How much money can be made in pressure washing.

Scott(Thread starter),
I would also keep your teaching job unless of course you start making serious money from powerwashing. Teaching at least here in NY has great Benefits and pays real well once you have tenure(Time on the job).

Plus considering that you have summers off that is a great time to do some powerwashing. Even better then that is that you can also powerwash after school if you get out early enough and also all your weekends are available to do even more work.

Teaching is the perfect job to have a side business and considering that you probably have Health,Dental and 401/457k benefits among others, a side business more or less means more cash in your pockets.Besides business expense, the rest can be put in your pocket to spend as you wish.
 
Scott - I'm in your boat, teacher looking for some extra $ during the summer. I live in Illinois and will not start washing houses until it warms up around here. I have a 3600psi 4 gpm unit ready to go.

What is $ goal for this summer?

Rich
 
Rich,

Welcome to the folds of the Order of the Newbie.
What do you teach? I teach music.
My email is dinkywoowoo@mindspring.com.
Please email me with your email address and we can encourage each other. I have alot of plans that I will share with you.

I have bought a 8x12 trailer, a Landa Water Jet, A3600 psi 4gpm cold water machine, a PITCH Witch, 24' xtention wand, 36' Coress Wand, 150' high pressure hose, various wands. 75' of commercial water hose, a hose reel, 230 gallon tank. a large metalic sign, a wegsite from Beth at SEEDIRTRUN...WWW.ADVANCEDPOWERWASH.COM.
I will be getting Liability Insurance and a Hot Box soon. I am Wolman certified and have started woodcare.

This and other boards have been incredibly helpful.I am learnig from talking to other power washers, talking to distributors, watching Delco videos, reading books and OF COURSE doing the work!
Please email me and we can share little victories and setbacks as they arise.

I will share my marketing plan and vision.

Scott
 
Ron, when you put a pen to it that low end of $90,000 gross dosent look to hard (on paper LOL)

$7500 a month=$288.47 a day based on working 26days amonth

some work more some work less

$288.47 a day= $36.06 an hour based on 8 hour day

I don't know many self employed folks that work 8 hours a day unless they are well established.

Granted this is based on living some place you can work 12 months of the year. And you have to take travel time and the time you spend prospecting for the jobs.
Allot of variables but breaking things down like this help put stuff in perspective for me.
 
I am basically you one year in the future. I am still a school teacher, but I started the PW thing to supplement my boating/fishing/drinking habits. Last year I made an additional 10,000 after expenses and I started in May. I have a business license, insurance etc and now do lawn maintanence for two condos off the same lisence/insurance which is cool too.

The guys on this site are dead on. They will help and there advice is usually hard earned. I give it up to them for doing this everyday. There is a huge amount of information to learn (more than the BS I learned getting my masters from USC (Go Gamecocks) )Sunday I did 3 double wides, one single wide and Mon and Tuesday a large brick fence. My back hurts and my feet stink when I am finsished, but its good money. Guys like Mike, Ron P, Lenny etc are awesome and will help you in a bind. If I leave teaching, it would only be after equip is paid and accounts are secured. I am certain I could do it though. For now I am a part-timer with a job if my back goes out. Best of luck.

Kevin
 
Kevin - What type of equipment did you start out with? How did you go about getting experience and finding new customers?

Your right on about the hunting and fishing habits....I hear it from my wife often.

Rich
 
I started with and still use the Home depot 3500/4gal minute 13hp honda rig. Purchased it 20% off b/c it was last years dispaly model. I've added a 9-24' extension wand, portable Heavy Duty home depot garden hose reel and 300'/hose and a large [plastic lockable storage container for chems, wands etc. . I am about to add a high pressure reel and more HP hose. I want to mount the HP hose reel on the framework of my PW. I also want a surface cleaner, but I wont buy it until some flatwork comes along. I look for portablity and ease of transfer onto the back of my trailer or truck (I rarely use my trailer, juts back of truck with ramps)

I did not purchase the unit until I had a job..that helped offset initial set up costs. To market my business, i use friends who live in condo buildings and in HOA neighborhoods and I contact their HOA presidents by saying I know them. Also, on days I had no work, I rode my bicycle around with a business card (I made myself) with lines on it. I wrote an estimate on the card for decks, house wash, driveways etc. Dont put them on the mailbox though, I got fined for that. I also got into some doors with fellow teachers who needed stuff done and a friend of mine works at one of those mobile home dealers. After I did some work for him, I mailed out a flyer to the other MObile home dealers in the areas saying my prices etc. and drrummed up some work that way.
I did not have any work for several weeks, but now I am slammed. I didnt worry about the down time b/c the checks etc keep coming from the teaching job.
I like PWing, but it is hard work. The marketing part can be frustrating too. Its a great way to let off pressure (Ha, Ha) from a day of stamping out ignorance in the public school system.
Again, these guys are proffesional grade on this and other BBS sites. So take their advice with your needs in mind.

