Sunday, January 30, 2011
Washing Windows Is Like Politics ? The Dirt Is Always On The Other Side
In theory.
What actually happens:
Spray on method:
1. Spray ammonia-based proprietary cleaner on the windows. Accidentally breathe some in, then spend the day coughing, gagging and vowing never to do this again. Wrestle with conscience about tipping the ammonia-based product down the drain so you can use the spray bottle for the make-your-own cleaner.
2. Find white vinegar and half a bottle of vodka. Put liberal proportions into rinsed-out spray bottle, with a bit of water. Rummage through dwindling essential oil collection and finally settle on lavender. Shake the lot together.
3. Point spray bottle at window and pull trigger. Pull trigger several more times without effect. Give one final pull while staring at that nozzle wondering what’s going and get a face-full of eye-stinging lavender-scented liquid as it finally reaches the top of the pump mechanism.
4. Eyes still streaming, spray liquid on window.
5. Bolt to kitchen for cloth and realise that they’re all in the wash. Tear off T-shirt, hoping that the neighbours aren’t looking your direction. Use T-shirt to rub at fly spots and finger smears.
6. Swear as you realise that the window is now covered with lint from that T-shirt.
7. Find comparatively lint-free pillow case and a dry T-shirt. Return to window, discovering that the lint is now stuck on the window. Respray with vodka mixture.
8. Buff at window with pillowcase until it is dry and shiny.
9. Notice fly spot in the middle of the window. Crane neck around at odd angles trying to work out which side of the glass it’s on. Decide that it’s on your side of the glass and try to pick it off with one fingernail.
10. Respray window with mixture to remove finger marks.
11. Move onto next window.
Soapy water method
1. Run a bucket of hot steaming water and add a squirt of dishwashing detergent. Assemble soft scrubbing brush and rubber gloves, and find old newspapers.
2. Spot interesting cartoon and undone crossword in the newspaper and spend ten minutes reading old issues. Tear out half a dozen recipes and make mental note about great upcoming movie.
3. Pick up bucket of warm bubbly water and don rubber gloves. Carry the lot outside to windows to be washed.
4. Spot neighbour and start catching up on gossip.
5. Pick up bucket of lukewarm bubbly water and continue to window. Dunk scrubbing brush into water, swirl it around, then apply to window, dripping water all over front of clothes.
6. Discover that soft scrubbing brush had been home to spiders and that their webs are now all over the window. Shake large, angry spider off your rubber glove.
7. Re-dunk brush in the water, apply to window, again getting water all over self.
8. Grab newspaper, resist temptation to read another interesting article you’ve just spotted and crumple it into a ball.
9. Rub newspaper over window until it makes an excruciating squeak and the paper is damp.
10. Move on to next window and repeat Step 7.
11. Try to buff down window with first ball of crumpled newspaper, with the result that the paper starts to disintegrate, smearing bits of paper pulp over window.
12. Repeat Steps 7 to 9.
13. Move onto next window.
14. Change out of wet clothes, rinse detergent out of hair, apply body lotion and hand cream.
Friday, January 28, 2011
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Window Washer in Fort Worth Gives Back to the Community
“While we are very excited about the success of Pane Doctor, we believe in giving back to the community,” says owner Rick Carney. “Pane Doctor has donated free exterior window cleanings for charitable auctions to assist in raising funds for area charities and churches. Arlington Heights UMC, Fort Worth, and White's Chapel UMC, Southlake, are two churches that have auctioned the Pane Doctor’s cleaning services to raise funds for charity.”
In addition, Pane Doctor sponsors the athletic clubs of Keller ISD High Schools, Carroll HS, Grapevine-Colleyville HS via donations and advertising.
‘No one likes to clean windows.’ Everyone has heard it said a million times and everyone can probably relate. No one that is, except for Rick Carney the Pane Doctor. For Rick, it is the therapeutic nature of being outside and making life just a little clearer for someone else that makes him so good at what he does. Rick enjoys summer outdoor fun with his wife and four children, so 00004000 working outside and meeting new people is a bonus for him in the window washing industry.
Pane Doctor Professional Window Cleaning is ready to help clear customers’ views from the inside out all around Fort Worth and surrounding communities. Summer is the time that the shades are pulled up and kids are playing in the back yard. It only makes sense to keep the view sparkling clean.
Pane Doctor, as any true professional window washer should do prior to creating a clear view for summer, offers customers a free estimate before ever raising a squeegee or hoisting a ladder. This gives customers peace of mind prior to the cleaning and an understanding of what will be included to achieve an outlook worth having.
