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Roof Cleaning Fort Myers FL 239-466-6980 · Guest

RE: Members post

Roof Cleaning New Jersey · Apr 3, 2011

Jon I hear you brother. I think youre far from who Im considering in my last post. Here you are as a premium member even having the ability to read that last post because youre here on the premium side. I think this thread is more aobut guests who are grabbing some info and theyre on their merry way. 10 posts and now theyre roof cleaners. I learned to clean roofs here n this forum, hands down. That being said I have a loyalty to it, no matter which way it goes, good or bad. Now we're trying to take it to the next level and I'll be a part of that too. Pat started this thread about guests telling others not to rush to be premium members because they can get the info for free. Thats who Im talking about.
At this moment as I write this I can see I might of sounded pompous declaring all of my credentials. But I got there because I learned how to right here on this forum. I didnt just grab a garbage pale and stick a pump in it and start spraying roofs. I wanted to be in business the next year, so I stuck around and paid some dues: money dues and time dues. Just like most of who can read this. Guys who grab some info and split will most likely drag this industry down. So again, I will just focus on what I need to do to stand apart from them.

Roof Cleaning Fort Myers FL 239-466-6980 · Guest

WELL CLARIFIED!

Permalink · deleted member

Pompous hell. You made good, valid points Plus, you paid your dues and earned the right to say what you said.

Roof Cleaning Fort Myers FL 239-466-6980 · Guest

I am suprised at some of the info that is so freely handed out in the guest side. Reading through old posts for days and days I would see new people post questions and they were always told to "Use The Search Button" and that was that. It seems like now there are a lot of newbies that are getting answers easier from some members. I was afraid to even post a question until I wore the search button out on anything that related to it, still am kinda.

I would hate to see this forum overly governed but there are a lot of hacks being created here. I understand trying to help people out but that's not really what happens a lot of times. Like Ed said "they come in grab a little info and they are on their merry way" and know doubt to underbid us too. Just like the Trailer Park Bleach Bandit that took Chris T's job. Those types give this industry a bad rep. If that lady didn't know about Apple Roof then she could have very easily told everybody she knows to never have their roof cleaned with anybody that uses bleach chemicals cause some guy that did her house killed all her landscaping. And they would tell everybody they knew and so on. Then it is near impossible to change their minds.

IMHO the best way to help these newbies is to make them read and read and read. And I totally support moving all important info to the Premium side. If they are interested, then they pay $100 to make a whole lot more back, it shows commitment. That way the average Joe Handyman doesn't stumble across it, read a couple posts and decide that he is now Joe Roof Cleaner.

For those who continue to give valuable info out on the guest side: You have NO reason to complain when some hack moves in and starts underbidding and stealing work from you...Just Sayin wink

I think I wrote enough for now.

Jon

Roof Cleaning Virginia 540-949-6277 · Roof Cleaning Institute of America Premium Member/MODERATOR

Those of you who were on talk shoe last night know that this subject is an issue with most, and most agree that there has to be something done. It looks like we will, as a group, get to a place where we can agree as to how to go about it. Some good ideas were discussed last night.

I will agree with 98% of what I'm reading here because I'm a principal kind of guy. Hell, I have been known to quit service with a company over 5 dollars. Was it the money? No! It was the amount of people they rip off for the 5 dollars each day.

I read, and read and read. As was mention here, I was afraid to ask a question and especially a stupid one. I signed up within the first week of premium membership and only Gary knows but I was there, a newbie. The right thing to do was support each other from all directions.

I am all about helping people but no matter where in life, there are always those looking for a short cut and will take advantage of any given situation in front of them. I have made some good friends here (as well as enemies). I have also made amends with some and able to move forward. It is because, as Bruce puts it, "At the end of the day", we are all trying to get to the same place.

The forum has changed greatly since October. Part of that is the premium section, the other is certification. That makes things different in the guest side. Sure, help someone get started but the next step they make before they even buy the first piece of equipment is to become a PM.

If we collectively stop posting the answers they will either go away or actually read! That's all I ask. Do the same work all of us here did. Bruce posted something like, if you can't afford membership then you can't afford the business!

Damn, that morning coffee kick in. Sorry this went on and on.....

