Boone Under Pressure Deck Cleaning & Restoration

Introduction: Boone Under Pressure is here to help... Welcome to the 1st blog for Boone Under Pressure in 2011. We've hit the ground running & have already scheduled a few free estimates & consultations; for local homeowners. Spring is the time of year when the "honey do" list comes out of the shed & things get busy outside your home. Sometimes you wonder if things will ever get done or you pick & choose the projects you're looking forward to. Some seem to be more fun & exciting than others. I know my favorite time to mow my grass is, the first time & the last time. The rest of the time in the yard is, well, work. Look around, how many decks do you see that have turned a beautiful shade of dark gray or a gorgeous translucent moldy slippery green ? They are everywhere. These are the projects that homeowners have neglected (or put on the bottom of the list) wishing that overnight, somehow they would return to a lovely shade of natural yellow wood, or better yet, a warm honey gold luster that beads water when it rains. For those of you that are considering cleaning or restoring your wood deck for the first time, this may help you determine whether it's going to be a blast, literally, or it's going to be work. For those that HAVE done this before, then you know IT IS going to be work. How much depends on your project. I have actually cleaned & restored decks for homeowners that OWN a working pressure washer. They just didn't want to do it again. Someone once told me that we have 2 kinds of fear: 1) a fear of the unknown, & 2) a fear of the known. It's true. And then you ask yourself, how hard can this pressure washing process be to get my deck clean? I'll rent a pressure washer, get a jug of some "deck wash" & hook up the hose. Done. Not so fast Happy Homeowner. There are about 5-6 other things (tools/materials) you're going to need to help make this a speedy process. Perhaps more, depending on the size what you're trying to accomplish with your little project. You can rent a pressure washer for about $45 a half day & $60 for a full day, which doesn't include tax, gas surcharge or insurance. I checked. Now you gotta go get it, get your project done in a day & then haul it back. Sounds pretty easy huh? Should have been thinking about all the in between stuff that you needed or didn't have to finish the job (in 1 day or now add another half day charge). How much over priced, water based sodium hypochlorite & sodium hydroxide cleaner mixed with a dash of surfactant do I need? Why didn't that old failing stain come off? Back to the "big box" store for something else. What happened to my wood deck? Why did some of the wood splinter & how come it looks "furry"? Do you have a good orbital sander? Good knees & a strong back will help too. What kind of grit do I need for the sander to get the prep done right? Will this step be important so my stain or sealer soaks in? Stain or sealer? What's the difference? I have talked with numerous homeowners that didn't know & were told by others to use a nationally advertised product which, in my opinion as well as numerous other contractors, is about the worst thing you can put on a deck. You will probably not be happy with the results of all your hard work. Know what it is? OK, back to work. I think I have the right tip (see picture below) but do I know the right technique to get this done, in 1 day? Oh, look at all those little pickets, dear. There must be 100's of them. Have fun, I'm going to go play golf! Maybe playing with a rather large water pistol all day sounds like fun to some, for others there can be many headaches along the way. Some can be irreversible without shelling out more money & spending the time to do it right the second time. You will probably get wet (3-4 hours of having wet feet is NOT fun or comfortable) & your back will probaly hurt like crazy the next day(s), but hey, you saved a few bucks doing this yourself. Wrong tip, wrong technique, wrong cleaner, wrong contractor. This homeowner called me after another contractor had started on her deck. She said "something doesn't look right on my deck". OUCH!! For those that have done your own decks & tried pressure washing, some of you will understand this. Pressure washing is NOT about pressure. You don't just blast the dirt off your deck. Others will have to experience it first hand. Some people know how or want to do this, others call me. Boone Under Pressure has cleaned some of the dirtiest decks in The High Country in the past 5 years. About 60% of my business has been from people I never personnally met, but were impressed with my daily updates & pictures sent as work progressed. With a long list of Happy Homeowners (references) & an extensive collection of before/after pictures, Boone Under Pressure can help you. Part of the process is to explain the process & educate each homeowner as to what needs to be done for a particular job. Decks, cabins, fencing, vinyl siding & more. If Boone Under Pressure can clean