Pressure washing - good/bad idea or better marketing req'd

[Mojjo]

Hi all

I've been thinking of starting a PW business for a while now (patios, drives, decking etc) and in my head it sounds an ok and do-able idea (subject to commitment etc)

I've advertised in a local rag, placed some cards in a few local shops and currently designing a leaflet to distribute locally as well.

My confidence in this was growing until today! The local rag that I advertised in goes to 37'000 homes and is jam-packed with adverts and little editorial plus my little advert.

The thing is there is at least 4-5 other adverts, either for gardening or patio laying etc that also offer a 'driveway type cleaning service too plus one advert purely for a pressure washing business.

I know I should be worried about this and I am and it's good to be aware of local competition, but i'm now starting to doubt my business because I'm potentially entering a part-saturated market.

So my questions/worries are:

Should I be worried about this? Is this the norm for this kind of business and if so, do I need to market myself differently in order to make some kind of success or just accept that there will always be competition and to man-up and plough onwards and upwards..

Apologies for my long and possibly irrelevant post but have my pessimistic head on.


Thanks for reading

Ed (on the south coast)

 

[Matt1959]

I think its easy to be pessimistic when your'e first starting off, its a tricky one to overcome unless you are naturally optimistic! You need to exude confidence even if you don't have any. If I were in your shoes, I'd be doing a special launch price for the first 3 months or first 20 drives or whatever. Net result hopefully = immediate orders, testimonials from happy clients, positive feeling from providing a good service etc which will give you the confidence and positive feelings that you need .

I'd also look at these competitor adverts and their marketing - IMO theres hardly any service business advertising in the local paper small ads that has their ads and marketing up to scratch so you should be able to walk all over them in that respect.

Have you got a website?

 

[Mojjo]

Thanks for your reply.


So far i' posted on here and 'Pistonheads' for advice on what to include in an ad and have adhered to that and was full of optimism and posted some cards and the ad looks ok (although this was sent prior to seeking advice from here!)

As yet I do not have a website although seriously thinking about a pro looking one (most would I guess) to enhance what I can offer.

I guess every geographic area is different and whether people see these ad's is another thing and half of me thinks 'right i'll dam well make sure i'm better/more consistent and nicer (typo) than the rest!

Thanks

 

[Matt1959]

well again, if it were me - I'd be looking to certain things where I could stand out from the crowd - a website is a MUST, a templated brochure site would do which won't cost much. A landline phone number is a must, a launch price would attact attention, maybe you could use something as a kind of loss leader and sell other services once you "were in" with the customer.....

 

[Mojjo]

At the moment the lealfets that i've designed state a price from....for cleaning which is something that the others do not list.

Cons from £15, driveways from £49 etc...

They also include a time specific discount although i've also read that offering a discount on £££'s is more appealing than %%%'s

I'm well aware this isn't a NEW idea than no-one has heard of but after studying this local rag its put the willy's up me.

Will not give up though and once my leaflets are printed i'll walk the streets as that's one business we don't get a leaflet through the door at about..

 

[S-Marketing]

No offence mate but its your complete lack of understanding of marketing and your choosen industry that is letting you down. I tried to highlight this before in another thread by asking a few simple but technical questions, i'm sure you remember.

If you had done your marketing and technical homework you would know that all things that cause paving and decking to be slippery and needing cleaning ie, moss, algae, lichen etc thrive only in very moist conditions. With the weather we have had recently there simply isn't a need for your service. I could go on, but ill leave your 'telling off' at that for now.

As far as advertising goes, its not what you do, but how you do it.

You know i'm only a pm away if you want any help mate.

 

[seobarbershop]

If other businesses are offering your service as an add-on then your ad should highlight your business as a specialist....

 

[Mojjo]

PM'd you Stretchy

 

[kjmcculloch]

I need to disagree with some of what Stretchy said. I don't understand the technical aspects of cleaning paving either (I don't need to) but I do know that when the good weather arrived we spent much more time in the garden. That's when I started to notice how dirty my paving was and called someone to clean it.

The only thing I can really tell you about marketing your business is always, always, always have a landline number. Mobiles give the impression of a fly-by-night business.

