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Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is house care? National House Care provides “House Care” which can be defined as complete home maintenance, repair, modification and coordination of ancillary house services. back to top 2. What services do you offer? Typical services range from minor repair tasks to assuming 100% of House Care responsibilities for extended periods of time. We offer a wide array of services that can be viewed on our Services Main Menu page. back to top 3. Do your House Technicians actually do the work or is it all contracted out? NHC House Technicians do the work the vast majority of the time. There are times when it’s necessary to call in a specialized tradesman for certain tasks such as major plumbing and electrical issues, installing a new roof, large scale painting projects and more. The goal is to always provide our clients with the highest quality service at fair prices. Sometimes that means calling in a specialist who does the same task every day. back to top 4. Do you do light remodeling projects such as bathrooms, kitchens and basements? Yes, we are happy to provide light remodeling services. We can provide a wide array of remodeling services, just give us a call to discuss your project. back to top 5. Do I have to sign up for a House Care Plan to get service? No, the House Care Plan is just one of the many services we offer. We certainly recommend a House Care Plan for people who lack the time, skills or mobility to properly maintaining their home. back to top 6. Why sign up for a House Care Plan? Why not just use One-Time Handyman Visits? There are many reasons you should have a House Care Plan: Preventative maintenance; seasonal maintenance prepares your home for changing climate and addresses routine maintenance items; problems can be spotted early; lower hourly labor costs; 24/7 Emergency tradesman access; we coordinate third-party services for you; we provide tradesman referrals; and simply having someone you can call with any house care questions is a great benefit. Most importantly you have the peace of mind knowing that your house is being properly cared for. back to top 7. Do you give estimates? We are very good at giving estimates over the phone. Some very large projects require on site estimates. In reality, no one offers a “free estimate”, they must include that cost into the job. If you would like to send them, we are happy to review e-mailed digital pictures which help us give the best estimate for your projects. If you would prefer an on site estimate, we can provide that at our hourly rates, including our call out charge. At NHC we want everything to be upfront and honest; no hidden costs in your project total. back to top 8. Do you markup supplies and materials? We do not like the idea of marking up supplies and materials but the administrative processing costs including record keeping, accounting and inventory management put us in the position where we must charge a minimal 10% administrative markup for all supplies and materials we provide. back to top 9. What is “CAPS” or “Aging-in-Place Specialist”? NHC House Technicians must each complete Aging-In-Place Specialist Certification (CAPS). The Remodelors Council in conjunction with AARP and the NAHB 50+ Council created the CAPS course to educate remodeling and building industry personnel about senior-specific needs and solutions to daily challenges seniors face in their own homes. The application of this knowledge enables us to help each of our senior clients live safely, independently and comfortably in their own familiar environment (aging-in-place). back to top 10. As a House Care Plan Client, can I cancel service at any time? Once you complete your first quarterly service visit you may cancel at any time. NHC will terminate your House Care Plan upon request (phone, e-mail or mail) and billing will cease. If third-party household service providers have been contracted for your property (ex. Lawncare, pest control, etc.) these service providers often require a 30 day cancellation notice. NHC will notify the third-party service providers of your cancellation and will terminate those services as rapidly as possible. back to top 11. Can I just get a House Checkup performed without other services? Yes, we are here for you. Whatever your house care need, just call NHC. back to top 12. I need someone to care for my parent’s house. Can you help me? Absolutely, that’s one of our specialties. NHC House Care Plans are ideal for this situation. We can even create a House Care Plan tailored to your specific needs. back to top 13. Why do you charge an hourly rate as compared to giving a fixed bid price? Generally, companies who give fixed bids will either elevate the total job cost to account for unforeseen circumstances, or will under estimate to get in the door, then once the project is underway they shock you with the added cost, and you’re stuck. Charging only for work that is done is the fairest method for both parties involved. If the contractor bid too low they often just walk off the job and never complete the work, leaving you stuck paying twice for the same job. At NHC we believe projects are best when handled fairly for all parties involved. Hourly rates allow the cost of the job to accurately reflect the work that needs to be done. NHC House Technicians are extremely efficient