or restore it, we'll be happy to give you a free estimate. If we can't do what you want, we'll tell you that too. Your deck, in most cases, can usually be cleaned or restored back to 90-95% of it's original condition. Maybe more, maybe less depending on how long it's been since you've given your deck some love. If you have good water pressure, an outside electrical outlet & little or no desire to take on your deck, call Boone Under Pressure for your cleaning or property needs. If you have questions & still want to DIY, feel free to call. Boone Under Pressure has NEVER or will NEVER, ask for any money upfront. No payment until your work has been completed to your satisfaction & expectations. Boone Under Pressure offers a professional, affordable & dependable service to homeowners, Realtors & those with either income or rental property. ASU Alumni too. Please feel free to call David & schedule a free estimate & consultation. Work done around your house, work done around your schedule. Your business is appreciated & your home respected. 828-964-2563 (c) 828-268-5052 (h) ncrush@charter.net I really enjoy the dramatic effects of proper cleaning of a deck and seeing the final results of my hard work. I like looking at the many before and after pictures, as well as the satisfaction I get from my clients when they come home or see pictures sent to them of how nice their "new deck" looks. Many homeowners don't have the knowledge or want to do this chore when I explain the process and amount of work it can take to actually finish a job correctly. Boone Under Pressure can answer "yes" to the following questions. How many can you answer yes? • Do you enjoy physical work? • Are you persistent and patient? • Do you have reliable work habits--meaning that once the project is started, will it get finished? • Do you have all the tools needed and, more importantly, the skills required to do the job? • What quality level do you need for this project? Are your skills at that level? • Do you have the time that will be required to complete the project? Always double or triple the time estimated for a DIY project, unless you are highly skilled and familiar with that particular project. • Will it matter if the project remains unfinished for a period of time? • Are you prepared to handle the kind of stress this project will create in your family relationships? • Do you know all of the steps involved in the project? • Have you gotten the installation instructions from the manufacturer to determine whether this is a project you still want to undertake? Most manufacturers will send you installation instructions before purchase to determine whether the product will meet your needs. • Is this a job you can do completely by yourself or will you need assistance? If you do need assistance, what skill level is involved for your assistant? If you need a professional subcontractor, do you have access to a skilled labor pool? • Are you familiar with your local building codes and permit requirements? Some jurisdictions require that the work be completed by a licensed professional in order to meet code. It is best to check these requirements before beginning work on the project. • What will you do if the project goes awry? Most contractors are wary about taking on a botched DIY job, and many just won't take them. • Is it safe for you to do this project? If you are not familiar with roofing or do not have fall protection restraints, you may not want to venture into a roofing job. Similarly, if you know nothing about electricity--leave it to the professional. Some jobs can be fatal if not performed correctly. Your health and safety should be the primary concern. Never enter into a DIY project that would jeopardize those. • Will you be able to obtain the materials you need? Who will be your source of supply? Will they deliver? • Are you attempting to do-it-yourself for financial reasons? If so, have you looked at all of your costs, including the cost of materials, your time, and the tools you need to purchase?< If you are new to the DIY game, you may also want to look at the cost to correct any mistakes you may make--i.e., the damage factor. Will it still be a cost-saving venture? • If you are trying DIY for the satisfaction of a job well done--can you ensure that the job will be "well done"? If it doesn't come out right, how will you feel? Will you be able to afford to redo any unsatisfactory work? If you answered yes to more than half of these questions, you might attempt a DIY project. But before you run for the nearest hardware store, revisit those questions you marked "No" and carefully consider the potential problems you will face in those areas if you proceed with the project. Hiring a professional might still be your best choice. This quiz is not meant to scare you away from DIY projects--they can be extremely rewarding and fun if you are prepared and have the proper skills. However, you need to be aware that home improvement can be hazardous to your wallet and, more importantly, to your health.