Kevin
 
I see where you are coming from Ron. That was A very basic breakdown I did. If I used those figures in my business plan I would be posting in the "Equipment for sale forum" by the end of next year LOL. I already have over $5000 invested haven't run the first ad, bought any chem's, or paid for my insurance, along with the "gotcha's" i am sure will come up and am yet to pull the trigger on my rig.

I am kind of slow walking it because I am buying equipment as the $$ become available. Trying to get started without borrowing any $$ so the overhead will be lower when I get cranked up once I get moved to Maryland in the spring.
 
Joel:

I'm in the same boat as you are. The idea of starting this business began forming last September or so, and I began doing research into the tools required, etc. Bought my rig in December, and have yet to do a paying job yet. I'm taking it slow, since I have a day job paying the bills, and am learning as much about chemicals, techniques, equipment, and time savers as I can before I get out and start getting hands-on experience. I've done a good bit of pressure washing at my day job, so I know the work is something I enjoy and can handle. I don't see the need to jump in too fast before I have everything ready to go. Just got some chemicals this week, and will be getting more in the next week or so. Shooting for the end of March to really start marketing and see what happens. Good luck with your move and with the business!
 
Thanks Mike, same back at ya.

Hopefully for both of us within the next couple of years are patience approach to the business will be paying off greatly for us.

There is a book called "Seven Habits Of Highly Effective People"
by Stephen R. Covey

One of the things he talks about is allot of business fail because they don't picture in there minds what they want the end result of there venture to be. Which made allot of sense to me.

It is a great book if your into stuff like that, you can get it at Amazon for around $15
 
taking Chances

Everyone I know who has made it really big in business,
took alot of risks, 2nd mortgage, borrowed from family, friends,
and just went for it, there is a old saying, when you get to an
Island burn your ship that got you there, so no matter what,
you have no choice but to survive and thrive,
You will only get out of a business what you put into it,
part time effort-part time income, if you believe you will succeed
 
Yes very true but on the flip side I also know people that have lost it all by risking it all. Sometimes it come down to how big of a risk are you willing to take??

My attitude is to set your self up not to fail where in the end you put your wife and kids out in the street. Cover all corners(Such as life Insurance etc.) and have back up in every aspect of life if possible.

Take a risk but don't risk it all. That is my attitude. Its like playing the stock market. If you want to take a risk go ahead but don't risk it all because you could lose everything. Same as in Business because if you do risk it all and the times got tough(Like they are now and maybe even worse if we go to war) and you have no control over that then what....you lost it all.................
 
I would have to disagree with the concept that those who are very successful put it all on the line and risked losing everything. Most of those I know who are very successful in business are where they are because they had a plan, and worked their tails off for a long time to attain it. Granted, with any business venture there is a risk that you will not be successful and may lose some money. However, in this business, it doesn't, or shouldn't, take a 2nd mortgage or a large loan to get going.

There is a lot to be said for caution, planning, and assuring you have a safety net in place. In my case, as well as with others, that safety net is a full time day job. Sure, I could go quit, borrow a pile of money and jump in with both feet, and I may see success a bit more quickly. On the other side of that, however, is what am I going to do if I find I just can't make this work? Sure, when you get to the island and burn your ship, you're forced to survive. But what do you do if you discover there is absolutely no way to survive on this particular island? You better start building another boat. Some of us prefer to keep our boats anchored just offshore until we are certain there is going to be sufficient food and water and shelter on the island to survive, and until we are certain we even like the damn island.

Sure, part time work=part time income...but that part time income is ALL gravy at this point, and can be set aside for equipment, marketing, or for a lot of gasoline and matches when I finally do decide to burn the ship. I can work at building this, and learning all I can, without the added stress and concern about whether I can make my house payment or buy groceries this week.
 
Do Your Homework First

Before you jump in with both feet, into any business you should have at
least invested 1 full year into research, about the particular venture
you go into, when I say jump in head first, I mean have at least 6 months
in savings just in case you dont make it, and I do mean savings not money
you need to run your business, make your monthly obligations, etc..
If you cant make at least $3500 a month net in power washing, that is
pretty bad, I know 14 and 15 year old kids making that in the summer
cutting grass..

So my point is, if someone is only making say $25-30,000 a year(gross)
at their job they dont have much to lose by trying pressure washing
full time, you can always get another job paying that much..?

Just My Opinion...
 
Well, that depends...In my case, no, I would not be able to find a comparable job. The money I make is a result of 7 years of proving my value to my boss. Were I to look for other employment, I would expect to take a minimum of $10k cut in pay. Let's just say that this part time venture is my year's research into this business venture. I can wait a year and just do research, or I can do this part time and learn as I go from both those who have been there and from hands on experience. When I feel the business is sufficient to support me, I will gladly jump in with both feet and never look back.

My goal is to exceed that $3500/month by a good bit.
 
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