workers. We provide an estimate of the time required for the project, most of the time we complete the work in less time than estimated, sometimes the project takes longer due to unforeseen circumstances. This hourly rate system is very fair and ensures that no party is taken advantage of on the project. back to top 14. Do you have a minimum call out charge? Yes, a minimum of one hour of service is required per visit. back to top 15. Do you charge a “call out” or “drive time” charge? Yes, this is a must for any viable business. To hire quality employees, we must pay them for their time whether it’s driving to and from your job or working on the job, additionally the “call out charge” helps offset the cost of gas, mileage, and vehicle maintenance back to top 16. If I live outside your service area, can I still get service? Yes. We can travel outside our service area. For clients outside our service area, our call out charge covers the first 30 minutes of drive time. Time in excess of 30 minutes will be billed at our hourly rate. The time beyond 30 minutes will be doubled to account for the return trip. This drive time will be shown as an adjustment on your Visit Report. back to top 17. Do you guarantee your work? We guarantee the work we do. If there is a problem with the repair we made we will correct it. back to top 18. What if I have a pipe that breaks or my heat or a/c goes out in the middle of the night? If you are a House Care Plan Client, you have access to 24/7 emergency electrical, plumbing, heating and air-conditioning service. Just call NHC, our phone system will route you to the 24 hour emergency phone line maintained by the Specialized Tradesman. Tell them about the problem and explain that you were referred by NHC. back to top 19. If I live remotely, how can I be sure a repair is needed? We provide digital pictures for our remote decision makers. We want you to always be knowledgeable of the condition of the house so you feel comfortable making house care decisions. Digital pictures are generally sent by e-mail but can be mailed upon request. back to top 20. Will your House Technicians help with non-repair type items around the house? Absolutely, we are an added set of hands around your house. Just ask if you need furniture moved, something taken out of the attic, help with taking out the trash, or hanging holiday decorations, whatever your need, we’re there to help. If you’re not sure about a service request, please feel free to ask. back to top 21. Will you install grab bars, reinforce railings and other senior safety items? Certainly, that’s part of what we do. We can install grab bars, non slip shower and tub surfaces, toilet support bars, and wheelchair ramps; widen doorways to accommodate wheelchairs; reinforce railings; coordinate the conversion of downstairs rooms for sleeping/bathing purposes; modify showers to utilize hand held sprayers; and many more items. There are a great many things that can be done to create a safer senior home environment at minimal cost. If you have a special request, just ask. back to top 22. How can I get service if I’m not home during the day? Every situation is different, we will work with you for an access solution you are comfortable with. back to top 23. Why do you charge a “service charge” on top of Household Service Provider invoices and Specialized Tradesman invoices when you coordinate these services? Coordinating these service can be quite time consuming. We needed a fair system to cover this time expense. At National House Care the third-party charges on your statement always reflect the actual cost. Any service fees are a separate line item. We are proud to provide you with actual invoices upon request. The goal is an honest system where you know you are paying fair rates with no hidden markups. back to top 24. If I own a vacant house, do I need your services? Absolutely, if you fail to maintain your house it can develop problems that will very likely end up costing far more than the cost of routine maintenance. Imagine if you are trying to sell a house and you haven’t been there to ensure it is maintained, there are a myriad of potential problems that can occur. If your house is for sale you may lose buyers or significant value at the sale from simply not maintaining your house and property. We offer special Vacant House Care Plans that are tailored to meet your house care needs. back to top 25. Do you work with snowbirds? Absolutely, we recognize snowbirds as a group who clearly understand the importance of having a vacant house checked periodically. The stories of mold covered walls from failed air-conditioners, and broken water pipes from the heat going out up north make snowbirds some of our wisest customers when it comes to home maintenance. We are happy to provide service that starts when you leave and ends when you return if that is your preference. Snow birds often prefer our Vacant Economy House Care Plan. back to top 26. Do you handle full property management for rental properties? We do not offer services related to the renter such as finding renters, collecting rent, evictions, etc. We do handle the maintenance, take repair calls from tenants, provide safety checks, coordinate pest control, ensure service providers such as lawn care are doing the job well, revitalize units between tenants and much more. back to top |
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