Tips on Pressure Washing & Roof Cleaning Estimates

Providing estimates for customers is somewhat of an art, as you have probably already discovered for yourself. I can't tell you exactly what to charge someone if I haven't seen it with my own two eyes. However, I can give you some advice to follow that can help you achieve a reasonable goal. What I mean by that is you can't get every job you bid on but you should be able to get at least half of them. That is pretty much the industry standard as far as I've heard. If your getting more than that it doesn't mean that something is wrong, but perhaps you are underbidding your jobs and just getting lucky. I can tell you from experience that too low of a price is not good! Don't sell yourself short for the service you provide. When you price roof cleaning jobs too low you might end up regretting it, may not do as good of a job, upset and hurt your competition financially and break your back all week for peanuts. It's pointless running all around town doing a million jobs to make what you could have made doing a couple of jobs priced accordingly. You'll have much less stress and fewer things that could possibly go wrong. Now here are some pointers to ensure that you have a fair chance of getting the jobs you bid on. First, answer your phone when it rings and give yourself a little time to arrive for the estimate. Try to have a 2 day gap when you can stop by so that way you are not late for whatever reasons. When you arrive, arrive on time with a clean work shirt on minus the sunglasses. People want to look you in the eyes and you'll be able to show them that you are confident and trustworthy...hopefully you are. Try to be friendly without over-doing it and read their body language in order to match it which will put them at ease. After reviewing the work that needs to be done feel free to tell them you'd like to step out for a few minutes to run some numbers. There is no shame in that and can only help you make a decision that is rational. If it's a very large job, you might want to tell them that you will get it typed up and email it to them before the day is over. If you are stumped about what to charge try to determine how long the job will take you to complete and charge according to a daily rate. If you need to make $500 a day and the roof will take 4 hours to clean charge $250. But I have to say that this isn't always the best way. You may want to calculate the price per square foot or the way I like to price roofs is by using my experience and setting a fixed price for each homes' roof depending on the size, pitch, type of tile & staining. Keep in mind that the bigger style barrel tile roofs usually tale a lot longer to clean then a flat tile roof. Of course that is if you are actually pressure cleaning them, instead of a chlorine application. Remember that whatever you end up pricing a roof for that in my opinion every roof that needs to be cleaned should cost a minimum of at least $200. Think about it....your on a roof with a $1000+ piece of equipment most people don't have, you are risking your life on a regular basis, you are liable for someones dream home, you may be inhaling chlorine fumes or end up killing plants, you have overhead like ads, chemicals, tools, repair, maintenence, gas & many more reasons to charge that kind of minimum price. Whatever you end up making please put safety first and keep checking back in for more great information to be posted!

Why it's best to have a partner help you clean a roof .

There are a lot of good reasons why you should have a partner with you while cleaning a roof. The most important reason that comes to mind is safety. What if you slip and fall off the roof and can't get up for help? Of course nobody thinks or wants this to happen, but it does happen and if no one sees you fall it could be hours before someone finds you. If this reason alone isn't important enough for you, then consider the other benefits. If you clean a roof with pressure it can take all day or even longer if you work by yourself. It gets extremely hot, you get sunburnt, your shoes or boots are soaking wet all day. You may have to share your profit, but the process is much more easier to complete and above all safer. If you clean a roof by applying a chlorine solution then it's best to only have one guy on the roof because it gets so slippery during the process. However, you still need a partner on the ground to water the roots of the plants, rinse bushes & any overspray that gets on the house. Please read my other blogs about this particular method of which I am not too fond of. It damages the enviornment and anytime you can avoid toxic chemicals you should.
There are still more reasons to have some help with you. You can protect your equipment better by having your partner turn the pressure washing machine off as soon as you are done cleaning the roof or taking a break. This prevents pressure from building while you try to exit the roof safely. Blowing a hose is never good and this is one of the ways it can happen. The best reason of all has to just simply be the fact that you get done quicker, feel better & look forward to doing it again tomorrow. If you do a great job ,the neighbors will notice and be calling you soon for an estimate. Good Luck!

A spray tip for pressure washing that shoots your chemical 40+ feet

I have an auction on ebay for a pressure washer soap dispensing spray tip. It works just like any other spray tip & fits the same quick connect you already have on your wand. Tip dispenses the solution you have your chemical tube in and sprays it out in a near zero degree pattern up to 40+ feet. For use with a commercial grade pressure washer up to 4000psi and 4 gallons per minute. This tip is a must have for all professional pressure washers. Truly a lifesaver, you'll be able to clean two story homes in a breeze while never using an extension or ladder again. Makes applying solution to pool cages so easy you'll be amazed. Knock down wasps nests safely. This tip will save you hundreds of hours, make cleaning easier and allow you to earn money that you may have not been able to make before. Please click the photo of it above to be directed to the listing at ebay's site. If it is already sold out, don't worry because I'll be relisting at least 20 more. Hurry while they last!

