Duncan & Sons' Building Maintenance LLC

Is Cheaper Better?

Thursday, April 21st, 2016

People are always looking for the best deal. Whenever the Sunday newspaper comes out, many people cruise straight to the advertisements to see which items are on sale for the upcoming week at the grocery store. The “Black Friday” mayhem is all about the best deals on technology and appliances (and boy, what people will do to acquire one of those deals!). A teenager looking for their first car to buy with their hard-earned money waiting tables or mowing lawns isn’t going to go straight for the latest model vehicle. All of the above are all about finding the lowest price, sometimes sacrificing quality in the process.

The same applies when searching for a company to service one of the greatest investments in your home – your carpet.

With the mindset of choosing based upon the lowest price, you may be saving money and if that is your objective when choosing a service company, that is fantastic. But if you base your choice of service company on a fair price AND quality, then the cheapest price may not be for you. The old adage, “you get what you pay for”, comes to mind when taking this approach.

If someone is offering a 5 rooms for $99.00 special, it sounds great! But when you step back and think about it, if someone is operating a business and is able to pay for fuel to come to your home, treat your carpet and home with care, spend 2 hours cleaning in your home ensuring that they thoroughly complete all steps as provided by the IICRC, and still make money in the process, then I would love the opportunity to shake their hand and inquire how they do so. Because I can almost assure you that there will be corners cut and you will not be receiving the quality service that you believe you are paying for. Also, the majority of these companies do NOT offer all-inclusive pricing and will upcharge almost every extra thing that you thought would be included. Be sure to ask the company BEFORE they enter your home, if there are any hidden costs or fees. I can not express the importance of that enough!

Here are six other important questions to ask a carpet cleaning company before they enter your home:

1. Have you been trained and certified by the IICRC or similar organization?
   • Someone who has been trained and certified, will know exactly what care your carpet and other furnishings will need. There are certain materials (such as wool, jute, and cotton), that are known as “natural fibers”, and must have special treatment that only an educated technician will know how to implement.
2. Do they provide a written estimate BEFORE beginning the work?
   • Quality service companies will provide you with a written estimate before beginning the work, and also explain to you exactly what procedures they will be using to return your carpet to its original beauty.
3. What carpet cleaning method do you use?
   • Hot water extraction (steam cleaning) is the method most highly recommended by major carpet manufacturers around the country. “Dry cleaning” is preferred by some and also does a quality job. Some companies even offer both services. But to ensure maximum soil removal, hot water extraction is recommended.
4. Are you licensed, bonded, & insured?
   • Improper use of a solution or a careless cleaner could ruin your carpets. Ensure that the company is bonded and insured before they enter your home.
5. How long will it take the carpet to dry?
   • There are several different variables that affect dry time. On average, allow 8-12 hours of dry time. This time will vary based upon humidity, air movement, and carpet fiber type. Some companies will use commercial air movers while working in your home to help speed up the dry time. If your carpet has not completely dried within 24 hours, then a technician error occurred during the cleaning and notification of the company who completed the work is recommended.
6. Is your work guaranteed?
   • Some companies offer different guarantees of their work. The most common of these is a 30-day guarantee that covers any spots that may not look right after the carpet has dried. Again, guarantees vary by company.

I trust that this has been of help to you. If you have any questions or comments regarding the information above or would like more information regarding services we offer, feel free to contact me personally at Luke.Duncan@Duncanandsons.com.