I understand ,again Im for it if it separates us from the uneducated weekend warriors (not everyone) that will screw up someones house and not be accountable . If I were a educated consumer I would want a licensed washing contractor with references to wash my home to assure the best possible results . We need to educate our customers (possible customers ) that the pressure cleaning industry isn't just a bunch of guys spraying water around.That we are serious about what we do . and we will pay the premium to prove it .
Personally I didn't wake up one morning with all the knowledge needed to do what I do today. Did you?
Where is all this condescension towards everyone who starts out without a $50,000 reclaim rig and a list of clients as long as your arm?
Why not spend a little time talking with and getting to know that "weekend warrior" in your neighborhood if you are so concerned with his uneducated customers? He might teach you a thing or two. God knows I've leaned a lot of good tips and tricks from $10.00/hr filter changers.
You can educate the customer by providing video/photo/word of mouth/written letters to show the superiority of your work.
If you think for one second a license brings an industry up to a high standard just ask the 50,000 people in Las Vegas (myself included) who had to go in for hepatitis testing because 5 doctors reused needles to save money!
Here's just a simple excerpt from Wikipedia with my added emphasis. The argument for licensing is put into the minds of those who aren't willing or don't have the ability to play the chess game out to the end to find out who the winners and losers are. The winners are the LARGE companies with a LOT of money that control ALL THE RULES. If you are not one of them -- then you are one of their pawns because they have already played the game to the end and they will use you to beat yourself.
Here's the Wiki article:
Licensure restricts entry into professional careers in medicine, chiropractic, nursing, law, business, engineering, surveying, and architecture. Advocates
claim that licensure protects the consumer through the application of professional, educational and/or ethical standards of practice. Milton Friedman opposes this practice, believing that licensure
effectively raises professional salary by placing limits on the supply of specific occupations. "It is hard to regard altruistic concern for their customers as the primary motive behind their determined efforts to get legal power to decide who may be a plumber."[11]
Restrictions to employment without licensure can also
prevent people with criminal records or severe mental health issues from working in occupations that require public trust. Occupations of or affected by the gambling industry, may be restricted by licensure, such as a racing secretary in horseracing, or people in the boxing industry. People whose occupations put them in physical contact with the public might also be restricted by licensure, including a barber, cosmetologist, or massage therapist. Occupations that bring a person into the home might also be screened through licensure, including a chauffeur, landscape architect, or arborist.
Restricting entry by licensing is arguably a convenient and effective method of maintaining the high standards, high status and elite privileges of a profession as well as acting to eliminate competition from unqualified amateurs who provide a
cheaper but
(allegedly) sub-standard service. It means that only the most highly qualified persons are allowed entry into the profession and to enjoy its privileges, high salary and high status in society. However, liberals like Milton Friedman have argued that this process is counterproductive as it seriously restricts the number of active professionals working in society and thus
unnecessarily inhibits the working of a free enterprise economy.[12]
Link:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Licensure
Who reading this thread is willing to stand up and just say "I want this industry to be licensed because I'm an established company and I want to restrict entry into the industry so I can make more money."
It's not me. I don't want to restrict anybody, hacker, felon, idiot, whatever. This is America. This is an industry where anybody who has the desire can make a good living for themselves if they remain honorable, trustworthy and hardworking.
There can't be that many pawns out there, somebody has to be a king. Who is it?