What should the customer know about your pricing (e.g., discounts, fees)?
Our pricing is straight forward. We price our services at fair market value, not too low, not sky high. We provide great service, top quality results, for a fair price. We do offer discounts to first time customers, and for bundled services. We also host monthly promotions which we post on our social media channels. For large jobs, we will require a deposit prior to starting the job.
What is your typical process for working with a new customer?
We have an initial discussion with customers to find out their needs and any concerns they have when servicing their properties. If the job is straight forward, we can quote on the spot. If the job is larger or has multiple services, we will come out to your property to give you a free estimate. We will follow that up with a clear and transparent proposal via email. If you accept, the proposal, we'll contact you to schedule the service at a convenient time. We will not try to upsell you and pride ourselves in providing no-hassle service with a smile. Our technicians are trained to provide you expert advise, so if they see something that might become an issue for you, they will let you know and if we can take care of it, we will. After each service, we provide a full report with pictures of services rendered and follow up with the invoice for payment via email. We provide timely updates via email or text.
What education and/or training do you have that relates to your work?
Our technicians have undergone extensive training and background checks. Our senior technician has an engineering background and over 15 years of experience doing construction, general maintenance and repair, as well as handyman work. Our company owners have an engineering and business/marketing background respectively and have lived in the South Florida area for over 20 years.
How did you get started doing this type of work?
HomeSmiles is a franchise operating over 100 territories across the U.S. and Florida. We always wanted to own our own business and had been looking for a number of years for the right opportunity that would allow us to put our engineering and business & marketing backgrounds to good use while helping the local community. Having lived in South Florida for over 20 years and seeing the boom in the residential and commercial markets, we felt this business provided a perfect fit. Also, having owned our home and done most of the work ourselves for many years, but also having experienced a lot of disappointment when dealing with many contractors that cut corners, take advantage of homeowners, or are just not properly setup (not licensed or insured, don't have the right equipment or training, don't use quality supplies and materials), we saw an opportunity to provide something different: honest, affordable, convenient, and hassle-free service that would leave our customers smiling every time.
What types of customers have you worked with?
The franchise supports small and large customers, from residential to commercial/retail and apartment communities. We provide over 20 different property maintenance services, from pressure cleaning, window washing and gutter cleaning to dryer vent cleaning, major appliances, smoke alarm and garage door inspections and maintenance, and much more.
Describe a recent project you are fond of. How long did it take?
We've done several window cleanings, pressure cleanings, and dryer vent cleanings recently. Families are getting ready for the holidays and to welcome their families and friends, so they want their homes looking nice and clean. Commercial locations also want customers to have great experiences when visiting their restaurants, clinics, and retail spaces. There is nothing better than a welcoming, clean and safe outdoor space to keep them coming back.
The length of time a job will take really depends on what needs to be done (type of service), condition of the area to be serviced, and size of the property. A dryer vent job for a single-family residence can take 1 hr., while most of our bundled exterior services which include pressure washing, window cleaning, gutter cleaning and minor tree-branch removal take anywhere from 2-4 hours. Multi-family units like apartment complexes can take several days depending on the number of services to be done in each unit.
We recently did a dryer vent cleaning at a home in Hollywood. The owners couldn't believe what was coming out of their dryer vent. It was about 15 years of lint collection, dirt and dead roaches. The duct was so packed with debris that it had compacted into a brick and was blocking the external vent. The connector from the dryer to the wall was lose so lint was piling up behind the drying machine, creating a fire hazard. Close to 3000 house fires start every year due to dryer vents. It just stakes one spark!
Bottomline, the homeowner was very happy with our job and recently called us to tell us her dryer is working so much better. That is one of the benefits of proper maintenance, your equipment lasts longer, uses less energy, and works more efficiently...saving you money and avoiding costly repairs. We love hearing those stories and helping homeowners and property managers solve their problems.
What advice would you give a customer looking to hire a provider in your area of work?
Give us a call and try the HomeSmiles difference. You'll be glad you did! Leave those to-do-items to us so you can relax and use your time for things that are more important to you. And if we are not able to help you today, that's ok, we'll be here when you need us next. And please, make sure that whatever vendor you use, is licensed and insured, has the proper equipment and training, and knows what they are doing. Sometimes cheaper is not always better and saving a few dollars can cost you more in the long run.
What questions should customers think through before talking to professionals about their project?
It will depend on the project but do ask about the technicians training and whether they have undergone a background check (especially important if you are doing any interior services), and if they are licensed to operate and carry commercial, auto, general liability, and workers compensation insurance to protect you, workers, and your property of any unintended damages or accidents. And of course, depending on the job you are quoting, make sure you have the measurements and relevant stats on hand (e.g., square footage of the property and space to be cleaned, type of roof construction, # of windows, etc.).