Henry Bockman
New member
Okay I'm back after taking a break... I've had people calling me all week asking me the same questions over and over again and I got a bit fed up with it. Don't misunderstand, if you really need help or have a question I'd be happy to talk to anyone. BUT, don't keep asking me the same questions about the same jobs!!!!!!!!!! Geez, no one listens these days. They ask questions and never pay attention to the answer or write it down, just call back 5 minutes later and ask again. Use the search feature on the BBS, if you can't find the answer, then call me.
I think our industry is in it's teenage years and I agree with John T to some extent, 2009 is going to be tough for a lot of guys but I think he's dead wrong on the residential market doing well this year!
I see home owners cutting back and doing their own deck cleaning, using information they find on the net and BBS's like these. I see them letting the "look" of their homes go a bit so they can hang on to their money. I see a lot of guys that have been in the PW biz for a while downsize or close all together because of large overheads. I see LOTS of new guys coming in with lower prices, less overhead and what they learn on BBS's to get started up. I see wood restoration slowly tapering off as new composite materials are developed and home owners learn to do for themselves. (This may take 10 years)
I think the commercial and industrial PW markets will slow down but for those that positioned themselves properly last year, will do very well. I see a big change over in the industry over the next three years but, I think there is some good news. Everything that people delay cleaning will keep getting dirty, when things turn around those companies that are still around and can market themselves well will really "clean up" Pardon the pun!
It's going to take time for things to turn around but when they do, things will really pick up! Until then, diversify, diversify diversify! Add on services, market your company and hang on to your customers! If you can do that, and keep your overhead down you should be just fine.
I think our industry is in it's teenage years and I agree with John T to some extent, 2009 is going to be tough for a lot of guys but I think he's dead wrong on the residential market doing well this year!
I see home owners cutting back and doing their own deck cleaning, using information they find on the net and BBS's like these. I see them letting the "look" of their homes go a bit so they can hang on to their money. I see a lot of guys that have been in the PW biz for a while downsize or close all together because of large overheads. I see LOTS of new guys coming in with lower prices, less overhead and what they learn on BBS's to get started up. I see wood restoration slowly tapering off as new composite materials are developed and home owners learn to do for themselves. (This may take 10 years)
I think the commercial and industrial PW markets will slow down but for those that positioned themselves properly last year, will do very well. I see a big change over in the industry over the next three years but, I think there is some good news. Everything that people delay cleaning will keep getting dirty, when things turn around those companies that are still around and can market themselves well will really "clean up" Pardon the pun!
It's going to take time for things to turn around but when they do, things will really pick up! Until then, diversify, diversify diversify! Add on services, market your company and hang on to your customers! If you can do that, and keep your overhead down you should be just fine.