
Build a business quickly by working on it rather than in it
I did not work for you...all your staff keep leaving your company.
I bet you arnt turning over nearly 4 million a year though ??? So he’s doing something right 😂😂😂
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4 million ...he chats rubbish.
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4 million ...he chats rubbish.
Look on companies house the figures are there for all to see , they don’t lie
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4 million ...he chats rubbish.
Look on companies house the figures are there for all to see , they don’t lie
True... how much is the debt behind it?
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4 million ...he chats rubbish.
Look on companies house the figures are there for all to see , they don’t lie
True... how much is the debt behind it?
Again the information is on companies house and it’s a very healthy business
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I dont understand the information on companies house can you explain it too me please?
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I dont understand the information on companies house can you explain it too me please?
Put in the company name and you can see there details and financial situation
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Just a quick question...
If you were to start a pressure washing business now, knowing what you know:
1. What would you do differently?
2. What mistakes would you avoid?
3. How would you get to your goals quicker?
4. What did you think was important, but turned out not to be?
5. How would you get business/clients quicker?
I'd appreciate any replies and advice!
Many thanks,
PSR
hire at least two sales people, teach them how to price, teach them how to get great leads
hire a trainee assistant tech, teach him how to lead, teach him how to clean, teach him great customer service, get him a n assistant tech - repeat repeat
Build a business quickly by working on it rather than in it
There's a BNI networking quote if ever I heard one.....
Darran
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I dont understand the information on companies house can you explain it too me please?
Put in the company name and you can see there details and financial situation
I did and the figures show he owes lots of money.
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I dont understand the information on companies house can you explain it too me please?
Put in the company name and you can see there details and financial situation
I did and the figures show he owes lots of money.
Not from what I was looking at but what's a lot to you and me to him is small change 😂😂😂😬
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Are you sure you are looking at correct company...their seems to be several purple rhinos.
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Are you sure you are looking at correct company...their seems to be several purple rhinos.
Maybe you have the wrong one 😂😂😂 I know the one I have is the correct one
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Are you sure you are looking at correct company...their seems to be several purple rhinos.
Maybe you have the wrong one 😂😂😂 I know the one I have is the correct one
There is a Purple Rhino Ltd company in Saffron Walden that are a HR Consultancy. The rest of thePurple Rhino Companies are owned by Darran.
Does it matter anyway? I have one company that is doing very well, looks OK and I have other companies that look terrible on paper but in reality are doing better. CH information is only a snapshot and in all cases is at least 2 years out of date.
Look at British Airways, Marston Pubs, etc etc 2 years ago and look at them now.
IMO everybody should be concentrating on their own company instead of worrying what everyone else is doing
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I would firstly ask yourself the same questions.
It's always better to know who we are divulging information to.
You may be heavily involved in the industry but are new to the forum or someone that wants to get started or even someone who has a different agenda.
I can share with Darran, Ed, Splash and others and will help out anybody on the forum but they are big questions being asked, almost a 'How to get what has taken me 15 years to build'.
You are never going to get the most intricate of details from any of us - you may be direct competition, what has been learned has value but even without knowing who you are I will say -
Be professional
Be the very best service out there.
Be better than the competition.
Don't compromise, even when you're up against it or have priced wrongly.
Have a top notch website, learn to blog on the website, to keep search engine ranking high.
Have quality hand outs, business cards that are better, portfolios that will get looked at, rather than filed and binned.
Impress people with industry experience - without being 'look at me'.
Once you are making a good income divert money into other avenues that are separate because at a residential level you're never going to be a millionaire in pressure washing.
If there's a small amount of additional cleaning that has been missed on the quote and it will improve your cleaning just do it. Don't miss additional cleaning that will make your cleaning look better, just hide the extra cost in your quote.
Don't be scared to be the more expensive quote.
Buy kit your business will grow into/have faith that you can make it happen.
21 LPM is standard but it won't allow you to clean car park akko channels or get into drainage (if you want).
If you make do or have a sloppy attitude you may be quoting against someone that really knows the business inside out.
21LPM is standard but 41 LPM will clean quicker - I'm not there to make it seem like I'm earning my day rate, I'm using the biggest pressure washer to get onto the next job, so I can earn more money.
At 41 LPM it's one pass, rinsing is quicker but that can be countered by water supply and live environments. There are a lot on here who don't need that volume and clean perfectly well and have good businesses. My business is no better.
There's no right or wrong - what works for me may not necessarily work for you, you may have a different manner, appearance, perspective, may want to go for a different client base.
Last thing - I would never have gotten rid of my window cleaning business, it had great value, was easy money and I was always at home.
Just a bit of an update for everyone...
First of all, I can't thank you all enough for helping guide me. We took all the advice and went with it. We did what we could with the budget we had and it's worked perfectly. Whether luck or timing, we are virtually full with appointments.
The main take aways were:
100% professional approach
Get the best quality we could afford
Get a big van
Don't quote cheap
Understand what the client wants
Have quality stationary
Be proactive
Clients provide you with virtually unlimited amounts of tea and coffee. Sometimes a bacon sandwich!!
Things I didn't anticipate:
The washer/motor uses more petrol than I thought
Use chemicals sparingly
The need to watch every penny
People will mess you around (standard)
People will tell you they have several other quotes for half your quote - walk away
Things wear out
Metal is cold
Jet washing corners covers you in crap
The satisfaction it's providing us is immeasurable.
Many, many thanks.