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Post Info TOPIC: Surviving to Economic Turndown


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Surviving to Economic Turndown
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After reading sveral posts. I went back and took a long hard look at our spreadsheets. Although we are currently in one of the deepest economic turndowns that most of us has ever witnessed, I took measures early on and have revisited my decisions several times since. Every time I walked out of my office and into my shop and saw a truck sitting in limbo, I soon realized I needed to do something. We were giving estimates and not getting the jobs. The phone calls decreased. I sat down with pen and paper and calcuated my total monthly expenses before chemicals, fuel, etc. Set expenses. I soon realized that if I were to reduce my prices and concentrate on volume that possibly I could weather the storm. Jobs that in good times we would charge $500.00 for we now do for $300.00, jobs we would do for $300.00 we now do for $200.00. I have found also that you can cut back on SH by 2 to 3 gals below what you normally would use to reduce your costs. I also had flyers printed and distribute those ajacent to any cleanings that we do. I invested in yard signs and place those in yards for 3 days. I've contacted HOA's to find out if they have a monthly newsletter and in most cases cn advertise a business card add for as little as $5.00. We have done other things as well to curb cost to help offset our price reductions, but I am PROUD to sit here and report that our net profit has increased every year. Not as much as I would have liked it too, but then agin, we must be thankful. I am able to keep 2 employees working 5 days a week. I have changed my focus from the bigger more lucrative to the average everyday middle income who NEED to protect their investment. Sometimes all we need to do is re-think our thinking.


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Roof-Bright of Florida
Gary Boyd (owner)



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confuseSomeday we might be doing roofs for $99 LOL

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Roof Cleaning Long Island New York (631) 220 6985


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Roof Cleaning Long Island New York (631) 220 6985 wrote:

confuseSomeday we might be doing roofs for $99 LOL




I already include them in my $79 housewash shocked.gif




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Prime Choice Power Wash LLC
Roof Cleaning Kissimmee Florida

Kissimmee Roof Cleaning Blog
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Nick Wood
407-452-4526
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Evens as bad as times seem, I won't even move my truck for less than $150.00.



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Roof-Bright of Florida
Gary Boyd (owner)



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we have companies throwing in a free housewash and advertising roof cleanings up to 2,500 sq ft for just $100.00

Thank goodness we implemented a Preventative Maintenance Program about 15 years ago.

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Roof-Bright of Florida
Gary Boyd (owner)



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RoofBright of Florida wrote:

we have companies throwing in a free housewash and advertising roof cleanings up to 2,500 sq ft for just $100.00

Thank goodness we implemented a Preventative Maintenance Program about 15 years ago.




I really don't know how they pay their bills doing that. I have a guy in my area offering $85 roof cleans up to 2000 sqft. I tell some customers to just go ahead and call me back so I can take pictures of their destroyed roof for my marketing.

 



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Prime Choice Power Wash LLC
Roof Cleaning Kissimmee Florida

Kissimmee Roof Cleaning Blog
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Nick Wood
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$100.00  wow they wont be around long, there is no way they can keep up maint. on their equip, advertiseand and  cont. to run a successful business at those prices..
We tell them when they call our Min price is $325.00. These folks cant even get their carpets cleaned for under .15- .16 a sq ft and I know them carpet cleaners Ins. is less than mine..
I wouild rather get turned down on a roof for 325.00 than have to do 3 roofs to make that...

My opin. which every one is entitled to , lol

Make it a great cleaning  day..

KID sprint.gif



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This economic down turn I would say primarily is affecting the working man.  This is the worst it has been.  My point to my comment is, I find the majority of my customers are retired folks.  Things really havent changed for these folks.  So focus on your advertising to grab up these customers.  Majority of them have a couple thousand stashed in a drawer and your likely to get cash payment.  They are very particular about there homes because they are there 24/7.  Maybe set up advertising at flee markets, put ads in penny savers, bingo halls.  I believe in knocking on doors, this has been the best advertising for me.  Shake a hand with a smile and before you know it your cleaning a roof.  I wouldnt want to have to cut my rates, just refocus first.



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I agree with taking pictures of the roofs these $100 guys are going to destroy, you get what you pay for.  Quaks and Hacks have been around for a long time they get weeded out quick, word of mouth is everything.

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What dod you guys do, send them to Florida. There is an ad in our local newspaper this week. Roof cleaning $100.00 up to 2,000 sq ft plus this month only free housewash.............................HOW, OR BETTER YET, WHY WOULD THEY EVEN ATTEMPT IT.

