Sam,

i might have a starter system for sale. Please private message me or call me at 609-705-0093 if interested. I will explain the details to you.

Sam Newcomb wrote:

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Hey Guys,

I am looking for a good basic set-up to get started in softwash, so I can start making some money and then upgarde to AC's system later.

Any tips or suggestions on what to buy would be great!

Thanks,

Sam

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 Sam,

Thanks for asking this. I am at exactly this stage, myself. Here are a couple outstanding candidates I have found...

1. Costs $1,250 + shipping for "Twin Pump 5gpm for Chemicals with Reel" - no picture - really?

http://www.jracenstein.com/item/150-0801/twin-pump-5gpm-for-chemicals-with-reel/

 

2. Costs $1,414 + shipping for der Fat Boy.

http://www.pressuretek.com/fatboybandit.html

Comes with yellow hose, but has a nice upgrade to skid with 100 gallon tank for a mere <wink> $765 more.

 

At my rate, I may go to the next 35 Softwashapalooza events @ $200 credit each, so I can just get the big skid free.

By that time, I will have all of this memorized, LOL...

 

Seriously, I would like to know what everybody thinks of these possibilities.

I do wish that JRC, or AC, would show us a picture of that first system.

Happy shopping, Sam!

 

Good point, Zack! I was trying to be funny, better leave that to Leno and AC...

Where did I come up with $200? My bad, it is more like $2,000 if you pay by the first cut.

I signed up and paid for the LA Softwashapalooza at the event, and he still gave me a $500 credit.

Thanks for catching my error, Zach. I will be more careful in the future.

I'm with Eric. Bite the bullet and invest in something that will last and do everything you want. By the time I was done getting set up three years ago I had around $13,000 in a rig and everything else (tips, surface cleaner, ladders, extra tanks Ect). Like Eric, mine paid for itself the first year without the help of this forum.

Now, having said that I wish I would have had the benefit of this forum back then. You have the opportunity to decide what it is you want to with the equipment and choose a setup that works best for you. I bought a Hydrotek skid that is mounted on a trailer that I drag around. At the time that's what I needed and to this day it serves me well. Does everything I want it to do. I added a Fatboy set up from Pressuretek for soft washing...works great as an add on.

But since I made the switch to soft washing last year, the only time I had to use any real pressure was for cleaning and resanding paver patios. Point being, if I was new again I would have seriously looked at investing into AC soft washing cradle....especially now that you can add on a water booster/blaster (that's not what he calls it, but the name escapes me) to make rinsing easier.

One more thing you need to consider as well. If being a "certified soft washing professional" is important to you, one of the criteria is you own a Softwash system. Your in a position to make that decision before buying equipment.

Matt Jennemann wrote:

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I Run the twin pump set-up from powerwasherstore.com and like it a lot. He uses banjo fittings which are very convenient, I get 40-45 feet vertical on a calm day and they're in the 12-1300 dollar range shipped to your house. Get a 65 gallon mix tank and a 50 gallon buffer and your good to go for around $2000 give or take plus the battery if you don't have one yet.

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Can you be more specific, Matt? What system are you using from that store? I am doing a comparison between the PowerWash Store, J Racenstein (which are the same system made by SWS), and The Fat Boy Bandit. I have to give credit to Pressure Tec for their excellent pictures. I'm afraid J Racenstein's Softwash information is really lagging, but I'm still leaning toward buying from them, as Steve Blyth and Jenny have always been so helpful to me in the past. I am intrigued by this system, and want more information and would really like to see something before I buy it. Am thinking that CH is the way to go if at all possible, but don't want the unused bleach to like, coaglulate between cleanings. This is the URL. If it works with the twin pump, and they all fit on an also unpictured skid with tank I saw at the LA Softwashapalooza, I may very well buy the whole thing, um, eventually ;).

http://www.jracenstein.com/item/150-0817/softwash-systems-powdered-bleach-pack/

Eric and Jeff, thank you for your replies! I so want to do the right thing. I know that AC says to be deliberate, but I also want to do it right. Winter isn't even here, yet. I have time to be careful...

I have to say this is an extremely helpful forum. I was banned from another forum because I mentioned J Racenstein in some of my posts, and let them come to our Pacific Northwest Window Cleaners get together a couple years ago. At least in here, AC will allow us to offer all information, whether it deals with his *crap* or not! Haha, he uses that word, and I get a kick out of it. I'm sure you all do, to.

