Is this power washer good enough?

[keepoffthegrass]

Hi, i am 15 and currently have 17 accounts and one commercial account (and counting rapidly) and would like to expand as much as i can this year before i start up a real business next year when i get my license and truck. Anyways I have had numerous people, 1 restaurant and the chiropractic's office ask about power washing so i have decide to buy a power washer. The one I am looking at is a Kodiak 3000psi Honda 6.5 GX (red one) and it pumps out 2.5 gpm.. My question- is this good enough for light commercial use? I would like the 11HP 3500psi one but 1000 cdn for the 6.5 is already maxing out my budget. I will be doing lots of houses and stores/business's with it. I have attached a picture of the one I'm looking at. Also would doorhangers with my estimates written on them be the ideal marketing campaign, beings as i can only do this locally this year. (confined to tractor and trailer)

[keepoffthegrass]

any input on these washers? would like to know before i go and buy. Thanks.

[Houston's]

i was told to go with an 3200-3500..i am looking into the same thing. :help:

[keepoffthegrass]

At first i was thinking 3500 but now that I have priced around I am more attracted to the price tag on this 3000psi one. I'm only 15 (16 in 2 weeks) and i need to keep my overhead costs to a minimum and profits maximum because i am trying to expand and save for when i go to the professional level (hopefully next year). I'm saving for a truck right now and plan to buy back back blower and some other 2stroke toys this year and next spring finance a ZTR or 36 walker to replace the 42" craftsmen i just made my last payment on. (still deciding which one, would love BOTH!) have a 16' hallmark enclosed sitting in the driveway at my disposal :) anyway im starting to rampble off topic.. anyone into the powerwashing business that can help Houston and me out?

[Scottish LScape]

Get the 3000psi unit unless your going to power wash daily & spend the extra $$ on other things you'll need. WE power wash 20-30hrs a week for the first 2 months of the Spring season. The unit we have was purchased from Northern Tool 3 years ago, and it's still going strong (just keep up on the maintenance) Good Luck!

[TURF DOCTOR]

1 800 333 wash.com

[Scottish LScape]

Here is the 1 we have!

[keepoffthegrass]

Thanks for all the help guys. I'm going to go with the 3000psi one. What is the going rate for a 1 or 2 story house? does 70 - 100 sound right?

[tinman]

Thanks for all the help guys. I'm going to go with the 3000psi one. What is the going rate for a 1 or 2 story house? does 70 - 100 sound right?
Price is low in my opinion. Our Avg is $180 for 1 story...... $250 - $300 for 2 story....that is avg. (now that does include brushing outside of the gutters). All depends on how high, is the home square or cut up, doghouses on roof. I try to figure $80 / hr.
Friend of mine was washing houses with his Dad 30 years ago & getting $100 so you have to figure more than that. It's hard work . Don't sell yourself short.

Also check out spraymall.com for good prices as well. They ship. That's where I got mine. I would get a CAT pump or General Pump if you can afford it. Belt drive is better also, but pump is more important. All others are inferior (told to me by Equipment Rental place here...not trying to sell me one either. :) )

[derek1]

I am looking into power washing myself. I am going to start by renting different commercial equipment from local vendors just to see what I would want to purchase for myself, by renting I can be as hard on the rented equipment as I want to see what does or does not work for me.

[William J. L.]

Wow, you guys are starting young. It's good to see some ambitious guys out there.
The landscape company that I work for is just getting started in the business..so to market and sell it, I had to educate myself. We get lots of requests from service stations to clean the lot. It's our first year, so we'll see how it goes. Sounds lucrative!
We charge a minumum for the first hour and then our regular man hours after that.

[Edwards Contract Services]

Hey Keepofthegrass. I was browsing this site trying to get some ideas for my 14y/o son to start a summer lawn care job when I noticed your post. I have been doing pressure washing part time for about 5 years. I don't know if I can help you with your question or not, but I'll give you my two cents worth. When looking at a pressure washer you have to decide on what your going to use it for. If most of your jobs are going to be cleaning siding (removing algae and mildew) then your probably tracking on the correct type of washer. I have a 3000psi, 5.5 gpm hot water trailer mounted rig with all the assesories. I wouldn't suggest that you look into that level yet. Sorry for rambling on, I'll get to the point. Pressure is not as imporant as Gallons per minute when time is an issue. The higher the GPM the faster you can cover a given area. Of course the higher the GPM also equates into a higher cost machine. I quess what I'm trying to say is, it depends on how you plan to use the PW and valuable your time is on a given job. There are several Power washing /pressure washing BBS site on the web that are just like this site and they are very informative. Again sorry for the long post. Feel free to email me and I'll answer any questions I can for you regarding power washing. In turn maybe you can help with answers to lawn care for my son.

