Owning a home, especially one filled with children and pets, can require frequent cleaning. As this can become a huge burden on the homeowners, many opt to hire a professional cleaning company to take on the task instead. Although having a professional cleaner on board should ease the stress, many homeowners end up finding themselves in predicaments when they haven't done prior research on the company. In this blog, we will go over the top 6 mistakes homeowners make when hiring a cleaning company for residential cleaning.
1. Not reading reviews
Google reviews are the most genuine way to get a feel for the company you are hiring. Generally speaking, companies cannot remove any Google Reviews unless they are proven to be fraudulent. Because you are allowing these people into your home and trusting them with your valuables, we would not recommend hiring a cleaning company with less than 4.5 stars overall. A few bad reviews could be misunderstandings, but if there are enough to give the company a bad overall rating, it would be best to look into a different company!
2. Not verifying insurance
One of the main reasons homeowners choose to hire a cleaning company over an individual cleaner is that they will be fully insured. Of course, this is something you should still verify with the cleaning company themselves. The reason insurance is particularly important when it comes to cleaning is mainly in the case that an employee were to break something in your home, you would be fully reimbursed. This happens more often than you would think so it is always better to be prepared. It will also come in handy in the rare case that an employee were to get injured inside your home. In this instance, the company's insurance will take care of it instead of you.
3. Not setting expectations beforehand
If you are going to be hiring a cleaning company for either a one time deep clean or a bi-weekly regular clean, it's important to set expectations with them beforehand. When speaking to a cleaning company, let them know if you have any specific requests that may not be included automatically in the scope of work so they can confirm that they are able to do it. We always recommend confirming exactly what the company will be able to do within the allotted amount of time.
4. Going for the cheapest option
When looking into cleaning companies in your area, you will see a range of costs, typically anywhere from $20/hr to $50/hr depending on the kind of clean. While paying on the lower end of that may seem ideal for someone looking to save money, it may cost you more in the long run. Someone who is charging a rate in the low $20 to $25 an hour range, likely isn't insured, doesn't provide their own supplies, and isn't a registered business. These can cause more problems than they are worth and aren't likely to provide a quality service regardless. If a company is charging more, it is because they are worth it and are experts in the area.
5. Not shopping around
Sometimes an ad will pop up for a cleaning company which may lead you to book with them once you are ready. Although they may be great, we always recommend shopping around for quotes with other companies as well as reading their reviews. You may end up getting a more affordable option with better service from a different company so it's best to not settle for the first option!
6. Not confirming the cost beforehand
This is where a lot of homeowners can end up feeling scammed. Any reputable cleaning company will be able to get you an accurate estimate beforehand based on the scope of work and any special requests. It is not uncommon for the final cost to be slightly higher or lower than the estimate, however, some cleaning company will drastically change the cost without running it by you during the process. Sometimes, more hours will be required to complete the job well, but this should be ran by you, the homeowner, before they continue. In this case, it's best to get a quote in writing before the clean and keep open communication with the company throughout the clean.
Hiring a cleaning company can make your life much easier, but only when you've done your research and found the company that's best for your needs specifically. We recommend taking the time to read reviews, confirm the scope of work and cost with the company beforehand, and confirm they are registered and insured. At Just Too Clean, we pride ourselves on offering reliable, affordable, and transparent residential cleaning services across Ottawa, Gatineau, Montreal, and Toronto. We offer online instant quotes here, you simply input all your information and what you'd like done so there are no surprises with the bill.