In this post we will discuss the exterior cleaning of homes, buildings, and the many different surfaces that make up today’s market and opportunity. (We will not be discussing the cleaning and sealing of log cabins, as they are covered in a separate article.) A home is one of the most important purchases a person makes during their lifetime, and your job is to help maintain the integrity and value of that asset. This creates a market where contract cleaners can offer this as a primary service or an add-on service.
We include commercial buildings in this article with the intent of discussing most exterior surfaces within 30’ – 40’ of height from the ground. The materials, cleaners and techniques for that type of commercial buildings are similar to those used on homes. This post is not intended to educate on the subject of building restoration for hi-rises or for special surfaces like limestone, marble, and granite. Those surfaces require special cleaners and special techniques, and will be covered in a different article. For commercial buildings there is even a greater need to separate yourself from your competition. This is where “curb appeal” becomes of great importance. Most business owners subscribe to “first impressions” and “perception is fact” theories.
Many people do not even realize how dirty their home or building is until it is cleaned. It is very personally rewarding for any contractor to take a person’s home or building exterior and make it look like new again.
Many of the cleaning applications we will discuss can be used on various types of exterior surfaces, including aluminum and vinyl siding, stucco, Dryvit (a.k.a. EIFS or synthetic stucco), brick and masonry, wood and other surfaces. Pressure washers are the main tool used in today’s market and we will discuss the use of a pressure washer at length as well as other methods and best management practices.
This is why this opportunity has such an open-ended outlook. All buildings and homes are susceptible to mold, mildew, algae growth, rust stains and more. They all are targets for dirt and pollutants. Many homes and buildings will become targets for graffiti and vandalism. With all that is mentioned above it is no wonder we can make a nice income in the exterior home and building cleaning profession.
Many contractors believe that residential power washing of homes is one of the most profitable fields in power washing. When you consider the time it takes to do the job, the cost of cleaners and the cost of labor it’s easy to see why so many companies start up doing nothing but house washing.
The opportunities that lie waiting are enormous. One obvious reason is the amount there is to clean in any city or town around the world. It’s a dirty world out there. Another is that this is a relatively “easy-entry” business and one that even some homeowners and company executives will attempt themselves or delegate to in-house employees. This is where the need for “real professionals” becomes so obvious. There are safety issues and proper techniques that should be followed no matter who performs the work. The more you know, the more valuable you are – particularly after an untrained person attempts a job meant for a professional.
While we discuss the proper techniques in this post for anyone to perform the work we cannot over-emphasize the marketing opportunity for a “true professional” in the exterior home and building cleaning market. It is important for every contractor to have the knowledge in place before going to a property to give an estimate or make a proposal. Please visit commercialrestorations.com to know about all services that we provide.
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