PS It's good to see a young person taking a responsible approach to establishing a business. I hope you are very successful. Good Luck.

[daveintoledo]

no child is coming near my house with a power-washer, what about insurance, what if you break windows, peel siding off the house.... you would need insurance to do this and you cant get it as a child........go to McDonald's please and get a job till you get older...

could you imagine a child in charge of such a possibly damaging situation????? never stops does it... :realmad:

[lpwhandyman]

He's right. Pressure Washing requires special insurance. If you call your local insurance company, you will soon find out that they won't insure you. I've been in the pressure wash business for the last ten years. Before you make any purchases, check on insurance, then research, research, research online. Do a search on the web for pressure wash forums. Good luck

[keepoffthegrass]

Hey Keepofthegrass. I was browsing this site trying to get some ideas for my 14y/o son to start a summer lawn care job when I noticed your post. I have been doing pressure washing part time for about 5 years. I don't know if I can help you with your question or not, but I'll give you my two cents worth. When looking at a pressure washer you have to decide on what your going to use it for. If most of your jobs are going to be cleaning siding (removing algae and mildew) then your probably tracking on the correct type of washer. I have a 3000psi, 5.5 gpm hot water trailer mounted rig with all the assesories. I wouldn't suggest that you look into that level yet. Sorry for rambling on, I'll get to the point. Pressure is not as imporant as Gallons per minute when time is an issue. The higher the GPM the faster you can cover a given area. Of course the higher the GPM also equates into a higher cost machine. I quess what I'm trying to say is, it depends on how you plan to use the PW and valuable your time is on a given job. There are several Power washing /pressure washing BBS site on the web that are just like this site and they are very informative. Again sorry for the long post. Feel free to email me and I'll answer any questions I can for you regarding power washing. In turn maybe you can help with answers to lawn care for my son.

PS It's good to see a young person taking a responsible approach to establishing a business. I hope you are very successful. Good Luck.

Hey Edward, its nice to have people like you around not putting down young entrepenures like myself. Thanks for the advice! and if you could give me your email I'd be glad to send pics of my setup and tell you what your sons going to need as far as starting up a small local lawncare service. my email is kelchie@gmail.com

[keepoffthegrass]

no child is coming near my house with a power-washer, what about insurance, what if you break windows, peel siding off the house.... you would need insurance to do this and you cant get it as a child........go to McDonald's please and get a job till you get older...

could you imagine a child in charge of such a possibly damaging situation????? never stops does it... :realmad:


I think your getting children and young adults mixed up. around here people take me as an adult and nobody would guess i was 15 (16 next week) they all assume im about 18 and are shocked when i tell them my age.

[daveintoledo]

how shocked will they be when they find out if you get injured its there fault and have to pay if your parents sue them for damages.... you HAVE to have insurance to drive a car when you get to be 16, you HAVE to have insurance to powerwash other peoples property.... im not putting you down, your ambition is admirabel, but you have to live your life as a legal adult, from drivers license to running a business, you cant even get a business checking account....
how do you explaing to your customers they cant write a check in your business name....

find a company doing the kind of work your interested in, and work for them for 2 more years.... your parents could loose there house if you damage enough property and they get sued....

[keepoffthegrass]

[QUOTE=daveintoledo] you cant even get a business checking account....
how do you explaing to your customers they cant write a check in your business name....

QUOTE]

I dont have a business name.. on my flyers all it says is korey kelch's lawncare and powerwashing service... they make the checks out to me and they go the bank, 80% of payments are cash though.

[keepoffthegrass]

:laugh: HAHAHA

LMAO, I was just looking through old posts and found this one. I must have posted this 5 years ago at age 17. I DID buy that powerwasher and I DID DESTROY it yesterday! Note to self - Dont run straight hot water through that unit or you will have smoke, oil spilt and burning plastic everywhere. I got to wash 1.5 trucks after hooking it up to a hotwater tank.