Brett

Permalink · Guest

Listen Fact is Fact. There is other forums out there that openly give the same information here, How to clean a Roof, What and where to advertise, and every other thing you can think of. The only way to keep an industry secret is to just keep it to yourself. Thats the only way no one will find out about it. I am a paid member also but i am also realistic and realize other people can read and work and say they have a business do a couple of jobs and then either go legit or be a piece of shit. I (like Ed Thompson) choose to seperate my company from everyone else and be better and more professional than the next guy.

paroofguy · Premium Member Roof Cleaning Institute of America

Being a newbie who chooses to be taken seriously one day, we paid and moved to this side of the street. I am very thankful for the direct help I have received in some very kind pm's already. There should be value for the membership, but that will only happen if the desire to be heard is controlled with a measure of respect for the men and women willing to pay for their education.

paroofguy · Premium Member Roof Cleaning Institute of America

One other point: Even though I might be slowing my own rise to certification, it is a good idea to figure a way to end the quick rise to the "top" by just posting away on any thread that is there. I like many others, hesitate to paint a target on my back while I learn this business. It took me a mere 3 decades to build our reputation in our other division...
"

Roof Cleaning Little Rock Arkansas · Guest

Diamond Roof Cleaning New Jersey (1-800-Roof-Clean) wrote:
Listen Fact is Fact. There is other forums out there that openly give the same information here, How to clean a Roof, What and where to advertise, and every other thing you can think of. The only way to keep an industry secret is to just keep it to yourself. Thats the only way no one will find out about it. I am a paid member also but i am also realistic and realize other people can read and work and say they have a business do a couple of jobs and then either go legit or be a piece of shit. I (like Ed Thompson) choose to seperate my company from everyone else and be better and more professional than the next guy.

I agree with Michael and Ed.

You'll never lock it down. So you can't say "become a premium member and get information thats not available anywhere else" Kind of like those "cant be found in stores" commercials.

There need to be better benefits than that to be gained from becoming a premium member.

clay · Guest

Roof Cleaning Fort Myers FL 239-466-6980 wrote:
Roof Cleaning Virginia 540-949-6277 wrote:

There has to be a way to make some changes over there. With all the smart people we have here there has to be a few who can, along with Chris, work on the other side. Maybe when Steve finishes with the new web site we can start moving the "free" information into a password protected area.
Being that it was weeks before I even thought to ask a question, I can now see why so many would always say... "search and read". Now that sponge bob has taken his break and come back, he wants to know what we wear. It's there if he looks for it. Will some answer him? Sure they will. It's strange though, if the person asking was in their back yard, do you think they would be so helpful? The guy isn't close enough to be real competition but I have decided that if they won't sign on over here, then they aren't as serious as the rest of us. I don't want to hear the crap about money. If they can buy equipment and uniforms... then pay up. Yep, don't count any posts until they are a PM, then start at zero all over! Damn, I almost sound like I got up on the wrong side... not at all, starting the day out well. Had some good conversations yesterday and even made amends with one!

I agree. And while they are at it, add a search over in the premium side. That would really help us new guys trying to find all the top secret stuff. Jon

a search on the premium side is very needed

Baltimore MD Roof Cleaning 410-482-4367 · guest

This is a really good conversation. These talks come up and get dropped over and over around here. The reality is for these changes to happen someone has to take charge and make it happen. Chris has not the time or the care to do so. He is busy and never wanted to run RCIA as a business. He asked me to do that for him and I created the membership fee, charged the first new members in Charleston last year. Now it seems to be Gary's ball, and he is busy with other priorities as well. Also for someone to make working on RCIA a full time job you would have to pay that person so revenue here would have to go way up. This would require a lot more paying members and ways for RCIA to make money. This was all part of my initial plan when I created the fee in the first place. Much confusion came over time and people started fighting against almost any changes for a period of time.

The only way these changes can happen in this industry is if people band together and actually do the work to make it happen. Some here have tried, most just write stuff and expect others to do it. No one is in charge and the Roof cleaning world is an open door to those that want to change it. The scariest part to me is if someone with ill intentions to the way most of us do things gets noticed by the feds and EPA first. Regulators can start shutting our unlicensed pesticide spraying very quickly if given the right argument without hearing ours.

