Really torn on this one, educate the customer or the contractor.

RobEllett

RobEllett

New member
Was out today "chumming the honey hole" when up pops a roof washer. So I say to my business partner " Look there, someone is hard at it on that roof" As we drive up she say's " What in the world does he have for a rig"
Well after my utter amazement at this roof cleaning monster I replied " Well my dear it appears to be your typical 3 cyl. diesel coupled to a 3" trash pump with 3/4" hose and a metal fertilizer gun that could double as a blunderbuss. " With that look that she so loves to give me I hear "Say what?"
But by this time my mind was in anguish as to whether I should inform the home owner or the roof washer of the terrible atrocity happening upon that roof.
The volume of fluid exiting that hose while the roof washer stood proudly atop his world was something else I say. Why that stream exiting the water cannon was as big as a grown man's wrist and traveled with such force I thought I was witnessing a fire drill. And then I saw the license plate, it all made since then another fella with a couple days off to bring home the bacon. A firefighter, I thought the stance was of a professional.
Well the wife and I drive off with me mumbling under my breath and continue on with our business.
We came back by an hour later and he was still at it. I couldn't take it and had to have one last look and when I went by this time he had a 3' wand up there and was getting it good.
Did I mention he did have a safety person on the ground his wife and two young children. But no one was rinsing down all the greenery.
So do I educate the washer or the customer?
 
I would say you mind your own business on this one.
It's up to you whether you laugh at him or not.
 
I agree fellas as that is some good advice there. My concerns were that it might give future customers pause at a roof cleaning because Gerald had his done and they plum wrecked it.
 
RobEllett said:
I agree fellas as that is some good advice there. My concerns were that it might give future customers pause at a roof cleaning because Gerald had his done and they plum wrecked it.
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I'm in the hood industry and that is our biggest obstacle! When we give a bid, we regularly hear "That's twice what I paid the last company that screwed me! There's no way!"
Our best success has been educating our current customers and hope the word of mouth sings our praises! Our industry has competitive advantage and it still works. Homeowners should want clean roofs through their whole neighborhood!
 
These are good points.

Hacks and lowballers do the job cheap and a lot of times if not most of the time end up causing damage to property because they don't know how to do the job, or don't care to do the job the right way as this is only for "beer money", "weekend money" or "extra money" which ends up giving the industry a bad name because they tell everyone they know what damage was done but they will not talk about how they shopped for the cheapest price, did not check to see if the company had insurance, did not ask questions, etc.... Just went with the lowest price.

This is a shame but what do you do?

You can stop and talk to the homeowner and they will probably not listen to you.

You can try to educate the guy that is up there damaging the roof but he probably will not listen.

You want to do the right thing so contractors out there will be all on the same page and no more damage to property.

You want homeowers to get quaity work at affordable prices with NO PROPERTY DAMAGE.

You want to get the message out there that the job can be done without damage by reputable contractors that are insured.


What do you do?
 
I agree with the move on and let it go advice.

AC
 
When I see it, I always go up and introduce myself to the cusomter AFTER the job is complete and it's been a few days. All I do is introduce myself, hand him my card, explain that I noticed he recently had his roof/house cleaned and I thank him for hiring a professional and not trying to do it himself. I tell him if I can ever be of service to him to please feel free to call. I then turn to walk away. One of 2 things happen. Either I keep walking and get in my truck and leave, OR he says, "uh yeah I got a question"......and the conversation starts. Sometimes I get a job out of it sometimes I don't. Odds are I do.
 