I used to have a water wagon. That was a 1990 Chev S10 pickup with a 200 gallon tank in it. I gave the truck to my sister, because my nephew needs to haul all his recycling stuff in, so I only have my window wagon truck now, and it is full of window cleaning stuff. I do have a 2 tire trailer, the 200 gallon tank still, and most importantly an IPC Eagle Hydrocart (RO/DI). Would love to get AC's big skid, but I need another truck, first, and don't want to see myself go out of business before I get my toes out of the water...

Thank you all for you great attitudes and positive thoughts! I'm looking forward to being a knowledgeable businessman.

Rules for success 1. Be deliberate (ok, next year;)

 

 

 

Vic,

I want to clarify something I said in my post about getting certified. I stated you need a softwash systems cradle in order to be certified. That is incorrect, I mis-understood something along the way. AC just told me that was not a requirement for certification, but is a requirement for becoming an authorized softwash systems contractor.

Still something to consider as you decide on what equipment to purchase, I just wanted to correct my mistake before you made that decision.

Tim Teed wrote:

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if you plan on roof cleaning part time the twin pump is fine, but if you plan on roof cleaning every day get AC's rig, it is much quicker. i believe you will have a more professional company with AC's and it helps you get a higher sell price, which will pay-off the higher priced unit

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 Correct, my system isnt better. It is a higher production system. There are MANY GREAT entry and intermediate systems out there that will serve you well your first year in the biz.

AC

Michael Derose wrote:

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Vic, we use an enclosed trailer. We have a fatboy for spraying and a fatboy for transfer. We use the titan 12 inch u channel hose reel with the yellow ag hose from pressure tek. Everything is designed to pull up and start working. We are just as fast as the soft wash skid guys in our area if not faster. As far as tanks go we use a 100 gallon tank for mixing and a 100 gallon tank for straight SH. We do anywhere from 3-4 jobs per day and that's roof and house combos.

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 Mike,

I want to get an enclosed trailer like that and have been looking at them this year. I like the idea of everything in one place, all the little stuff. I'm forever forgetting "something" because I have to pack before I leave every morning. Everything just doesn't fit on the trailer.

May sound like a weird question, but how do you find backing up with that trailer? That's my biggest obstacle, which I may be over thinking...but often I get myself into a spot where my only choice is to back out, or can't find parking on the street and have to use their driveway (which is always a challenge with cars parked on each side of the street) It's easy to look over your shoulder and back out, but I've never had to use my mirrors and feel that may be a little difficult.

I really like the aspect of everything being out of the elements also Mike, but what do you do when you are out selling and you need to do a demo for a customer?. Do you pull that big trailer everywhere you go. I would really like to know the pros and cons of this setup. Thanks Michael.

I was just talking about the bread yesterday Vic. Lol

Michael Derose wrote:

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Jeff,
backing up isn't really hard. When you have the ground man get out and back you in it is a piece of cake. Also the longer you do it the easier it gets. I just like having everything in the trailer out of the elements. When its cold we throw a heater in there ( yes we take out the gas when we do this) this way things are ready to go in the morning when the temps are low. Only sometimes is it a pain in the rear when we have the trailer. I am currently building a unit that will allow us to just use the truck for days when there is no concrete and when we have concrete we will use are smaller trailer (enclosed) with the two pressure washers in it.

As far as a professional look. Well we get complimented all the time no matter where we are about how professional our set up is.

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 Thanks Mike. I'll give this a lot of thought. An enclosed trailer will solve a bunch of problems. 

It is purely personal preference. I have both an open trailer rig and AC skid, and earlier in the year I took apart my trailer unit and built a pallet softwash skid that fits in my second truck. It is just easier for us and more productive. AC rig is built for volume. In the heat of the year we were doing 12-15K per week with that rig. Like I said it is all personal preference an both work great it is just what you want and what your guys are good at. And no matter no good a driver anyone is, it is much easier to maneuver just a pick up truck in a tight driveway than a pickup and a trailer, just common sense. Plus having everything on my trucks makes it easy to keep it all inside a pole barn or garage which save a lot of headaches this time of year with freezing.

once again, just my opinion,