Pressure washing, concrete cleaning is a quick and thorough way to clean the exterior of your house. Owing to the scale of the operation, you may want to hire a contractor to do the job for you. Then you'll have to make sure the service provider you choose is fully qualified for the task. Otherwise, you run the risk of incurring costly damage to your property.
Selecting a Quality Pressure Washing Service
Outlined below are pointers to guide you in your search for a quality pressure washing contractor. Additional advice is provided as well on how to deal with the contractor of your choice when the cleaning work is in progress, and when it is completed.
1. Equip yourself with a clear understanding of the risks involved in pressure washing and how to minimize these risks. Taking the time to educate yourself thus will enable you to distinguish between the mediocre outworker from the quality contractor.
2. Arrange to meet the contractor in such a way that they evaluate the site to be worked on together with you. Establishing clear communications at this point will help limit the possibility of errors in the estimating process.
3. Consult with several contractors, asking each specific questions about the service to be provided, including procedures, expected results, and the risk of damage. Expect the more professional ones to entertain your inquiries, listen to your concerns, and have questions of their own. They will usually demonstrate some initiative in sizing up the site for you, and make a reasonable disclosure of what they can offer and what they cannot, giving you an almost complete picture of what the job will look like.
4. Request for an outline of the cleaning procedure. This summary of work steps that may come with the estimate or as a separate sheet should prove to be a helpful tool for comparing the different pressure washing services you consult with.
5. Inquire about the service's equipment. Do they own the machines or just lease them from another company? Ownership is an indicator of a long-term commitment to the pressure washing industry, while renting is evidence that they are only an occasional or temporary provider.
Most pressure washers that are for real will be outfitted with apparatus that have at least the following specifications:
-11 to 15 horsepower (HP)
-3000-4000 pounds per square inch (PSI) of pressure, and
-three to six gallons per minute (GPM) of water flow.
A rating of 2000 PSI and two GPM is residential-, rather than industrial-grade equipment.
6. Ask providers to give you a demonstration. Not many providers will accede to this request, as it often requires much time and effort to undertake. It does not mean you should never ask, though. Often, the provider will respond by asking the client to be there during setup instead. During this time, do not think twice to inform the contractor of any qualms you may have about the work to be performed.
7. See that the estimates are formalized in writing. This record should protect both you and the service provider you are hiring. A written estimate provides clarity to the desired service, details expected results, and itemizes cost of labor and materials.
8. When getting referrals, make sure that they lead you to the type of work you want done. If it's your deck you want tidied up, then you shouldn't be receiving a recommendation for a vinyl siding cleaning. Put the referrals you obtain to good use. Get feedback about the prospective contractor's professionalism and workmanship. Ask the person providing you with the referral whether the cleaning process and its outcome were to his satisfaction.
9. Be as fully acquainted as you can be with the contractor's satisfaction and billing policies. Make sure the deposit and payment timetable is clear to you. Don't hesitate to ask what a contractor's policy is in the event you are not satisfied with the service rendered.
10. Check if the provider has liability insurance. Honest-to-goodness pressure washing contractors normally protect both themselves and their customers from the on-site dangers of accident, injury or damage to property.
11. Perform a cost analysis. Your assessment will naturally be a factor in arriving at a decision on which professional cleaner's services to contract. You should more or less get what you pay for, so a deck rub up that costs only $49 or a $99 charge for a thoroughgoing house washing should put questions in your mind about job quality.
After You've Chosen the Cleaner
Once you have contracted the cleaner of your choice, exert every effort to be present when the work is underway and when it is completed.
Do yourself the favor of witnessing first hand the cleaning process and its results, which are usually remarkable. Consult the contractor about any concerns you may still have. Contractors are normally not very inclined to return at some future date just to solve what they believe may be just a minor problem, so let them address whatever you feel needs attention right away. Finally, make a thorough round of the site to inspect it and evaluate the work just completed. For Atlanta pressure washing services click our link.
To sum up your quest for a fully qualified pressure washing outfit to service your home's exterior: Research to build a knowledge base regarding this form of cleaning. Size up each contractor you inquire about, weeding out possible low quality providers, and making the willingness to listen to your reasonable concerns and provide whatever assistance is possible, a measure of true professionalism. Analyze costs. And use common sense all along the way.