Roof Cleaning Methods -Part 2

If the chlorine treatment doesn't sound like the way it should be done, then you only have one other way of successfully completing the job. Using a detergent and then removing the mold and mildew with pressure. Don't get me wrong...this procedure can be just as dangerous as the other. But if you have the skills to do it this way, you will leave at the end of the day feeling good about your services and the way that customers will perceive you and your company. When removing the mildew with pressure it is always best to have a partner helping you, otherwise you may spend a very long, hot eight hours on the roof. This scares a lot of guys so they hunt for a chemical that will do the same job as chlorine without the dangerous side effects. I have to tell you that after several attempts and many conversations with my competition.....there is no miracle chemical that I have yet seen demonstrated. If you know of one that does what it actually says...please let me know with a posting.
Let me make it clear that using pressure on a roof can cause damage and that is why it is so crucial that the p.s.i. is set to a safe pressure prior to removing fungi from the roof!

Roof Cleaning Methods

I'm posting these blogs to help those who are just getting started with their roof cleaning business, thinking about starting one or maybe even those who have had a business up and running but need advice to avoid problems their having.
I have been cleaning all types of roofs full-time for three years. The information I will be providing is what I feel is genuine, honest & kind of hard to come by, if you know what I mean. Please be careful no matter who's advice you take and remember that I am just trying to help and in no way can I be held responsible for a mistake that could happen on your behalf.
My business that I own & operate is based in Florida. There are a zillion roofs here that need to be cleaned at least every 2-5 years. Most of these are tile and shingle, of course. The weather conditions make it a great place to be successful in this industry. The heat, humidity & rain encourage the mold and mildew to thrive just about anywhere....especially roofs!
So how do you clean them? I'll tell you! Why? Because I'm here to help, not to sell you some package for money explaining all the tips and tricks that no one wants to share.
There are only a couple of different ways to clean roofs and I would have to say that about 75% of my competition does it one way and 25% does it the other way. The most popular method of cleaning is using a mixture of chlorine, water and either adding tsp or some kind of mildew inhibitors to it. You have to be really careful when adding something to chlorine. You don't want to add too much tsp. and you never want to add a detergent that has ammonia in it; as a bomb could result from ignorance.
The worst thing about using chlorine is that it is very toxic and will end up killing just about any plant life that it gets on or near. In my experience I have applied full strength and i have tried chlorine/water mixtures like 80/20, 60/40, 50/50, 40/60...maybe I have bad luck and the other guys don't, but I will tell you that no matter which solution I used nothing good ever came of it. Even when I used the weaker mixes I had stress of worrying if the phone was gonna ring with an upset customer three days after servicing. Don't get me wrong, chlorine can be used without it having negative effects on the landscape surrounding the house but you have to make sure that: the mixture is neutral, you water the roots of all landscape before, during and after applying, and the house needs to have gutters to isolate the runoff solution. What if you apply chlorine to a roof without gutters and as soon as you're done it starts raining for 10 minutes. All the rain will rinse the chlorine off the roof onto your customers landscape and proceed to water the roots with a toxic solution. NOT GOOD!!!!!! You will be sorry, trust me!
I had $6000 worth of plant damage to a customers house right after Christmas and it is all because we listened to the pressure washer repair men and changed the way we were cleaning roofs. Needless to say, that was the last time I ever used a toxic chemical on a roof. The guys that repair machines don't want you using safe soaps and water because you will put a lot less money in their pockets. If you don't believe me then you will probably find out the hard way one day, as I did.
So how do you apply the chlorine? Most guys have a chemical tank with nylon tubing mounted to their trailer rigs. This is certainly the best way to apply the chemical if you insist on this method of cleaning. Using a pressure washer with a chemical bypass does protect your pump from getting damaged but still doesn't help your wand, gaskets, etc...You'll end up at the repair shop every other week if you are using your pressure washer.....which is exactly what they want!
So you have a neutral mix, you've watered the plants, you have a tank with nylon tubing, what now? Well, don't climb up that ladder until the morning dew has evaporated, otherwise the roof will be extremely slippery. Also, the hotter it is, the better the chlorine will clean. 10 am is a great starting time. Get on the roof and carefully start misting the surface with your chemical, working bottom to top, and ensuring you never step on a spot you just sprayed. You WILL slip if you do! Within an hour you will be done spraying and you will notice that the roof is extremely clean. Congrats, now pray that you don't end up with a nightmare.