Outsourcing the mundane, routine household chores to an outside company may just be the key to a happy household.
Whether you’re looking for some temporary help around the holidays or part-time or full-time household help, hiring a house cleaner requires a little preparation and a lot of interviewing to find the right person or company.
Finding A House Cleaner in Mooresville, NC
“House cleaner and housekeeper — they sound the same, but they actually involve two very different jobs and duties,” Jennifer Troyer, founder of Seattle Green Cleaner, LLC writes at Angie’s List.
“If you think in terms of light-duty work with some organizing thrown in, that’s for a housekeeper,” she explains. Think Alice, on TV’s “The Brady Bunch,” for example.
“If you’re looking for a top-to-bottom cleaning of your home, that’s for a house cleaner,” Troyer concludes.
Aside from asking family or friends for a referral for a good house cleaner in Mooresville, check online at sites such as Angie’s List, Home Advisor, Yelp and Groupon. If all else fails, use Google to find “house cleaners in [the name of your city].”
Preparing For The Interviews
It is good practice to check for online reviews before interviewing a potential house cleaner. Do this at Yelp.com, HomeAdvisor.com, AngiesList.com or, again, Google the company or person’s name with the word “reviews.”
Make a list of questions to ask those you will interview. Following are a few suggestions:
- If you’re hiring a company, ask if they perform background checks on their employees.
- Is the cleaning company licensed and bonded?
- Is there room in his or her schedule to accommodate you?
- Ask for references from current and former clients
- What is the longest period of time the cleaner has held a client?
- How much will each service cost, when and how will you be expected to pay? Will they bill you monthly? Are there extra fees required for certain tasks?
- If it’s important to you to have the same cleaner every time, ask the representative if that is a possibility if you hire them.
- Will the cleaner bring his or her own supplies or are you expected to supply them? Is there an extra charge if they bring their supplies? If the cleaner will use yours, ask for a list of what is commonly used so that you can shop for these items.
Next, make a detailed list of what you expect every time the cleaner visits and another for occasional tasks. For instance, “dust the furniture” is a task most homeowners want performed on every visit. But, “wipe down the top of the refrigerator” may be one that can be done once a month or so.
Finally, make a list of any special considerations, such as what to do about pets, surfaces that require special care or areas that are off limits.
The Interviews for local Mooresville House Cleaners
You will always want the interviews to take place in your home. This way, you can walk-through your home and point out exactly what you expect to be done. Not only will the price quote be more accurate, but you will also get a better feel of the company or persons professionalism than interviewing over the phone.
When you’ve narrowed it down to one or two cleaners, and if they don’t work for a company that conducts criminal and background checks, check out ConsumerAffairs.com’s list of online background check companies with reviews from actual users.
Do inform candidate that you will be running a background check on him or her.
Red Flags for House Cleaners
Everyone gets a gut feeling about someone when the meet face to face for the first time. Most people regret when they have a bad experience and did not listen to those initial feelings Pay attention to what you’re feeling about the potential hire during the interview.
Reconsider hiring any house cleaner who:
- Can’t or won’t provide you with at least three references from current or past clients.
- Refuses a background check
- Has no long-term (more than at least 6 months) clients
It can be challenging to find the right employee or company for any job. When it involves someone coming into your personal home, especially when you are not present, it is crucial to take your time and do your research. If you have any questions after reading this, or want any recommendations from someone who has dealt with all types of real estate contractors, please give me a call. I am always happy to help!
