A flooded market is one with an excessive number of competitors. Realtors and restaurants probably come to mind. Some are large chains or big guns with hundreds of employees.
But what of the small businesses, the mom and pops or the ones with less than five workers?
When it comes to the most competitive businesses in the CSRA, you can count pressure washing companies in the mix. After a Yelp search on the number of those businesses, we stopped counting after 100 listings. Some are one step above a DIY operation. Others like Chip Lee, owner of Blueline Soft Wash, have been in business for more than 20 years.
“I worked for the Richmond County Sheriff’s Department for 12 years when I decided to start my own business,” Lee said. “I learned pressure washing from the ground up and started knocking on doors.”
When he bought his equipment and chemicals, he pressure washed his own home. Then, one neighbor after another asked about cleaning their house. That was the beginning of his business and a tribute to word-of-mouth in building a brand.
The name of Lee’s company, Blueline Soft Wash, reflects his past as an LEO. Today, his team consists of current or past law enforcement officers or firefighters.
“There’s a right way to perform a service, whether as a first responder or as a pressure washing company, and the first order of business is to be licensed and insured, which protects us and the homeowner,” he said.
When you think of pressure washing, you might think stronger is better but that isn’t necessarily the case. Soft wash is now the go-to for most pressure washing jobs.
“It’s a combination of environmentally safe chemicals applied to a driveway, home, or deck and the only time you really use pressure is in rinsing,” Lee explained. “The only exception is for cleaning a roof. After you apply the chemicals, we leave them on and let Mother Nature take her course.”
Can you DIY pressure wash your home? The answer is yes. You’ll still have to buy or rent the equipment and buy the chemicals which can total between $200 to $600. It may take an entire weekend to accomplish what a professional can do in about an hour and probably for less money.
The bottom line is pressure washing isn’t an easy job, but it’s the career path Chip Lee has chosen to support his family and provide a job for his employees.
“My dad died when I was young and if I didn’t work, things didn’t get done,” he said. “I’ve been a workhorse all my life. Summers are brutal, but I love seeing great curb appeal and seeing my customers happy.”
For more information on the services provided by Blueline, visit their website.
Editor’s Note:
Mitzi Oxford is a veteran broadcaster and features writer who also worked at the same television station in Columbus, Georgia as Augusta’s Brad Means!
If you have a South Carolina story idea for Mitzi, please email her at mitzioxfordcreative@gmail.com.
