What to ask before you hire a pressure washing company

Pressure washing looks like simple work, and that's exactly why the quality varies so much. Anyone with a machine and a truck can offer it, and the difference between a good job and a bad one is not always visible until the water dries. By then the money is spent. A few questions asked up front, in a phone call or at your door, can save you a lot of regret.

Here are the ones worth asking, using Soldiers Elite Pressure Cleaning of Marietta as a worked example of what a clear answer sounds like.

Are you insured, and for how much?

Water under pressure can break a window, strip a screen, damage a door seal or chip a stair. Ladders and wet surfaces add their own risks. Accidents are uncommon with a careful crew, but they happen, and when they do you want to know who pays.

Ask for the coverage amount and ask to see proof. A company that's insured will not mind. Soldiers Elite states on its site that it carries $1 Million in Liability Insurance, in its words, "We're fully insured." That's a specific figure you can ask about, which is more useful than a vague promise.

What happens if I'm not happy?

A guarantee is only worth something if you can read it and it doesn't come with a long list of exceptions. Ask whether there is one, ask for the exact wording, and ask what you would need to do to use it.

Soldiers Elite publishes this guarantee: "If you are not satisfied with the level of service you received or the work performed, you will receive 100% of your money back. No questions asked." It is short, it names the outcome and it doesn't bury the terms. Whatever company you hire, look for that kind of plain language and be cautious about any guarantee that takes a paragraph of conditions to explain.

Will you actually show up when you say you will?

Reliability sounds like a small thing until you've taken a morning off work and nobody comes. Ask how the company handles scheduling, whether you'll get a window or a time, and what they do if weather moves the job.

Punctuality is the first value on Soldiers Elite's site, and it states the promise this way: "Once you've scheduled your pressure washing service, you can expect us to arrive on time. We make it our mission to stick to our agreed upon schedule." Whatever a company puts in writing on this point, you can call a past customer and ask if it held up.

Who will be at my house?

The person who gives you the quote is not always the person holding the wand. That's not necessarily a problem, but you're entitled to know. Ask who leads the crew on the day, whether the owner is present and how long the people have worked together.

At Soldiers Elite the owner is Raymond Miley, an Army combat veteran, who in his own published words takes "pride in helping current and former soldiers find employment, while at the same time, delivering a quality service to the good people of Marietta and the surrounding area." The company employs veterans and National Guard members. You're hiring people, not just equipment, and it helps to know something about who they are.

How seriously do you take the work?

This is a harder question to ask out loud, but you can learn the answer from how a company talks about the job. Do they ask about your plants and the condition of your siding, or only about square footage? Do they mention surfaces that need less force, like wood decks and older paint? Careful operators tend to ask questions before they quote.

Hard Work is another of Soldiers Elite's stated values: "We'll take your pressure washing service very seriously. We understand commitment and the importance of fulfilling a task to the highest standard." A company that writes this down is setting a standard you can hold them to.

• Are you insured, how much, and can I see proof?
• Is there a satisfaction guarantee, and what exactly does it say?
• How do you handle scheduling, and what happens if rain delays the job?
• Who will be on my property, and will the owner be there?
• What will you do to protect my plants, windows and lawn?
• Can you give me the quote in writing before work starts?

A note on what a good answer sounds like

You don't need a contractor to recite a script. You need clear, direct answers without hedging. Be wary of anyone who dodges the insurance question, refuses to put a guarantee in writing or can't say who will be on the crew. Be equally wary of a quote that arrives before anyone has looked at the property or asked what's being cleaned.

Integrity is the third value on Soldiers Elite's site, and its wording promises "the absolute best pressure washing service possible." Words on a page are a starting point. The real test is whether the company behaves that way when you call.

Soldiers Elite serves Marietta, Acworth, Cartersville, Dallas, Kennesaw, Powder Springs, Rome, Roswell, Sandy Springs, Smyrna and Woodstock. If you'd like to test these questions on a real company, call Ray at (678) 203-2912 or use the contact page, and ask him anything on the list above.