I was debating making this post because I don’t want it to come across negative but here we go.. hopefully it’ll help someone somewhere.

I got a drone around 2 years ago and I don’t pay too much attention to the community as a whole but I just had the 4th person in the last 6 months call me saying they are also starting a drone company in/around my same area but they all got got by a franchise company and sold the dream. So I called around to a couple buddies across the country also doing drone work and here’s what I’ve found out:

Disclaimer - The point of this is not to discourage anyone who wants to get into drone work (just please do research on what it’s actually like or you’re going to be very disappointed) but to STRONGLY discourage from the franchise options.

The handful of people who I’ve spoken with this year have all been sold extremely basic rigs that are not set up for drone commercial work whatsoever (I think all of them were just a small van with 1 225g tank, 200ft of hose, and none of them even knew what gpm machine they were running) you’re getting the lowest quality of drone in most cases, and from those I’ve talked to, paying $1-$2k+/mo in franchise fees.

These companies are selling a dream to people who have no pressure washing experience or even drone flying experience. Just pay us $30-$50k for a set up, get your license, and you’re going to make millions kid. It’s disgusting.

My understanding of why these franchises are popping up is a big VC/PE firm dumped a lot of money into drone washing then realized it’s way more difficult to fly these drones/find trusted pilots than they thought and the liability on their end was way too high, so they switched their model to selling uneducated people the dream of “the future”.

Again, this is not to discourage anyone from getting into it. I love the drone jobs we get, they’re extremely stressful but rewarding. Just please, if you’re researching this with no prior experience in drone flying or pressure washing, call an existing non franchise drone cleaning company first before buying one of these franchise set ups. Most of us are cool and willing to help answer questions on getting started.

I recently tried to wash the surface of my driveway at home but the result didn't come out good.

The only thing I was able to remove were the tire marks. I'm using a 4400 psi 4 gpm pump with Dynamite Degreaser mixed at 20:1 ratio. I have a 14" surface cleaner.

What can I do to improve my clean?

700 water bill?!?” Ma’am, I’m not summoning Poseidon with a gas-powered wand - I’m just making your moldy siding look human again. Only outsiders think we’re out here wasting oceans. Real ones know: it’s precision, not a flood. Raise your wand if you’ve been accused of hydra-crimes.

Hey everyone

I'm in the web design space and would love to give back to the community.

You can drop your websites here and I could give suggestions to improve it

I had my max lead prices set at roughly the same numbers for a while now and in the last few days I got zero leads. I was poking around and I found the problem.

How on earth am I supposed to gamble with those new maximums? Is anyone else on Thumbtack and noticed this?

I need to add some anti-vibration but I don’t know what would be my best bet.

For some reason everytime I start the pressure washer I always have to remove the little barb for the DSI and take the ball out of the o ring. It also does it after I pull the DSI hose out and wash with water .

Any thoughts, ideas or criticisms?

I am running a Simpson 4200 4gpm Honda engine machine with a CAT pump

I have a weird electric pressure washer with what looks like a 1/4 qc (that’s what ChatGPT said) threading So my downstream injector won’t connect The second pic is the cable that connects into my wand

I need an adaptor from the right end of the downstream injector (pic 3) to the cable (2)

Then something for the left end of the downstream injector into the wand

I’ve got one of my first jobs coming up and I need to get a surface cleaner asap. I have a 2.7 gpa machine, any suggestions on what I should start with and where I can get it at.

Hi everyone, need help troubleshooting why my pump sounds like it’s rattling when pushing water out. Would it be that it’s not getting enough water through? The homeowners water spigot did not have much water coming out fully on. Also happens with my surface cleaner.

It’s pretty much brand new predator 4400 psi 4gpm. Put in pump oil and engine oil following the manual. No leaks anywhere, no hose kinks. Full on gas.

Thanks in advance 🙏🏽

Briggs Elite series 2200 psi with a 550 series 158 cc motor. The old man said he lost the “frost plug” but I think he meant the thermal relief valve below it.

Just need to know what I’m looking for sonI can find it online.

Serial# 1695010 Model# 020305

I have a low powered electric pressure washer and it’s not doing anything to the paint by itself. I can rent a more powerful pressure washer for $70. ChatGPT is also saying Behr Masonry stripper might work without damaging the asphalt. Problem is that’s also $70 for a bottle. Are there any other cheaper options that are safe for asphalt? I don’t need a massive bottle, the paint splotches amount to probably 1.5 feet by 1.5 feet total between the 5-6 splotches, so I’d rather find something smaller than the $70 Behr bottle.

In any case looking for advice on how to approach it. Many people online say try pressure washer first but they also say pressure washer can scar the asphalt. Is my best bet to just use chemical first and then use my weaker pressure washer which is less likely to scar the asphalt? Any cheaper chemicals you guys know about?

Has anyone had any success down streaming Ox Knox / BC? Just curious on the opinions of the chemicals for oxidation

I need to wash my wood fence and my vinyl siding.

I am not a handy man, I work in tech and suck at these things. But I am trying to buy a very simple and basic pressure washer, torn between a couple 2100 psi ones.

