[DTR]

Hi All,

Looking for some general help on pricing strategy for driveway cleaning

Think that process should be :

1. Cleaning surface
2. Applying weedkiller / patio cleaner
3. Sanding using silica sand
4. Sealing surface & joints with chemicals

Want to know how people would 'price-up' each stage.
Thinking along the lines of charging per square metre for each process ?
But how much !

What chemical / mix would anyone recommend for stages 2 & 3 ?



Thanks in advance.


David.

[Ged]

hi there

the process should be
1.apply systemic(roundup) weedkiller if needed then wait 2 weeks

2.pressure wash then wait for it to be completly dry this time of year a week or so.

3.brush in kiln dried sand and seal. if you are going to seal you need to do a lot of research on which product to use for which surface and when and how to do it . mistakes here can be disastrous and irretrievable.

price depends entirely on where you live and the going rate.
from £2 per metre ,for wash and resand to £7.50 per metre and more for weed, wash, resand and seal again depending on the spec of the sealant. resiblock for instance is £125 for 25 litres of Superior which will do about 50 metres of bock paving. a cheap acrylic would be less than half that.

Hope that helps

Ged

[DTR]

Hi ged,

thanks for your input.

I was thinking of using tecseal from tech-clean and mixing 50:50
with pu grade xylene as recommended.

do you have any experience with this product ?

resiblock seems real expensive at £125 for 20m2 coverage !
What application would you use for this ? What are the benefits?

regards,


david.

[exoclean]

Hello DTR,

Welcome to the forum. Prices for pressure washing vary depending on what part of the country you are in. Where are you incidently? It also depends on the type of surface you intend to clean and if you have any additional work to do after cleaning.

I give you an example. Last week I did a wash on some crazy paving, it was covered in weeds and the pointing was broken in many places hence the weeds coming through. Prior to starting I highlighted to the customer that it would need re-pointing after washing and gave them the choice if she wanted me to do it or arrange to do it herself. It took me hardly any time to wash but took me half a day to re-point. So when quoting find out what you will be doing first and charge accordingly. As it happened the woman was so pleased she asked me to the rear patio as well, which I did today. From that I got another three jobs on the same street which must have been laid by the same guy a few years ago which all needed the same treatment.

Whatever you decide to do, take pride in your work and it will better than 10,000 leaflets and endless hours of knocking on doors. Get yourself a digital camera and take some before and after shots. Present them in a decent album as pictures work really well when visiting potential clients.

As for sealants, I have used Resiblock many times and the results are second to none. More expensive than your usual brands but it lasts for years if applied correctly.

Good Luck

Regards Paul

[DTR]

Hi Paul,

Many thanks for your reply.

Had a quick look at the Resiblock site - lots of different
formulations and applications. There is certainly much more
to this business than initially anticipated. But, it will be important
to know as much as possible and to make sure that I do the
best job I possibly can by using the correct equipment & procedures.

Can anyone explain in simple terms the main differences between sealants?
What works best on block, what best on concrete....

Regarding equipment, do you have your own water supply or
do you rely on customer ?

Thanks again.


David.

[Ged]

David

what part of the country are you ? training is available.

regards Ged

[DTR]

Hi Ged,

I'm in Glasgow & the West of Scotland.

What type of training ?


Regards,


David.

[preston powerblast]

as Paul said, it  depends which part of the country your in.
Also i have found if you get too ambitious you'll lose jobs.
Most people just want a clean and want you in and out.
I dont use weed killer as my machine just cuts through them.
The method I use, I dont even need to use a patio cleaner, but i do use a cheap detergent that creates bubbles as they do like to see this.
Re sanding I price from 30 quid depending on the size of the area.
Sealing, I dont do it, I dont offer it.
If they want it doing I put them on to my concrete guy who is a pro in this field.
But I do recommend that the areas do need cleaning twice a year and if they sign up to this they get a discount, plus they are then in next years diary, this way you are not chasing work the following year.
The best advice I can give is.
Be and look professional at all times.
Never rush.
Always throw in a little freebie, like cleaning in or around a drain or the odd gate post.
Work to the highest possible standards.
Always walk customers around the job after you have finished and make sure they are completely satisfied before any money changes hands.
This way makes them feel like they are important (which they are).
Then they will recommend you if they hear of someone wanting some work doing.
Most of my jobs come in by the way of personal recommendation.
Top Of the list.. Get insurance.

[Ged]

Hi david

Resiblock do a very good one day installers course. it costs 45 squid but they give you 25 litres of resiblock superior worth £125 plus all the tools you need and marketing items leaflets tee shirts pens mugs, plus samples of their other products. They demonstrate the technique to use and answer questions plus you will go onto their data base as a trained installer.

It's something to keep in mind for the future.



Trouble is they are down in basildon in essex.

Regards Ged

[exoclean]

Hi David,

Just to add to what Ged said. I attended one of their courses back in May and I found it useful in the sense it helped me appreciate the work that needs to be done prior to sealing and when to apply it. Some sealants, theirs included have to applied in favourable conditions, get that wrong and you have a big headache plus a cost you dont need.  My advice is anything you learn is useful as trial and error is a costly experiment.

With regards to Tech-Clean and equipment, If you bought your pressure washer from them they will give a demonstration on their equipment and how to maintain it.

Regards Paul

[DTR]

Ged & Paul,

Thanks for the info re Resibloc.

Yes, I noticed on one of their data sheets that you can only apply
when temperature is > 10 degrees (obviously I won't be able to use this
for about 10 months out of 12 up here in Scotland !!)

Weather does seem to be a huge factor - it stops you from re-sanding
and stops you from applying sealant.
Any comments on this ??

Thanks again.


David.

[Ged]

david
i think it's >5deg for resiblock but there are guys using this forum in your neck of the woods so it is possible.

ged

[mr hewett]

hi ged, i wounder if you could give me a bit more info on these courses ive just brought a system from hydrotech but now little about sealing on different types of surfaces and would like to now more in case asked about it by any customers, not that ive got alot of work on at press as just getting going hopefully things will in prove manys thanks in advance!!!!!!!!

[Ged]

there's not really much more i can tell you about the resiblock course. they have a range of products for various applications. their productsa are polymer based as opposed to acrylic and are very high spec and very high price. but the science behind it is complex and you would be better doing the course. Have a look on their website. they are in basildon in essex. where abouts in the country are you? as far as i know there are no training courses for pressure washing in general. perhaps some of the more experienced guys out there might consider running one.

Ged.

[Paul Forster]

Although I measure up the area roughly b4 hand i merly price dependant on the duration of the job. minimum  price of around £150. The cost of sanding is worked out on an hourly basis plus materials (sand) at cost I would aim to make at least £200 plus per day.

I do not offer sealing but pass on the number of a local decorating firm. There is no earthly point in aplying weedkiller after cleaning. I normaly spray the area with  roundup  2 weeks prior to cleaning if dandelions are present as the tap roots from these will not wash out resulting in weeds emerging after cleaning.

Paul