Kris

 

[Mojjo]

Thanks for your reply and yes on my advert I have a home phone and a mobile number as aware of the perception of having just a mobile listed or even an 0800 or 0845 number.

 

[S-Marketing]

I need to disagree with some of what Stretchy said. I don't understand the technical aspects of cleaning paving either (I don't need to) but I do know that when the good weather arrived we spent much more time in the garden. That's when I started to notice how dirty my paving was and called someone to clean it.

The only thing I can really tell you about marketing your business is always, always, always have a landline number. Mobiles give the impression of a fly-by-night business.

Kris

The timing was only one aspect I chose to pick up on. It is a fact that this service is not particularly popular in the summer months though.

 

[benjamin_c]

as for the phone just get a voipfone divert to your mobile, one question, will you bring your own water tank or use the customers taps? i expect most customers would prefer you to have a van with a tank as if the customers on a water meter why will have to pay more and they will not want you going in the hosue with wet shoes ect

 

[S-Marketing]

as for the phone just get a voipfone divert to your mobile, one question, will you bring your own water tank or use the customers taps? i expect most customers would prefer you to have a van with a tank as if the customers on a water meter why will have to pay more and they will not want you going in the hosue with wet shoes ect

Domestic customers will usually have an outside tap and commercial pressure washers are very economical with water. Agree that you shouldn't need to go into the house though. You would look like a complete amateur if you turned up with a pressure washer that needed to be plugged in.

 

[benjamin_c]

Domestic customers will usually have an outside tap and commercial pressure washers are very economical with water. Agree that you shouldn't need to go into the house though. You would look like a complete amateur if you turned up with a pressure washer that needed to be plugged in.

A lot of people i know don't have an outside tap and those that do are usually at the rear of the house and many customers are likely to want their drives washing and this would need a long hose, i agree with your comment regarding plugging in though, a Petrol preasure washer is a must, or at least a generator if a electric one is to be used, you could get a second hand vauxhall combo van or something similar and stick a 500 litre tank in the back, maybe a 1000 litre if the van can take it, bearing in mind 1 litre of water = 1kg in weight, if you go with a tank get one that has water breakers inside to prevent the water movement as they can cause the van to move all over the place. not a bad business idea to be honnest. a lot of people can't be bothered to do the job their selves so will happily pay someone to do it for them. how much would you plan on charging? would it be per hour or per square metre? or just a fixed rate based on a quote?

 

[Mojjo]

Hi Benjamin

Charging is usually by the sq metre, eg. £1.50 for example.

But prices do seem to be all over the show plus a lot have offers etc etc

 

[Anon4357392]

The answer could not be more obvious - pressure wash your advert onto the pavement!!

Like this.....

http://amandagore.files.wordpress.com/2009/01/green-washing.png?w=420&h=277

Made just need like a stencil made up in something that wont be affected and then spray it everywhere! They def catch peoples attention but then they vanish after a while =)

Not sure how legal they are =D research needed *nods*

 

[benjamin_c]

The answer could not be more obvious - pressure wash your advert onto the pavement!!

Like this.....

http://amandagore.files.wordpress.com/2009/01/green-washing.png?w=420&h=277

Made just need like a stencil made up in something that wont be affected and then spray it everywhere! They def catch peoples attention but then they vanish after a while =)

Not sure how legal they are =D research needed *nods*

This is a fantastic idea! i think they are done using thin aluminum sheets with the shape cut out, i saw a business based on this feature on dragons den just go put a few out there and if the council say anything to you then just clean them away

 

[Urban Publications]

Not sure how legal they are =D research needed *nods*

More like "winks"

All publicity is good publicity. Loving the stencil, if anyone moans say youll clean it up.

 

[benjamin_c]

It can also be done on walls too

 

If you had done your marketing and technical homework you would know that all things that cause paving and decking to be slippery and needing cleaning ie, moss, algae, lichen etc thrive only in very moist conditions. With the weather we have had recently there simply isn't a need for your service.

I take it you have not got a block paved drive.

Needs cleaning once a year to look pretty.

At the right price,I suspect the OP will do ok.

