I'm reposting this from the other board.
Henry, why not devote all your advertising budget and your website to educating those poor "consumers" who need protecting?
Actually, I do quite a bit of that. I also donate services in order to get in front of the media to educate consumers also.
Consumers are protected when legitimate companies share information with each other, work together and help each other.
If you know anything about me at all you would know how many guys I help out to get into business and to help them succeed.
Car trunk pressure washers don't even have a BUSINESS license now and they don't care. Misdemeanor? So what? What do they care? They eventually have a breakdown and can't afford to fix the equipment and go out of business. It's just like gun laws, make a law against it and the only ones breaking the law are the ones who don't care about the law anyway.
In Maryland, some publications won't list your company if your required to have a home improvement license, and don't have one.
Does this have more to do with drawing a fence around established companies to make it extremely difficult for someone young like DJ with a lot of ambition, but no money to get into the business? I'm not saying that is your motive Henry, I'm just saying that is the first most obvious motive for anyone suggesting licensing.
Nope, not my motive at all. (See above) I'm very well established and I don't care who starts a PW company, as long as they play by the same rules as everyone else. Hell, I'll even refer them work! (See my directory at www.pressurewashcompany.com Actually I think licensing would help guys like DJ. He's serious about running a business, I'm willing to bet if it was required in his state he'd get one, not try to duck the rules like so many low ballers do.
When it all boils down there are only a couple of reasons to even consider licensing PW companies. Which of these do you agree with?
1) To raise more money through the state the same way licensing does now. That is why licensing fees are considered a TAX.
2) To make it difficult for entry into the business to protect existing interests.
How about to protect consumers from hacks so that the PW industry is seen in a better light, not as a bunch of beer drinking bozos spraying bleach everywhere?
When will we learn?
How many guys who've built up good profitable businesses will be knocked out because of past legal problems? How many good, honest businessmen will be regulated out of business? How much more will we have to pay for supplies when your talk about harsh chemicals results in the interference of the government making them almost impossible to get?
The chemicals were a reason for licensing, pressure is another reason. Someone needs to protect consumers properties from hacks. The MHIC in my state just makes sure everyone has a license, insurance and bonding. Then if there is a problem they can set up mediation. I send them a check every couple of years for this and I do it gladly. Think about it this way... If you need a home improvement license for pressure washing, there just might be more to it than spraying water and bleach... Right? That sets a standard for home owners, it also allows us to charge a bit more for our "legal" status
What about freon? Anybody used to be able to buy freon. Some idiot tree hugger with no evidence claimed it harmed the ozone layer. It was almost 20 years before the idiot's claim was proven to be 100% FALSE, but an entire section of government had already been created to deal with a non-existent threat and because of that I can't even juice up my own air conditioner anymore. AND LOOK AT WHAT HAPPENED TO THE PRICE!!!
You're asking for the wind. If you get it you will reap the whirlwind.
The chemicals you are speaking of can be purchased by anyone. Licensing pressure washers will do nothing but add another tax that you have to pay each year. This is an open end tax that will do nothing but go up.
Any Joe homeowner can buy a 4000 psi pressure washer. How is licensing PW'ers going to protect them? Because if you have to raise your prices to cover legal expenses and training required by licensing more and more of those poor consumers are going to resort to doing it themselves.
Don't you have insurance and these other expenses now? All of us have operating expenses, it's part of running a business. If a homeowner rents a power washer and screws up thier own property then they will learn a valuable lesson, they should hire a licensed professional next time! How many poor consumers hire someone to power wash their house or deck? Most do it themself already or hire an unlicensed hack that destroys their property.
What's keeping you from getting a contractors license now and pointing out to your customers how more "legit" you are because you are licensed?
Actually, I do and I land a lot of higher paying jobs because of it. I do the same thing with all the training we've taken too.
I vote no. This is one industry where some one with a little money, a lot of integrity and a lot of ambition can start with nothing and go a long way.
The problem with that statement is there's more to running a legit business than that. What about insurance, experience, knowledge, equipment ect?? When I started up I didn't have a license, but I did have insurance. Then I got a letter from MHIC saying I need a license to repair gutters. Either I had to get one, stop doing repairs or I could be fined 5,000 and spend three years in jail.
Is licensing currently in the talks or on the agenda? An official stance on this from the UAMCC would be appreciated.
