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Art O · Guest

Hows work going

Roof Cleaning Severna Park MD · guest

Besides gutter cleaning and covering, and window cleaning, it's slow for me at the moment.

waxman18324 · Premium Member Roof Cleaning Institute Of America

I've had steady work with my regular lawn care customers and service calls(gutter cleaning and cleanups due to the recent storms). Now that I've added roof cleaning we've been working six days a week and it looks like I might have to add another employee. We might add vinyl siding cleaning soon, which will keep me in my bass boat and the swimming pool.

Hank

Gman · Guest

Same here Art,In this part of ky people seem to be tight with there money at this time also .If you ain't givin it away for free they don't want it so you better be offering some serious discounts biggrin .I Would like to be doing more!! yawn But we will survive this winter eating beans and taters!!LOL

Roof Cleaning Tallahassee · Guest

Pretty slow for me also. Been slinging rocks-in-a-bag every weekend, add in the local paper and getting calls here and there but slim pickings. There is a guy here in Tallahassee that is advertising on Craigslist...2,000sf house wash for $99.

-- Edited by Roof Cleaning Tallahassee on Monday 19th of September 2011 09:56:52 PM

Baltimore MD Roof Cleaning 410-482-4367 · guest

When times get tough we increase our marketing and cold-calling. Rained out of a big one today, but we are staying busy. It is taking more marketing and work to close them, but the economy is never an excuse for us. We make our own economy. It's the EPA in an unregulated industry that scares us. They could shut this whole industry down on a whim if the right person pisses them off.
Now the hurricane and floods did slow us down a bit. Hard to clean when the electric is out and the basement is flooded. We did capitalize on gutter cleanouts from those storms though.

Roof Cleaning West Chester PA · Premium Member Roof Cleaning Institute of America

been doing a lot of canvassing, roof cleaning slowed down but staying busy with the gutters ... a lot of commercial prospects do their budgets for 2012 this time of year so been submitting a lot of bids, hoping to hit the ground running my 2nd season

Roof Cleaning Severna Park MD · guest

Like the Boozinator said, I've also increased my marketing by sending out my first direct mail campaign. I'll be sending mailers out every week even if it kills me. I've been reading that no matter what, keep your name in front of peoples face, even when you are busy.

gutterdog · Sep 23, 2011

The wave is gone and its Slow! Gonna start spending a lil money soon in advertising. Maybe try some cold calling?

Kleen Roof and Exterior Cleaning · Sep 25, 2011

Other than the big job we have at an apartment complex, it's been a little slow. Picking up 5-6 houses a week. I have lost a few lately to the roof cleaner that uses the surface cleaner. He seems to be charging .08 cents a square ft. I think he is trying anything to get work. Most of this year, up until recently I never lost a bid to him. I just finished a job that I bid $500 on, and he bid $250. I got it because the homeowner was informed, and did not want someone on his roof with a pressure washer. Others don't seem to care, they want it done the cheapest. I lost one that I bid $400 for, and this guy bid $200, but told the guy he has to come back every year and treat it for $75.

Roof Cleaning West Chester PA · Premium Member Roof Cleaning Institute of America

Roof Cleaning Grand Rapids Michigan 616-914-9064 wrote:
Other than the big job we have at an apartment complex, it's been a little slow. Picking up 5-6 houses a week. I have lost a few lately to the roof cleaner that uses the surface cleaner. He seems to be charging .08 cents a square ft. I think he is trying anything to get work. Most of this year, up until recently I never lost a bid to him. I just finished a job that I bid $500 on, and he bid $250. I got it because the homeowner was informed, and did not want someone on his roof with a pressure washer. Others don't seem to care, they want it done the cheapest. I lost one that I bid $400 for, and this guy bid $200, but told the guy he has to come back every year and treat it for $75.

Annual maintenance is something I always mention to a homeowner. I always say that if they get an estimate and the person even mentions annual maintenance, it means they're not killing the algae, just blasting away at what's visible to the eye.

Then I say that as much as I'd like to see you every year, you won't need my services for another 4-5 years. And also you're life span of you're roof will last longer as I won't be blasting away at the granules.

Amazes me that some people still go with the other guy after that close, but I guess you can't win every bid.

AC Lockyer · none

September is seed planting time down in the south then it goes ape in October. Phones should start ringing more next week. Cant believe its October already! Man this year went fast.

AC

Roof Cleaning New Jersey · Sep 26, 2011

I am swamped. Alot of shoppers but we're still booking jobs. My schedule board looks like Chinese algebra. Did 5 estimates in Colts Neck NJ just today. Sold 2 house washes on the phone. Truck is out with crew of 2 cleaning 3 roofs, one with a house wash. I feel like Im treading water. I should be grateful but it doesnt feel good when things seem disorganized.

sweetwaterfish · Guest

So busy right now we can't keep up, it's 80% elephants, and from feed plots we planted 3-4 months ago!!!

Ray, Tallahassee residential market is still turned on it's head from the state firings and the groupons that were recently offered.

Liberty SoftWash · Sep 26, 2011

SLOW!!! Glad I paint. LOL

gutterdog · Sep 26, 2011

Roof Cleaning Grand Rapids Michigan 616-914-9064 wrote:
Other than the big job we have at an apartment complex, it's been a little slow. Picking up 5-6 houses a week. I have lost a few lately to the roof cleaner that uses the surface cleaner. He seems to be charging .08 cents a square ft. I think he is trying anything to get work. Most of this year, up until recently I never lost a bid to him. I just finished a job that I bid $500 on, and he bid $250. I got it because the homeowner was informed, and did not want someone on his roof with a pressure washer. Others don't seem to care, they want it done the cheapest. I lost one that I bid $400 for, and this guy bid $200, but told the guy he has to come back every year and treat it for $75.

Do the math customer looses out and so does the company doing a job for $75 bucks each year.

The customer spends more and the contractor doesnt GET his bottom line!

Both loose, loose loose situation.

Wouldnt a win win situation be better???

gutterdog · Sep 26, 2011

Roof Cleaning New Jersey wrote:
I am swamped. Alot of shoppers but we're still booking jobs. My schedule board looks like Chinese algebra. Did 5 estimates in Colts Neck NJ just today. Sold 2 house washes on the phone. Truck is out with crew of 2 cleaning 3 roofs, one with a house wash. I feel like Im treading water. I should be grateful but it doesnt feel good when things seem disorganized.

Thats the confusion you want! Forces you to create systems to handle it!!!!!

Really Happy for ya!

gutterdog · Sep 26, 2011

AC Lockyer wrote:
September is seed planting time down in the south then it goes ape in October. Phones should start ringing more next week. Cant believe its October already! Man this year went fast.

AC

This year FLEW by AC! Learned alot from you guys! This place!

I'll have that software shortly!

Dont have spreadsheets infront of me, like I will next year this time!

last year we were getting calls for roof and houses we didnt have year before. Not an acctual spike in business, or it was, I dont believe I can tell yet, We were growing our slice of the total pie!

Our last roof cleaning was in Beginning of december last year, waited for the right temps.

Long story short, I aint scared! If we have what I expect in growth, Gutterdogs will be here next year too!

I've increased overhead, but not, in my head, same percentage expected growth. Playing it safe!

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"