Earl

 

[Mojjo]

Loving the stencil idea, although it looks like a fine line in between legal and non-legal but i'm not lawyer so wouldn't know if actually wrong or right but I do like that (not sure I could get away with doing that on peoples drives though)

Lealfets will be printed this week, then some business cards to pop in shops in a handy holder (if allowable)

Then i'll just pound the streets, possibly door knocking and handing over a leaflet.

Maybe I need to add a different angle - eco friendly or what ever!


Regards

Ed

 

[S-Marketing]

I take it you have not got a block paved drive.

Needs cleaning once a year to look pretty.

At the right price,I suspect the OP will do ok.

Earl

Constructed properly, a block paved drive will require very little attention and shouldn't be cleaned with a pressure washer by someone who doesn't know what they are doing anyway.

 

Constructed properly, a block paved drive will require very little attention and shouldn't be cleaned with a pressure washer by someone who doesn't know what they are doing anyway.

You push the button and out comes water.:|

Gotta little gizmo fits on the end does a perfect job everytime .

Earl

 

[benjamin_c]

You push the button and out comes water.:|

Earl

haha!! thats how i've always done it works every time!! i think he means to avoid blasting out the sand between the blocks but thats easy too, just don't blast the water down the joins

 

[S-Marketing]

You push the button and out comes water.:|

Gotta little gizmo fits on the end does a perfect job everytime .

Earl

Thats fine when you do it yourself but if you are charging someone you need to make sure you are doing it properly. If you do jet the sand out of the joints you will have also caused probems underneath the blocks. Block paving is laid on loose sand, unlike paving. It is very easy to cause the blocks to become unstable using a pressure washer on them.

As a general rule, only block paving that has been laid to a lower standard will require regular cleaning, so by default, paving requiring cleaning will also be a lot easier to damage.

I think we are straying away from the OP's original question anyway. The cleaning of paving is not rocket science, its just important that the OP spends some time finding out about the proper way to do it, before he starts.

 

[WebWizard]

lolol. I enjoy the post, but better marketing is always a must! SEO/SEM & PR INcreases

 

[Michael_Fogg]

The stencil idea is being used increasingly in Cardiff - and I think that quite a lot of it is Local Authority driven - so there is precedent for it. I'd suggest tipping off the local press as well, as you could get some good free publicity.

In fact, it would almost be better for you to have a spat with the Local Authority, then go and clean off the advertisements - that would provide you with the opportunity to get a story in the local press which would be far more visible than any advert that you or your competition place. Just make sure that you speak to the journalist and get them to mention your introductory offer (I'd suggest something like any drive cleaned (up to a certain size) for a nominal fee - possibly £10.

Also, in order to generate repeat business, you could book in future appointments in advance, and then turn up, do the job, and drop the invoice through the letterbox. I don't know how frequently drives need pressure-washing, but I'd assume that it is likely to be once or twice a year, dependent upon the surface.

Good luck!

 

[Ibanez29]

hi,
I just started the same business, pressure washing and it has worked out great but the problem does come with the chemicals needed etc. and a little experience. I have worked in the building trade for years, it has gone a bit slack but knowing how to apply the right stuff to the right surface helps, i.e. don't use high pressure on wood and use high pressure on brick etc; always blast the sand out of brick paving and replace with dried kilin sand (sorry someone above said to do the opposite)

As far as advertising the local, through the door paper worked well for me with "free quote" added in, Yell would be a good idea but it is expencive. I does cost a bit to get started, around £1000 so you have to be sure you want to go through with it.

It's not as simple as turning up with a pressure washer and blasting a driveway as you can cause more harm than good.

Feel free to pm if you need any more help, I have spent a lot of money, got a lot of jobs and lost money buying crap products. I would like to stop you doing the same thing.

 

[S-Marketing]

hi,
I just started the same business, pressure washing and it has worked out great but the problem does come with the chemicals needed etc. and a little experience. I have worked in the building trade for years, it has gone a bit slack but knowing how to apply the right stuff to the right surface helps, i.e. don't use high pressure on wood and use high pressure on brick etc; always blast the sand out of brick paving and replace with dried kilin sand (sorry someone above said to do the opposite)

As far as advertising the local, through the door paper worked well for me with "free quote" added in, Yell would be a good idea but it is expencive. I does cost a bit to get started, around £1000 so you have to be sure you want to go through with it.

