Tips for Choosing an Upper Valley Cleaning Service
Be sure to do your homework when deciding upon an Upper Valley cleaning service. Here are some tips for you to consider before making your decision.
Referrals
Choose a service that has been referred. Choosing a cleaning service is like choosing a dentist. If you are concerned about the safety of your home and belongings, then do your homework and find reputable housekeeping services that have references for you to contact.
Ask your neighbors, coworkers, or family members whom they would recommend. Just like when deciding upon a dentist, keep researching until you are comfortable with the information you gather.
Phone Interview
Interview the service on the phone first. Most cleaning services will come out and walk through your home for a free consultation and estimate of services. Before they get to this step, use a phone interview to ask questions that are important to you.
Good questions are:
- What type of products does your cleaning company use?
- Do you change cleaning cloths between homes?
- Are you insured in case of damage or theft to your home?
- How long have you been in business?
- What is the turnover rate of your employees?
- Do you have a training program?
- What references can you provide for you to call? Always check references!
An Individual, Local Company or Chain
Should you hire an individual a local company or a chain cleaning service? The pros for hiring an individual is the personalized attention to detail they will offer.
Individuals may offer more services such as walking your dogs, and watering your lawns, beyond the usual cleaning. The cons of hiring an individual include, if they become ill or even take a vacation then there may not be a back-up for them. Insurance amounts may not be as high for an individual. Therefore, if you had an incident in your home, they may not be covered fully.
The pros of hiring a cleaning company is they have a team of service people, so the likelihood of a cancellation is minimal. A team of people working on your home at once may make them more thorough. The cons could include, the personalized attention may be reduced, and the time period they spend at each individual home may be less.
The best of both options may be a well-established local company that will provide the attention to detail, is well insured and that has multiple experienced professional cleaners.
The Walk Through
Walk through your home with the cleaning representative. Once you’ve decided to have the housekeeping service/or individual come to your home, remember these tips as you walk through your home.
Before they arrive, keep your home in the “usual” state it would be in before a cleaning job would have normally been done. Many people make the mistake of cleaning up the home before the walk through. This is defeating the purpose because the service will quote you a price based on the amount of work, square footage of home, and how long you need them to stay. If the quote is different than what you really need, this may create a conflict – one that could have been avoided.
During the walk through clarify all of your requirements and get agreement on them.
Final Thoughts
Go with your instincts when hiring an Upper Valley cleaning service. Ask questions that will settle your concerns and don’t be afraid to be honest and candid. Your home, family and belongings should feel safe when in the hands of a housekeeping service.
If you despise cleaning and want to spend less time cleaning and more time enjoying your clean home, then a housekeeping service may be for you. If you feel uncomfortable with the idea of a cleaning service, then this approach to making a selection will help you to pick the right Upper Valley cleaning service for you.
You need to be happy and comfortable with your home. Whether that means hiring a housekeeping service will depend on you and your family.
Enjoy your time and home, that’s what life is all about!