PS. There can be no search on the premium side, activeboard does not work that way. The plan was to create another site and have educational materials etc. available to the premium members, but there just isn't anyone able to get it done. It would all be volunteer as there is a lack of good revenue and it is very time consuming to get it all done right. Most people here are star-ups so they would be sacrificing growing their business to do this work instead.

These are some of the problems that are stopping these things from happening, but it can still be done and can still happen somewhere. `

The saddest part is that the majority of people who join this forum leave. The effort to make it organized scared many away. People getting ripped off by vendors and other members scared many away. The arguing and bullying has scared some really good people away. I just spoke with a few people the other day that really wanted to help change things here, but they just couldn't deal with all the arguing. One told me they just don't have time to fight all the resistance when they already make good money with their cleaning business as is.

This post is meant to help those who haven't been here long have some insight.

clay · Guest

if you have to pay you should be able to search I have found more on the grimescene for free but I still joined here cause I believe in what is trying to be done here

Roof Cleaning Virginia 540-949-6277 · Roof Cleaning Institute of America Premium Member/MODERATOR

clay wrote:
if you have to pay you should be able to search I have found more on the grimescene for free but I still joined here cause I believe in what is trying to be done here

The premium side is shut down for good reasons. Having search options opens everything to the rest of the world. The easiest way to keep track is to start a file and save the url of the post, name it what you like so you can find it later.

Bill made some good points. Some changes have been made as we type Bill.

clay · Guest

all I'm saying is its difficult to learn if I have to read through 76000 posts cause I can't look anything up and half of those post are just people talking shit about others

Permalink · Guest

thats why they call it work. i know it sucks but i just dont think it can be done with the software we are using.

Baltimore MD Roof Cleaning 410-482-4367 · guest

Roof Cleaning Virginia 540-949-6277 wrote:
clay wrote:
if you have to pay you should be able to search I have found more on the grimescene for free but I still joined here cause I believe in what is trying to be done here
The premium side is shut down for good reasons. Having search options opens everything to the rest of the world. The easiest way to keep track is to start a file and save the url of the post, name it what you like so you can find it later.
Bill made some good points. Some changes have been made as we type Bill.

That's pretty cool. I know some of you are striving to make it better and I know very well how hard it can be to inact change here. I do not envy your burden, but respect the dedication.

Roof Cleaning Bradenton FL 941-822-2454 · Guest

Clay best thing to do is start from the back and work your way forward. In learning things , my gosh there is soooo sooo many things little things and I get the pissing matches that start within threads, but some of that is good dialog as opposing views bring new solutions to surface. This allows you to make your own decisions based on what you already know and choose what you think is in your best interests. You can get a good basic idea ie: equipment chems etc. out in the open but in the premium side I believe things are taken a step further as far as running the business to be the best you can. You get the basics and if you have questions ask that is what the premium is for. It may take a few days to get a response, but you will get one. Most on here love talking roof cleaning and business, marketing, customer issues, equipment etc. There are topics written about months ago, that have been forgotten about post in them if you have more questions or want to revisit the subject.
One more thing even if there was a search feature here, you would probably miss many good things that you wouldn't even know to search for.
Sorry if it frustrates you but if you do take the time, you will get a head full that will NOT be found anywhere else.
Take Care,
Kim R

clay · Guest

yea I just decided to read every post on this side I melted my netbook so i guess I should take more breaks

Roof Cleaning Raleigh NC · Oct 19, 2011

clay wrote:
yea I just decided to read every post on this side I melted my netbook so i guess I should take more breaks

Well you whinny little shit! Man up and quit trying to be breast fed info like a new born baby! Grow a pair and do some work on your own!

Whew, I feel much better now...lol Just kidding Clay...or am I? "You're traveling through another dimension, a dimension not only of sight and sound but of mind; a journey into a wondrous land whose boundaries are that of imagination. That's the RCIA forum up ahead - your next stop, the Twilight Zone!"

The Roof Cleaning Institute Of America Training & Certification Forum "Find A Certified Roof Cleaner Directory"

The Roof Cleaning Institute Of America Training & Certification Forum
"Find A Certified Roof Cleaner Directory"