It's not as simple as turning up with a pressure washer and blasting a driveway as you can cause more harm than good.

Feel free to pm if you need any more help, I have spent a lot of money, got a lot of jobs and lost money buying crap products. I would like to stop you doing the same thing.

If you take the sand out with a pressure washer how do you sort out the damage done underneath before you re-fill the gaps? Are your customers happy that you need to return to replace the sand, and that they cant use the driveway until you do?

 

[Ibanez29]

taking the sand out removes moss, weeds and grass, and is essential the surface just needs to dry after washing and the dried weed resistant sand can be applied. If it's raining the surface can be left untill a clear dry day and can be used as normal the bricks just don't start falling out.

 

[S-Marketing]

taking the sand out removes moss, weeds and grass, and is essential the surface just needs to dry after washing and the dried weed resistant sand can be applied. If it's raining the surface can be left untill a clear dry day and can be used as normal the bricks just don't start falling out.

So the paving can be used once you have jetted all the sand out and disturbed the bed underneath can it?

 

[Ibanez29]

block paving will be walked on, drove on etc. for, at the very least 2 years before it needs to be power washed. The blocks are well settled in at this stage, if the bricks where unsteady or laid in an unprofessional way i would not even use a pressure washer and use a cleaning agent, moss and fungi treatment and weed killer instead.

As for disturbing the sand underneath, i can only say this my happen when the bricks are layed in a circular fashion and a large gap is left at the edges.

Anyways; using a turbo nozzle or a flat surface cleaner never realy takes all the sand out so the underneath is not disturbed.

 

[S-Marketing]

block paving will be walked on, drove on etc. for, at the very least 2 years before it needs to be power washed. The blocks are well settled in at this stage, if the bricks where unsteady or laid in an unprofessional way i would not even use a pressure washer and use a cleaning agent, moss and fungi treatment and weed killer instead.

As for disturbing the sand underneath, i can only say this my happen when the bricks are layed in a circular fashion and a large gap is left at the edges.

Anyways; using a turbo nozzle or a flat surface cleaner never realy takes all the sand out so the underneath is not disturbed.

Thats my point exactly. You know how to tell that it may cause damage, and how to tell if the paving has been poorly laid. The OP doesn't and this is exactly why I was telling him that it isn't just a case of buying a pressure washer and getting on with it.

The fact that you also admit that it will be a couple of years before the paving needs cleaning, confirms what I was saying about it not being a suitable service to base an entire business on. Not if he wants to make decent money out of it anyway.

 

Hi, I have read this post with great interest as it is something I also decided to do about 6 months ago.

First of all, I would say ignore some of the 'experts' on here that insist that block paving will be damaged by using a pressure washer on it, as by the time any driveway/patio gets dirty, the blocks have long sunk into place onto the compacted sand base. You NEED to blast out all of the sand in the cracks as this is where the weeds lay their roots. You should then use only kiln dried sand (or paving sand as it is called in some places) to replace what you have removed.

Another thing I would say is a must, is a petrol or diesel pressure washer of at least 13hp and 20 litres a minute. You can pick one up for about £500, but I would suggest spending around £1000 if you want one that isn't going to break down all the time!! (They can be quite temperamental things pressure washers!) You could then also look at a rotary surface cleaner, again, the bigger you can afford the better, as you will cut down on cleaning times.

I have a 1000 litre tank in my van which I can fill up prior to visiting somewhere, so that I can still wash things if there is no tap to use. This way I have managed to get quite a few contracts with local burger vans on trading estates, get a few of those and you will have a nice regular income.

As far as the stencil idea, I thought it was a great idea until I got letters from two local councils threatening me with prosecution for something along the lines of 'anti social behaviour'. I called one council and explained I was actually cleaning one of the walls in question, but it didn't go down to well at all, so I would advise maybe doing it on private walls if your going to go down that route...

Oh, and a website is a must... doesn't have to be flashy, but it does help to get your message across. I would also reccomend a landline number as there seems to be a lot of cowboys in this trade who only work off mobiles. ( Travellers etc...)

