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Do you use your supplies or ours?
We provide all the equipment and supplies. If there is a particular product that you would prefer we use, we are happy to do so if you provide the product.
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Do you check backgrounds of your employees?
Absolutely! We do an extensive reference check and through the Washington State Patrol, we also do a criminal background check.
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How many people will clean my home?
We utilize "Team Cleaning" and generally have 2 to 3 housekeepers working together. We find this an advantage to the client with the team spending less time in your home. The team effort also allows for team verification regarding the quality of work done in your home.
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Will I have the same people in my home each time?
This is an issue of great importance to us as well and the use of a team allows us to have more consistency. At minimum, you will find our supervisor is generally the same person and most times, at least one other Team Member will be consistent.
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Have you ever had a dishonesty issue with any of your teams?
No, we have extremely careful and fortunate. Of course, no company is immune to hiring a dishonest person, but we have every safeguard in place. We employ solid hiring practices and the odds are more than in our favor.
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Types of Housekeepers/Companies and Where We Fit In
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One of the most common ways of having your home cleaned is by hiring an independent cleaning person. The upside to employing such a person is cost. They generally charge between $14 and $17 per hour. Honesty, dependability, and work quality will depend entirely on the person. The downside is lack of backup should a personal problem arise with your housekeeper. Also, being a personal employee, there is not generally insurance or payroll taxes which has some potential for liability.
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A referral company, with rates of approximately $18 per hour, is another home cleaning possibility. You may not realize you are hiring a referral company unless you ask. These companies appear to be a cleaning company, but the housekeepers do not actually work for them; they are subcontracted. If there is a problem with the housekeeper, the company will simply give the contract to someone else. You pay the agency and they give a percentage to the housekeeper. There is often little protection or consistency.
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A Franchise Company is often the most visible. These companies, such as "Merry Maids" and "Molly Maids" are usually managed very well and offer a consistent quality of work. However, because they pay franchise fees and office overhead, they are usually very expensive, ranging from $25 to $28 per hour, and often with minimum charges. Remember, they generally drive long distances to your home.
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The Local Independent Company ( us ). We like to think you get the best of all worlds -- including carpet and upholstery cleaning. Our housekeepers are our employees which protects the client. We have no franchise fees and little overhead allowing us to undersell our competition. Since we dominate a small geographic area, there is minimal driving time and this also allows for close supervision. Given the owners live in the community, our reputation is our most valuable asset and advertising tool. In our case, Fort Lewis is a natural place to recruit spouses to work for us.
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| As you shop for someone to clean your home, ask questions and get references and recommendations. This process will save you future headaches. However, remember, they are often in your home unsupervised. |
