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Jeff/ Condo King! Words of Wisdom

Ron Musgraves

Past President
Staff member
Its great to see this is working for everyone. Please remember if you send and intro letter keep it very simple.

If you send a flyer or ad attached? Its likely to end up in the trash.
 

Damaris Sutton

New member
Jeff,

My name is Jimmy. I am reading all of your posts as well as others on here and appreciate you sharing the knowledge you have. I do have a couple of questions.

With me being new to the industry what can I use in a intro letter when it comes to experience? I do plan on getting experience from the residential before I tackle these types of projects, but I already know they will say what kind of experience do I have with their type of properties versus residential. To me dirt, grease, grime, mold and mildew as well as oil on concrete will be the same no matter what you clean it off from, but the setup and working of dealing with people may change, so how would I tackle this question or what would I say in a intro letter about this?

Also, what type of equipment would I need when I get to this stage of cleaning to make it the best use of time while cleaning? Is there any special type of insurance or amount to be in this end of the cleaning buisness?

Thanks in advance,

Jimmy
 

Jeff LeCours

New member
Jimmy,

Everyone has to start some where. Definitly get a good amount experience from residential, .you will need it. I try to tell people that condo and town home buildings are just big houses and thats how they can be tackled

Now the intro letter you don't want to or need to lie but you may have embellish a little. You can introduce yourself and company you can use lines like the trusted contractor of customers, that you do quality work etc etc etc etc . Then you got to hope they dont ask for references. if they do and dont ask for other PM references give them some of your customers names.(call and ask customers first). Keep your letter short and you can use the services you offer to fill the letter

Building Washing
Concrete Cleaning
Wood Restoration
Gutter Cleaning
Roof Cleaning

If you have done all this in residential and mastered it you are not lieing

Please get your expereince first a couple years I would suggest unless you are working 5 days a week 10 hours a day and master it in less than the 2 years.

Im not going into a lot of detail how to do the work, but it is best to have at least 2 machines running, they should really be at least 5.5GPM makes work go faster making you more money. You have to be reliable and on time. you dont want to mess up
 

Don M.

New member
Whos doing condo, apartment, multi unit properties these day???

We are Jeff. Its been a little bit of an issue with the PM we are dealing with on our project. Apparently her or the board did not read the contract, just looked at price. But it looks like we hammered out or differences and we are back on track.

We also just got another multi unit wash. Looks like Marler's might be creating a new division. LOL. Its hard to keep up with the resi stuff too. We are working 14-15 hour days, but my guys are getting it done. I help some, but its mostly buying supplies, lunch, gallons of gatorade (its a hot mother here) so forth and so on.

Life is good, like you say. Looking forward to vacation in July.
 

Tony Shelton

Environmental Consultant / Past Director
Jeff, when you do condos do you only do common areas? When we are doing HVAC bids it's tough to get condenser cleaning for the entire complex because each owner is responsible for their own unit. I have worked with a few (retirement ones) that were able to get the entire complex done. Any suggestions?
 

Jeff LeCours

New member
Jeff, when you do condos do you only do common areas? When we are doing HVAC bids it's tough to get condenser cleaning for the entire complex because each owner is responsible for their own unit. I have worked with a few (retirement ones) that were able to get the entire complex done. Any suggestions?

Just common areas, which the exterior of the buildings are included. Ya ac is the owners responsibility, dont really know how you could get them all. But if you were to go after apartment complexes that is different, but they are tight with money and sometimes let things go to far
 

Jeff LeCours

New member
We are Jeff. Its been a little bit of an issue with the PM we are dealing with on our project. Apparently her or the board did not read the contract, just looked at price. But it looks like we hammered out or differences and we are back on track.

We also just got another multi unit wash. Looks like Marler's might be creating a new division. LOL. Its hard to keep up with the resi stuff too. We are working 14-15 hour days, but my guys are getting it done. I help some, but its mostly buying supplies, lunch, gallons of gatorade (its a hot mother here) so forth and so on.

Life is good, like you say. Looking forward to vacation in July.

Cool Don, I had to give up residential homes completely a couple few years ago, just didnt have time to break crew away to go do a few houses, always screwed with scheduling. Plus takes up way to much time doing estimates. Don all the time you spend doing house wash estimates, for $300, $400+, you could spend that time going after $3000. $4000 $10,000, $20,000 dollar jobs. Just something to think about if the PM work keeps growing for you. Don't get me wrong houses can be great and can also fill in slow times, just for us it really doesnt work anymore. We did about 10 houses this year so far, half for managers and the other half friends, didnt make one cent all freebies LOL

Great to see you are expanding and taking in the $$$$$
 

Tony Shelton

Environmental Consultant / Past Director
Just common areas, which the exterior of the buildings are included. Ya ac is the owners responsibility, dont really know how you could get them all. But if you were to go after apartment complexes that is different, but they are tight with money and sometimes let things go to far

Apartment complexes respond to CHEAP. You have to offer two or three levels of service and they will almost always choose the cheapest. Then you blast through as fast as you can, collect the check and go.
 

Brian Wendling

New member
Jeff not to sound bad but I think you should look at it as you should do both. I'm big on focus and do what you do best but why not do both? It is very hard to do it all but a King should be able to. We do it all and yes it is hard but hire more people and make the money if you can. It is the same set up and if done right you can make a lot of money in Res. also. I got a new flatbed with 3 machines and 2 roof pumps and it kicks but. We pull up to a house and 20 minutes later ask for a check. I always say ANYTHING FOR MONEY.
 

