|
Q: I hear a lot of service people referring to their company
policy book and what they will and will not do for their clients. What are
some of your company policies?
A: Our company policy book is actually fairly short compared to some others.
In its entirety it says, "Rule 1: Make my customers happy -
<signed>Brian Welker."
Q: Do you give free estimates?
A: Absolutely!
Q: Do I have to be home when you do the estimate?
No, all we really need to do is walk around the outside of your home to
assess the job properly. All in all, a simple but vital part of meeting
your needs and those of your property.
Q: Can't I just describe it to you over the phone?
A: Many times what the homeowner is describing, is not necessarily what
the contractor is looking for. The number of windows or type of siding on
the house are important, but equally important are things like water
source accessibility, building setbacks, drainage, determination of GFCI outlets,
landscaping issues, etc.
Q: After calling around, I found that your prices aren't the lowest in the area. Why?
A: While we can't comment on our competitors' pricing, we can say that we've seen
many window cleaners and pressure washers come and go since 1992. There are many people out there
claiming to do what we do, but few who have the experience and know-how. We don't try to position
ourselves as the lowest-cost window cleaner in our territory. We don't
think that's fair to our clientele, because to be the cheapest, corners
must be cut somewhere. We are sure, as evidenced by our large
repeat and referral customer-base, that we are the best at what we do and plan to be doing it
for a long time to come.
Q: But the other people say they do everything you do and still
charge less. What's up with that?
It's not very likely that they do "everything we do".
Compared to not, doing business the right way is expensive. Our prices must cover the cost of
adequate liability
insurance, workers' compensation insurance, reliable equipment,
professional tools and supplies, and the incentives necessary to keep our employees motivated
and focused on our priorities: quality and customer service. It is very
important to us that you are completely comfortable with the quality of
people we send to your home, and quite frankly, we can't keep that promise
by paying minimum wage. Ultimately, however, it's your home and you have
to decide whom to trust it to.
Q: Do I have to be home when you do the work?
A: That is entirely up to you and your comfort level with us. We arrive at
the job completely self-sufficient.
Q: What do I need to do to prepare for your crew?
A: Make sure you have hot tea and a good book. This
is probably a good time to gently remind you that the point of this entire
exercise is that it is not to be a convenience to us, it is to be a
convenience to you.
Q: But shouldn't I move furniture from the
windows or things off the deck?
A: Our feeling about you moving items prior to our arrival has
consistently been, and remains, "always
appreciated, never required."
Q: What if the forecast predicts rain for the day of my appointment?
A: Unless it will be raining horizontally (which it does on occasion) or
there is lightning, almost everything we do can be done in the rain. We will proceed as scheduled
because rain does not affect the cleaning. At the very least, pressure
washing, gutter cleaning and all inside work is completed as scheduled to avoid
disrupting your busy calendar. Then, if we need to return to clean
outside windows, you won't need to make any special arrangements for us to
be there. Because we know your time is important, we want to ensure that
your appointment is completed in a timely manner and at the time you have
planned for it. From our years of experience we are able to make accurate decisions to ensure that
service quality and safety come first in serving you. We are confident you
will be pleased.
Q: What happens if it rains after you clean my windows?
A: We have a rain guarantee! If it rains within a week or so of having your windows cleaned, if
they don't look their best due to the forces of nature, we will touch
them up free of charge. Just let us know which ones.
Q: This has been bugging me for a while, just exactly why is the
glass in my older home wavy, anyway?
A: There's a reason old windowpanes distort everything: They were made
by rapidly squeezing a sheet of red-hot glass between two hot rollers,
which produced a cheap but uneven pane. British engineer Alastair
Pilkington revolutionized the process by floating molten glass on a bath
of molten tin--by nature, completely flat. Which is why various coatings
(Low-E, among others) on new technologically advanced glass are sometimes referred
to as being on the "tin" side or the "air" side. The
first factory to produce usable float glass opened in 1959; an estimated 90
percent of plate glass is still produced this way.
Q: I see many companies advertising "Low-pressure" or
"Gentle" or even "Soft" pressure washing services.
What exactly does that mean?
A: The use of those terms is actually a smart move, and is a
direct reaction to a problem that has plagued the pressure washing
industry virtually since its inception. In the hands of the inexperienced,
a pressure washer is a very dangerous tool. The inexperienced generally
operate under the assumption that if some pressure is good, more pressure
is better. Experienced operators have all spent a good bit of time
listening to tales of woe from people who thought they were getting a deal
from choosing the lowest bidder.
Q: How is the "low," "gentle" or
"soft" method different from what you do?
A: There is no difference. We employ adjustable nozzles that allow us
to change the pressure delivered according to the surface we are cleaning.
It is important to note that terms like "low,"
"gentle" and "soft" are by their nature relative terms
that don't really mean much unless we know the specific context in which
they are being used. An example of this is The Concrete Network discussing
various concrete cleaning methods, and they state: "A low pressure
water(3000 p.s.i.) cleaning can be used..." (Cleaning Concrete - The Concrete Network).
As we see below, what is low pressure for concrete is five
times greater than what is high pressure for Dryvit. It's fine to
use those terms, just make sure your pressure washer's experience is
commensurate with his adjectives.
Q: How do you know what pressure various materials can withstand
during cleaning?
A: Research and experience. For instance, it is research that tells us
that Dryvit, the leading manufacturer of EIFS surfaces that are
increasingly common on today's homes and commercial structures, states on
their website in the maintenance section that "CAUTION:
If power washing by a professional, keep pressure under 600 psi and use
cold, unheated water. Hold sprayer with a fan-tip nozzle at a 45° angle
from the wall (not perpendicular) and keep spray tip at least 2' 0"
from surface. Also, do not use abrasive hard-bristle brushes."
(Dryvit Systems Inc - Homeowners Maintenance Guide DS235).
Research is something anyone can do, unfortunately, very few bother to do
so. By the same token, it is experience that tells us that vinyl surfaces can actually withstand
higher pressures than brick surfaces under certain conditions. Decorative
face brick is a fragile surface and a professional needs to know the
difference and what those conditions are. That takes experience and there
is no substitute for it.
Q: Do you accept credit cards?
A: Yes, we accept credit cards through an online service called PayPal
that ensures a safe, smooth transaction for both parties. Most people have
a PayPal account already. If you don't, you can check them out at www.paypal.com.
Top of Page
Home Request
a free estimate or more information
|