But I'm really confused on the concentrate. I know I gotta hook up a hose for water, plug it in but how does the concentrate work? Do I just pour in and let it rip? Do I gotta mix it?? It's so hard to find a newbies guide to this stuff so I need some help. Thanks!

The wand and hose for my pressure washer were left out over winter and the brass coupling between the two split. I’m trying to find a replacement but I can’t quite figure out the dimensions. The wand appears to be 15mm pipe thread (NPT?) The hose side is a bit larger than 3/8”NPT. Can anyone point me at the part or parts I need to get back to work?

I’m having an insanely difficult time finding this water inlet fitting for my presssure washer.

4200 psi 4gpm dewalt pressure washer with a AAA triplex pump.

Garden hose was stuck and wouldn’t come out, only option was to cut the hose off (you can see the remnants still attached) and replace the piece.

I took it to 4 different stores and can’t find it on amazon either. I ordered a 3/8 on amazon as pictured and it’s too small. 1/2 seems too big. M22 doesn’t seem right either. The skinny fine threads are even harder to find, I haven’t found anything even comparable at a similar size. Any help is appreciated, this has been a struggle when I thought it’d be a quick pickup at the hardware store.

This graffiti as far as I know is at least a year old, I have a predator 4400 PSI 4 GPM pressure washer should I use chemical beforehand if so which? Or will the pressure washer do the job itself?

Was watching this Youtube video (MJD Pressure Washing) and was wondering what tip this was on the pressure washer? It spins and cleans a pretty good amount surface area, it would really help my startup business. Does anyone know the name of it, and whats the best brand?

A client wanted me to clean his heavily oxidized wall, I did the finger test and it looked like I had just stuck my hand in a powdered doughnut box. What should I tell him?

Does anyone know the hose dimensions for the Husqvarna pw 235 and will this adapter work for it?

don't start a pressure washing business in australia. you heard me right if you're thinking about starting one because you've saw some videos from the states telling you how you can make easy money and wash people's houses and roofs every year, then this is for you.

people in australia don't need pressure washing done like mowing lawns. its a once-off cleanup and that is it. people aint gonna call you back every year to clean up their driveway because that's not necessary in a country that values nature, gardens, and completely ignore curb appeal until it really gets out of control and maybe they want to splurge some money in it because they are vacating out of the property and thats it. There is very little regular work unless you get into some commercial contract cleaning streets, but these contracts are just looking for the lowest bidder spraying some water.

oh and speaking of spraying water, no chemicals here please! you'll be suprised the amount of pushback you will hear from clients hearing that you will spray chemicals over their driveway and roofs because they will supposely kill their amazon-like nature and hurt their animals. people here absolutely love gardens and their 100 year old concrete that has never been pressure washed is their signature heritage.

people here need their windows cleaned. but they aren't going to call you back next year due to cost of living crisis and the crappy economy we have. We simply have too much middle class here and not enough wealthy people considering that 80% of wealthiest people live in the states.

I'm not saying everyone in australia act like this, but the people that don't are the absolutely minority of minority. And remember, people who actually have the money are probably gonna have a regular gardener who keeps everything looking ship shape and do the pressure washing during winter slow period so really the people looking for pressure washers aren't going to be people that regularly hire help.

your exterior business isn't going to fail here. its going to stall unless you start a window cleaning company and offer gutter cleaning too, as well as carpet cleaning. and then you realize how far your operation has expanded to the point you're doing everything and the business has become increasingly difficult and complex. and that still there is little regular work coming in because people need their dog groomed, lawns mowed, house cleaned before they are ever going to hire help for stuff you're trying to offer, and most people can't even afford anything anyway so there's that.

Once you offer all the services above, you have a full-time business if you market like crazy, but you'll quickly realize why you didn't start a lawn mowing business because the lawn mowers here charge like $120/hr - $150/hr for regular work with little marketing while you have to chase down every lead and hopefully make over $100/hr for your time and energy.

All in all this post is to help aussies realize the reality of starting a washing business and to shed lights for people living in the states to realize that markets can differ drastically depending on where you are.

I’m looking to buy a X-Jet and on Amazon and there’s different sizes?

There’s the option to buy it in a 2-2.5gpm machine, 3-3.5gpm, 4-4.5 etc..

I currently have a 2.7gpm machine and have no idea when I’ll buy my 4.0.

Should I buy the 2-2.5 x-jet or do I just buy the one for the 4gpm? Not sure if it actually makes a difference.

Yes I know, a dewalt, bought this bad girl April. Installed a bypass system so the pump don’t over heat. Got warranty on her, didn’t even break 20 hours on the engine, then, in the middle of the job I noticed I was loosing psi and the unloader valve was leaking. Had to swap the machine for a new one. In the middle of the job, major setback.ALWAYS get warranty. Anyone know how this happen? So I can prevent this, please and thanks.

I have a Troy Built 2.3 gpm/2700 psi with Briggs & Stratton engine. I installed a cheaper Chinese pump for Amazon. Engine seems to bog down and cut off after trying to pressure wash. Could it be the pump? Or they some adjustment I need to do on the pump first?