EastTnPw

New member
Whos doing condo, apartment, multi unit properties these day???

Jeff Ive been trying to get more and more condo/complex work.
I landed a condo community about 2 mos. ago from an unsolicited bid I sent to the pm for it a year ago. I kept contacting him about every 3mos. then FINALLY landed the work.
I was put on the vendor list and now have another bid out from a pm in his office! (keeping my fingers crossed)

Im going out on Monday to place a bid for a pm I was contacted by from an email blast I sent out.
Just gonna keep hamering away!

Thanks for your advice Jeff

East Tenneessee Power Washing
Chad Johnson
865-368-0847
www.easttnpowerwashing.com
 

Ron Musgraves

Past President
Staff member
Un-solicited Proposals....I have gotten many of my regular paying accounts that Way.

Jeff Ive been trying to get more and more condo/complex work.
I landed a condo community about 2 mos. ago from an unsolicited bid I sent to the pm for it a year ago. I kept contacting him about every 3mos. then FINALLY landed the work.
I was put on the vendor list and now have another bid out from a pm in his office! (keeping my fingers crossed)

Im going out on Monday to place a bid for a pm I was contacted by from an email blast I sent out.
Just gonna keep hamering away!

Thanks for your advice Jeff

East Tenneessee Power Washing
Chad Johnson
865-368-0847
www.easttnpowerwashing.com
 

Ron Musgraves

Past President
Staff member
I love Un-solicited Bids, we are doing 40 to 60 a day right now till Sept 1


In my Data Base every OCT all unsoliciteds go out from years past. All 9000 or so

Lets talk about unsolicited bids.

I just read over at PWI, Nick the Cleaner just landed 10 shopping centers from an uncolicited bid. Nick is a great guy and is a veteran of the industry. I know others that do unsolicited bids. Ron Musgraves comes to mind he does unsolicited bids all the time. Both of those guys do it and it works.

I dont target flatwork like them but I do unsolicited bids, not as often as I should but it has worked for me several times. For example my 2nd condo complex I ever did was an unsolicited bid I turned in. That job was the job I started fulltime PWing I have been working on that property now for 5 years. Just finished it last week again


I know Ron sends in unsolicited and he does it a different way than I have iin the past. I usually put the bid together and send a cover letter, list of references and a biz card usually. But I like the way Ron does it and Nick might also do it the same way

Ron measures the project or projects out, put the bid/contract together and he just faxes it. no intro letter, no references, nothing to introduce his company at all

I wondered why at 1st and when he told me it really made sence. He sends it to the right person/company and quite often that person see's the bid and himself may have been thinking of doing the work or changing companies that are doing the work and BANG its there right in front of him. Also and this is the part I like, well her comes this contract th person who gets it doesnt know if someone in his office asked for, maybe the owner of the property asked for it, the store etc etc . So this contract is there nothing else is in place or other contract expired. This guy can do a couple things, file it or sign it. Ron has gotten many signed contracts this way over the years. I love it. You never know the guy just might think the owner requested it and sign it and you are in the money

Now me I am thinking about doing the same exact thing and see how it flys. I am just going to send some to PM's and they might need it sooner or later or they might think someone in the HOA requested it and I might just get the job

I am also going to do it the way I have done it in the past

Now if you want work you have to go get it and this is a great way of doing it unsolicited

oops got to go I will be back stay tuned
 

Scott Davis

New member
As the season is slowing down for us, and Ive been getting more and more commercial cleanings, Ive just started sending out unsolicited bids. Im not sure how to go about it, but I just send them the bid like they asked for it and tell them to call me if they have any questions. Any advice on unsolicited bids?
 

Jeff LeCours

New member
Jeff not to sound bad but I think you should look at it as you should do both. I'm big on focus and do what you do best but why not do both? It is very hard to do it all but a King should be able to. We do it all and yes it is hard but hire more people and make the money if you can. It is the same set up and if done right you can make a lot of money in Res. also. I got a new flatbed with 3 machines and 2 roof pumps and it kicks but. We pull up to a house and 20 minutes later ask for a check. I always say ANYTHING FOR MONEY.

King is just a word. Heck if I was a real king, I'd have my servants doing the estimates I guess LOL

its hard around here to get any decent money for house washing, so I concerntrate where my time is best served, going after the bigger dollar stuff. I cant go out to 20 houses in a day and get three jobs and all the rest balk at $150 house wash. 90% of the homes around here are 1200-2200 sq ft and guys all over town are doing them for $75-$150. Way to much time in doing resi estimates for what, I much rather spend my time going after the 4 & 5 digit jobs then the small stuff



I am thinking of next year trying houses again, but I just cant believe in this area its worth it
 

Jeff LeCours

New member
Jeff Ive been trying to get more and more condo/complex work.
I landed a condo community about 2 mos. ago from an unsolicited bid I sent to the pm for it a year ago. I kept contacting him about every 3mos. then FINALLY landed the work.
I was put on the vendor list and now have another bid out from a pm in his office! (keeping my fingers crossed)

Im going out on Monday to place a bid for a pm I was contacted by from an email blast I sent out.
Just gonna keep hamering away!

Thanks for your advice Jeff

East Tenneessee Power Washing
Chad Johnson
865-368-0847
www.easttnpowerwashing.com

Great Chad

My very 1st condo job when I went full time was from an unsolicited bid and that was before I even heard the words unsolicited bid LOL

I don't do many now, just never enough time I guess. I do plan on doing more

Keep going Chad, if you want to grwo you got to work it and work it hard for a long time. Heck I am working hard all the time, when's it get easier LOL
 
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