RobEllett said:
Was out today "chumming the honey hole" when up pops a roof washer. So I say to my business partner " Look there, someone is hard at it on that roof" As we drive up she say's " What in the world does he have for a rig"
Well after my utter amazement at this roof cleaning monster I replied " Well my dear it appears to be your typical 3 cyl. diesel coupled to a 3" trash pump with 3/4" hose and a metal fertilizer gun that could double as a blunderbuss. " With that look that she so loves to give me I hear "Say what?"
But by this time my mind was in anguish as to whether I should inform the home owner or the roof washer of the terrible atrocity happening upon that roof.
The volume of fluid exiting that hose while the roof washer stood proudly atop his world was something else I say. Why that stream exiting the water cannon was as big as a grown man's wrist and traveled with such force I thoughtI was witnessing a fire drill. And then I saw the license plate, it all made since then another fella with a couple days off to bring home the bacon. A firefighter, I thought the stance was of a professional.
Well the wife and I drive off with me mumbling under my breath and continue on with our business.
We came back by an hour later and he was still at it. I couldn't take it and had to have one last look and when I went by this time he had a 3' wand up there and was getting it good.
Did I mention he did have a safety person on the ground his wife and two young children. But no one was rinsing down all the greenery.
So do I educate the washer or the customer?
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So Rob do you really think it matters he's a firefighter? He's probably under educated about cleaning. Your opinion about firefighters working on their days off is shallow( bring home the bacon). If you think being a full time firefighter is a advantage why don't you find a firefighter job so you can have the upper hand on Anchor pressure washing, hydropro, alpine and other local washers. The truth is firefighters or police in most cases are very motivated and desire to have more income. Its always been firefighters and police officers that work on their days off are low ballers. That's BS !!!!! Most charge top dollar or won't do the work if the money isn't there. At least that's how I approach work. If some guy has a cheap rig or a rig that is under par to a professional looking rig doesn't mean a thing except he is probably new at that line of work. ( Pressure washing, Lawncare, tree trimming ect) In most cases a person up grades to professional equipment or will not be in business long. It doesn't matter if a guy is firefighter or a so called pro......You still have the same cost, equipment , ins, workers comp, advertising, ect, only ones that you don't have are health and retirement. I am sorry but I would guess most people on here don't have health ins. or a real retirement. Its funny I work every 3rd day. Do you think I can make more money if I pressure washed that third day or do you think firefighting pays more? FYI the month of Aug I grossed over 13000.00.(thats all most half my yearly salary as a firefighter. In stead of talking about the guy maybe you should have said man go to ptstate or southside equipment and get the proper equipment. Read some forums and you will make more money and be more professional. I would guess most on here don't start with professional equipment......
For the other guys out there that think firefighters, cops, and other people that have other full time jobs have no place in this industry ........Get over yourself. This is the United Stated of America........The land of the free!!!! IF you work hard and sell hard you won't have a issue with it. Its the one's that want it on a silver platter that keep crying ...........
If you see someone and you want to help this industry help them out.....People that do bad work will only hurt the industries name. The worst thing you can have happen is to have his customer tell 5 people what a bad job someone did. It hurts everyone because the customer thinks all pressure washing companies do the same kind of work. How many people have a good feeling about a used car dealership? Proberly not many.Why because we all know someone that has been done wrong. The truth is there's lots of good used car lots out there........ Lastly When someone markets they really do it for everyone. ( Wow I didn't know people cleaned roofs is my fav.thing to hear from a customer.)
 
Lou my statement may have came off as prejudice towards Firefighters and if so perhaps it is from having had to compete with this same thing in other trades in other places.
In another life and time I used to deal a house game that had 4 FF every week. I sat and listened about how they would go out and clean up on there days off by basically cutting the throats of legitimate contractors. So if my well is poisoned by the past , then excuse me.
Did I say anywhere I thought myself better, I don't think so, if it came out that way I apologize.
Did I say he didn't deserve to be out working, don't think so. I think the title says I was torn as to help him or the owner.
Torn- torn whether to help a competitor or myself. I really did want to help him or I would not have posted it.
And Lou your last paragraph is what I felt as well.
You surely could see that it was written in Pacos Bill style with some tall story telling not to discredit the man but for a little bit better read than say " so yeah I saw this hack just destroying this roof today like he didn't care." Yada Yada Yada
So I guess if you feel insulted that someone on the OTHER SIDE of your fence in this United States of America felt the need to exercise their 1st Amendment Rights , well .....
On another note I do have the utmost respect for you and any other FF or LEO and in no way meant any disrespect for those occupations. It most certainly takes a set to that line of work I know.
 
Geezzz who cares, I love it when someone thinks their getting a bargin and it turns out it cost them alot more after the fact. It's not that people are ignorant it's just that their cheap, so in the long run they will go with a pro next time after they replace all the landscaping and paint their house from all the overspray of chemical. As far as FF and LEO's go I have no idea what the hell that has to do with anything.
 
Ohio pressure wash said:
They don't have to pay the bills solely from the biz....in other words, you could never win against a price seller.
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No state has more of this than FL and their are plenty of us here making a great living at it, so dont be so worried about all the lowballers out there.
 
The Cleaner said:
No state has more of this than FL and their are plenty of us here making a great living at it, so dont be so worried about all the lowballers out there.
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I don't worry about lowballers....people that buy on price usually start on craigslist so I rarely hear from them. If a homeowner shops price they usually get what they pay for. We had a local painter doing $99 house washes on groupon this past spring. He got $49.50 a house after Groupon took their 50%. Tell me he didn't cut some corners on those homes. We raised our prices this year and still had an increase in jobs booked.
 
My 2 cents. He said it was a fire drill from the amount of water coming out. And the STANCE WAS OF A PROFESSIONAL. How is that bad talking firefighters? I wish I could be a firefighter. I would love a decal on my license plate that got me out of any speeding ticket. I knew this kid back in the day, he mentioned his dads name, and any police officer would let him go in about 30 seconds.
 
Just joking around. Most respect to anyone that will risk there lives for other people.
 
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