I'm thinking of calling and requesting one of their "FREE" housewashes!! I've read the ad several times and does not say with a roof cleaning. It simply says, " this month only FREE HOUSEWASH.



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Roof-Bright of Florida
Gary Boyd (owner)



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I wonder if  its a temporary market strategy to get regonized in a market, selling jobs for 100.  It would be the only thing that would make sense.  Its a bold statement I wouldnt be willing to try.



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Yah, consumers arent stupid. They get charged $100 the first time then a few months later their neighbor or cousin gets charged $400 for the same size job. You just screwed yourself out of a reputation as a fair and honest business man.

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Revive Roof Wash

Roof & Gutter Cleaning

816-646-2419 or 816-600-7234

reviveroofwash@yahoo.com
Patrick S. Linscott
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plinscott wrote:

Yah, consumers arent stupid. They get charged $100 the first time then a few months later their neighbor or cousin gets charged $400 for the same size job. You just screwed yourself out of a reputation as a fair and honest business man.




Amen to that.



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Prime Choice Power Wash LLC
Roof Cleaning Kissimmee Florida

Kissimmee Roof Cleaning Blog
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Nick Wood
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very interesting business advice...

may implement a "lower price, higher volume" technique in one of our local suburbs as a test to see how it goes...

its a pleasure as always...

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WASH N WOW Non-Pressure Roof Cleaning
"We do the WASH, you do the WOW"

Servicing Gold Coast and Brisbane, QLD, Australia

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We recently met with the Homeowners association of a gated community and were abe to strike a deal. They sent out letters informng homeowners of the need to have the roofs cleaned and advied them of our meeting. I followed up with a letter which included our pricing structure per sq ft. I looked up the square footage of each property on the property appraisers website and multiplied the total sq ft by 1.60 to get a accurate measurement. ( example   2730 x 1.60 = 4368 sq ft. This pretty much factors in overhangs and the pitch of the roof. They were twelve six pitched roofs. we went in at 0.17 cents per sq ft and to have cleaned 1 of the 37 roofs so far. People are calling and scheduling and the price is already set. It was included in our follow up letter. We are now talking with the president of another HOA in regards to doing another one.

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Roof-Bright of Florida
Gary Boyd (owner)



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confuse Way to go Gary! it gives me some ideas,thanks

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Roof Cleaning Long Island New York (631) 220 6985


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RoofBright of Florida wrote:

We recently met with the Homeowners association of a gated community and were abe to strike a deal. They sent out letters informng homeowners of the need to have the roofs cleaned and advied them of our meeting. I followed up with a letter which included our pricing structure per sq ft. I looked up the square footage of each property on the property appraisers website and multiplied the total sq ft by 1.60 to get a accurate measurement. ( example   2730 x 1.60 = 4368 sq ft. This pretty much factors in overhangs and the pitch of the roof. They were twelve six pitched roofs. we went in at 0.17 cents per sq ft and to have cleaned 1 of the 37 roofs so far. People are calling and scheduling and the price is already set. It was included in our follow up letter. We are now talking with the president of another HOA in regards to doing another one.




I cleaned a HOA presidents roof for free a few weeks ago. He was pretty chuffed about it, telling everybody. I'm giving everyone with a HOA letter about a dirty roof a discount if they can provide me a copy of the letter. Although I will likely give anyone else in the hoa the same price per sqft.



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Prime Choice Power Wash LLC
Roof Cleaning Kissimmee Florida

Kissimmee Roof Cleaning Blog
Merchant Circle
Nick Wood
407-452-4526
info@cleankissimmee.com




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Very good thread hope more post here.

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Squeaky Clean Pressure Cleaning
Winter Haven Fl

Christopher Francis
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We now have 18 roofs scheduled. This is sweet. Alot of them we don't even have to teardown just move the ladders, etc. I did fail to mention that our pricing schedule has a 90 day clause. More than I wanted but business is business.

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Roof-Bright of Florida
Gary Boyd (owner)



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Great ideas guys. Check out the threads on Periodic Maintenence. Easy money!

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Revive Roof Wash

Roof & Gutter Cleaning

816-646-2419 or 816-600-7234

reviveroofwash@yahoo.com
Patrick S. Linscott
4684_1004287285772_1782571192_4023_1475838_a.jpg

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