I have used a few methods of advertising, I used a local paper and found the results to be non existant. I wouldn't do it again. I then got 5000 A5 black and white flyers printed which I used to go round flyering station car parks, shopping centres, and garden centres whenever I had time (which was pretty much every day for the first two months... I now use a local company who deliver my leaflets through peoples doors, it is actually quite cheap I think I pay around £50 for 1000 households.

One thing I would definately say though, is, GET SOME WEEKLY CONTRACTS GOING. You need regular weekly money if this is going to succeed. You are living in cloud cuckoo land if you think you are going to be able to live purely off driveway jobs. These should be treated as 'extra' money along side any regular jobs....

I would approach local clubs/pubs to clean their entrances and gardens on a weekly basis, haulage companies to clean their lorries, local authorities to see if they need your services removing graffiti etc... There are many ways of getting regular weekly work, you just have to hit the streets and go in and speak to people. Dont call or email, no one likes a sales call.

Let me know how your getting on, I would be happy to throw you a few pointers, and good luck!

Alex.

 

[Mojjo]

Hi, I have read this post with great interest as it is something I also decided to do about 6 months ago.

First of all, I would say ignore some of the 'experts' on here that insist that block paving will be damaged by using a pressure washer on it, as by the time any driveway/patio gets dirty, the blocks have long sunk into place onto the compacted sand base. You NEED to blast out all of the sand in the cracks as this is where the weeds lay their roots. You should then use only kiln dried sand (or paving sand as it is called in some places) to replace what you have removed.

Another thing I would say is a must, is a petrol or diesel pressure washer of at least 13hp and 20 litres a minute. You can pick one up for about £500, but I would suggest spending around £1000 if you want one that isn't going to break down all the time!! (They can be quite temperamental things pressure washers!) You could then also look at a rotary surface cleaner, again, the bigger you can afford the better, as you will cut down on cleaning times.

I have a 1000 litre tank in my van which I can fill up prior to visiting somewhere, so that I can still wash things if there is no tap to use. This way I have managed to get quite a few contracts with local burger vans on trading estates, get a few of those and you will have a nice regular income.

As far as the stencil idea, I thought it was a great idea until I got letters from two local councils threatening me with prosecution for something along the lines of 'anti social behaviour'. I called one council and explained I was actually cleaning one of the walls in question, but it didn't go down to well at all, so I would advise maybe doing it on private walls if your going to go down that route...

Oh, and a website is a must... doesn't have to be flashy, but it does help to get your message across. I would also reccomend a landline number as there seems to be a lot of cowboys in this trade who only work off mobiles. ( Travellers etc...)

I have used a few methods of advertising, I used a local paper and found the results to be non existant. I wouldn't do it again. I then got 5000 A5 black and white flyers printed which I used to go round flyering station car parks, shopping centres, and garden centres whenever I had time (which was pretty much every day for the first two months... I now use a local company who deliver my leaflets through peoples doors, it is actually quite cheap I think I pay around £50 for 1000 households.

One thing I would definately say though, is, GET SOME WEEKLY CONTRACTS GOING. You need regular weekly money if this is going to succeed. You are living in cloud cuckoo land if you think you are going to be able to live purely off driveway jobs. These should be treated as 'extra' money along side any regular jobs....

I would approach local clubs/pubs to clean their entrances and gardens on a weekly basis, haulage companies to clean their lorries, local authorities to see if they need your services removing graffiti etc... There are many ways of getting regular weekly work, you just have to hit the streets and go in and speak to people. Dont call or email, no one likes a sales call.

Let me know how your getting on, I would be happy to throw you a few pointers, and good luck!

Alex.

Hey thanks for your advice Alex and strangely enough I've already heard of you and visited your website which looks very good.

Read about you on Pistonheads when you started this venture, so hello.

I'll keep you updated.

Regards

Ed

 

[S-Marketing]

Hi Herts,

So you cant damage paving by cleaning it with a pressure washer,no?

What van do you use?

Do you mind giving me an idea of how much this venture is making?

I know you started your post with telling everyone to ignore me, but thought you might not mind answering a couple of questions from a so called 'expert'.

 

Hi Stretchy.

