Do I Have To Do Anything Before The Homekeeper Arrives?
This is part of our customized service. Many of our customers pick up clothing, toys and other household items before their homekeeper arrives. Especially at first, the homekeeper will not know where your personal items belong, and some customers prefer that the homekeeper not go into their closets or drawers to put things away. Other customers don’t want to “clean up” before the homekeeper comes. We’ll discuss this thoroughly in our walk through before the first cleaning so that we understand what you want. ^
What If My Cleaning Is Scheduled On A Holiday?
We will contact you to reschedule your appointment. ^
What If I Need To Reschedule An Appointment?
Please call our office at least 48 hours in advance. ^
How Should I Pay For The Service?
We require the payment before we begin cleaning. If you are not going to be at home when we arrive, please leave a check made payable to Mrs. McGuire’s on the kitchen counter. ^
Do You Send Teams Of People In To Clean My House?
No, under normal circumstances we will send one homekeeper to clean your home. If it is an unusually large job, we may send more than one. ^
Do You Send The Same Person Every Time My Home Is Cleaned?
Yes, we almost always send the same homekeeper who will become familiar with your home and how you like things done. Obviously, circumstances sometimes occur, e.g., illness or car problems that prevent that. Each of our homekeepers provides the same consistent service to every customer, so you should feel like you are receiving the same quality service no matter who the homekeeper is. If, at any time, you would like to make a change, please do not hesitate to let us know. ^
Do We Have To Sign A Contract?
No, there are no complicated contracts. The only thing we ask is, if you must cancel a regularly scheduled appointment, that you do it at least 48 hours in advance. Our homekeepers are paid for each home they clean - a cancellation without enough notice to reschedule another appointment directly affects the homekeeper's income. ^
What Time Will The Homekeeper Be At My Home?
We normally work Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. If you require an appointment at a specific time we will need to schedule it whenever you want. Some houses take longer than others and we don't want a homekeeper to leave a house before it is completed in order to keep an appointment with another customer. ^
Do You Carry Insurance For Damage?
While every effort is made to use great care in your home, sometimes accidents do happen. Our homekeepers are instructed to immediately notify our office (and you) if something is broken or damaged so that we can handle the situation as soon as possible. If we should break or damage something, we will make every effort to have the item repaired or if necessary, replaced. We limit our liability to the replacement value, repair cost, or $2500, whichever is less. ^
Do You Provide The Cleaning Supplies Or Do We?
The choice is yours. We realize that most customers already have cleaning supplies and basic cleaning equipment (vacuum, broom, and mop) in their home. We will be happy to use a specific cleaning product that you prefer, especially for a special surface. Many customers prefer that we use their vacuum. Otherwise, we provide our own natural, nontoxic and eco-friendly products. ^
How Do You Get Into My House If I'm Not At Home?
Most of our customers are not at home when we come to clean. We will make personal and confidential arrangements with you on how to gain access to the house. Unfortunately if we are unable to gain access to your house for a regularly scheduled cleaning, we must charge you a fee of $25 to compensate the homekeeper for their loss of time and driving expenses. ^
Do You Check The Backgrounds Of Your Homekeepers?
Yes we do, in fact we will not even consider the engagement of a new homekeeper unless they have a minimum of 4 verifiable references and a stable previous work history. We also do a thorough background search and random drug testing. ^
Why Does The First Time Cleaning Cost More?
It usually takes us longer to clean the house the first time because there are almost always areas of the home that we will be cleaning that haven't been cleaned in awhile. We only charge extra if extra time will be required. We’ll also work within your budget requirements, if necessary, so that the extra work and charges can be spread out over several weeks. ^
What Form Of Quality Control Do You Provide?
Every time we clean your home, the homekeeper is going to leave you a form called a Scoreboard. We would like for you to make sure that all of the items listed on the form have been done in each room that was cleaned. Please return the Scoreboard to our office so the homekeeper can receive credit for a job well done. Points accumulated on the Scoreboard determine who our "Homekeeper For The Month" is. You can also submit your Scoreboard online at our web site. ^
What About My Pets?
We love animals, but sometimes they don't love us. If you think your pet may become overly anxious while we are there, please make temporary arrangements (such as the garage, a kennel, or a closed off room) while we are in your home. ^