First of all, there's no need to be off with me, I am only giving my opinion based on fact and personal experience. I would like to know what experience you have in driveway laying and cleaning?? Well then.

As far as damaging block paving with a pressure washer, yes, you can damage the paving stone itself if your pressure washer is set too high, but no, you cannot dissolve the sand underneath as the paving slab is made of non permeable materials.

Therefore using a pressure washer to wash a block paving driveway for instance, is completely safe to the structure itself..

I know this, as although I have only run my company for a short while, I have been doing this kind of thing for years, so I do know what I am talking about.

The van I use is a LWB transit van, which incidentally is the 350 version, so carrying a 1000 litre water tank even when full, is still within the legal weight limit, just in case that's why you asked!

Oh and as far as how much money am I making, I am not going to disclose that information, but let's just say that I'm doing more than ok.

I hope I answered your questions to your complete satisfaction, perhaps you would like to explain to me what experience you have in the field now??

I haven't joined this forum to make enemies of regular posters, I joined to give this guy a bit of advice, so do yourself a favour and go and calm down Stretchy, it's too early to be dealing with people like you!

 

[S-Marketing]

Herts.

I'm not a member on here to argue either. My advice to the OP was that he should be careful as it is possible to damage paving by pressure washing. The OP has no experience at all in any similar trades, so thought it was wise to advise him of this.

Not wise to refer to 'people like me' before you know anything about me though. Not that I need to justify my opinion, but,

I was the owner of a Marshalls approved landscaping company.
I was the owner of a local authority approved paving and drop kerb installation company.
I am the owner of a company which installs paving, decking and concrete structures for one of the south's largest garden office suppliers.
Whilst running my company, whilst at University, I personally laid at least 1000 sq M's of many different types of paving.
I have repaired many paved areas after incompetent cleaning.


Hope this doesn't ruin your vision of me being an office dwelling consultant, who has never 'got his hands dirty'.

I have also owned several businesses with approved waste carrier status, so am aware of the payload of just about every small commercial vehicle/ van on the roads, thanks for educating me anyway though.

I respect the fact that you do not wish to disclose your income on an open forum, so ill leave that alone.

 

Stretchy,

Since you have so much experience in this industry, I am suprised that you believe that pressure washing can dislodge paving by washing sand away underneath.

And if your intention wasn't malicious, why the question about the van? I know it was leading to something..

You may have experience of owning a paving company my friend, but how many hours/days/weeks/months have you spent actually cleaning the finished article?

This is something I know about, and believe me your wrong, no matter how many companies you own/have owned. Pressure washing a block/paved surface doesn't damage the integrity.

 

[S-Marketing]

Stretchy,

Since you have so much experience in this industry, I am suprised that you believe that pressure washing can dislodge paving by washing sand away underneath.

And if your intention wasn't malicious, why the question about the van? I know it was leading to something..

You may have experience of owning a paving company my friend, but how many hours/days/weeks/months have you spent actually cleaning the finished article?

This is something I know about, and believe me your wrong, no matter how many companies you own/have owned. Pressure washing a block/paved surface doesn't damage the integrity.

You asked me to back up my claims by providing you with details of why I feel I know what i'm talking about. I did that, and you are still trying to argue with me.

I asked about the van because there are many commercial vehicles about that wouldn't take a metric tonne of water + staff + tools + sundries and still not be in trouble with VOSA. I would imagine even a 3.5 T transit will be over with 3 blokes in the front.

I have personally repaired block paving that has been damaged by pressure washing. I dont know how more simply I can say it. Damage usually occurs on paving that hasn't been laid particularly well, but my point is it does happen, and the OP is not experienced enough to know this.

My original comments were words of warning to the OP about many different types of paving. I have laid slate (supplied by customers) that would have been blown apart by the frost had water been jetted into the faults.

Despite your professing not to want to argue, I backed up my opinions with the information you requested. I have given you examples to back up my comments and I have explained my reasons for posting. More than happy to argue and pull your business apart if you wish. Or we could just agree to disagree. I'm happy either way.

In your line of business I would assume that you would agree with me, after all 99% of the population would assume you are just a bloke with a pressure washer. I know there is more to it than that, and tried to advise the OP about it.