The good news: the bang for the buck. While there are variables than can affect the cost, the average cost is $5-$9 per window for a basic double-hung window. In addition, Pane Doctor is offering a summer special of 20% off if clients book their window cleaning by 7/31/07.
Pane Doctor, Rick Carney, makes his customer's windows sparkle with environmentally safe cleaning methods that are sure to leave everyone's views much clearer and their pocket books extremely happy.
“We look forward to meeting you and assisting you and your family with your
window cleaning needs from the inside out. May all of you views be clear!”
About Pane Doctor Professional Window Cleaning Company
The Pane Doctor Professional Window Cleaning Company serves Fort Worth and surrounding Texas communities. Pane Doctors’ impressive client list includes homes in Glenwyck Estates, Oakmont, Tuscany Terrace, Arlington Heights, Wildwood, Westover Hills, Danbury Estates, Vaquero, Miravista, Montserrat, Monticello, Ridglea Hills Country Club Estates, Hidden Lakes, Highland Park, University Park and many other prominent neighborhoods in Tarrant, Denton and Dallas Counties.
Pane Doctor is a member of the International Window Cleaners Association and Master Window Cleaners of America.
Contact:
Rick Carney
817-797-7226
panedoctor @ hotmail.com
www.panedoctor.net
Source:http://hostsbuys.com/web/O5305237O1/view685364787
Window Cleaner get stuck on 29th story high building
NAPLES, Fla. - Picture this...a window washer on 29th story of a Naples condo gets stuck. Who saves him? The City of Naples firefighters put on a training exercise for high rise situations like this, and WINK News got first hand practice.
"A window washer is the most common. They go over the side of this building, and they start cleaning the windows, and they have a medical emergency or their equipment fails we can come and set up this kind of repel. Repel down to them, pick them up, put them on our safety lines and lower them down," Naples Battalion Chief Pete DiMaria explains of today's training exercise.
Naples Fire does this type of training often, but the buildings usually don't go over three stories. Today, crews have the added risk of descending down one of Naples' highest condos, the Enclave at 29 stories high. The last time they got to practice on a building this tall was three years ago.
In an emergency situation, rescuers have to get all rigs and harnesses set up, and start repelling to their victim in as little as 20 minutes. But, the scarier part may be the decent. Sometimes rescue workers have to get down in under 30 seconds.
Thankfully, Naples Fire hasn't had to put this training to use on anyone, but they're ready when and if the time comes.
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Window washing consultant earns $20,000
ORLANDO, Fla. (WOFL FOX 35) - We're continuing to examine the ways tax dollars are being spent at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts. We've learned the group plans to spend $20,000 on what is being called a "window washing consultant." The news did not sit well with Owen, owner of C&H Garage in Orlando.
"Well I think we ought to do the logical thing. If the windows are dirty, just wash 'em and get it over with. If they're not just keep the $20,000, and forget it.... I'd like to have some of the 20 grand though. I think the windows are OK."
The money will not actually be used to tell people how to wash the windows once the $383 million building is complete. It will go to having a consultant come in and explain where to put anchors on the roof. Those anchors would then be used to hold the window washers safely as they hang and clean the windows.
This money is being spent in the hopes of preventing an accident that would bring in the federal agency OSHA. There is also a $5,000 line that would cover any expenses the consultant would incur. The contract has not yet been awarded.
Source:http://www.myfoxorlando.com/dpp/news/orange_news/011811-Arts-Center-spending-20K-on-window-washing
Saturday, January 15, 2011
ROOF FALL PROTECTION KIT 50 FT$149.00
$149.00
Kit includes the following items:
50ft of 1/2 inch rope
1 x Manual rope grab
1 x Full body harness
1 x Shock absorbing lanyard
1 x Quick connect carabiner
1 x Roof anchor
Size: (M-L)
WARNING:
Windows101 strongly recommends professional training in the use of fall protection safety equipment. Windows101 is not responsible for accidents resulting from the use of this equipment. Read instructions prior to use.
http://www.windows101.com/shop/product_info.php?cPath=94_129&products_id=1305
A real high flying position
Daily Telegraph reporter Tim Vollmer tries out being a high ropes window cleaner. Picture: Jeff Herbert Source: The Daily Telegraph
MY MIND is racing as I scramble over the edge of the office building's roof -- the street below now worryingly distant -- with just two strands of rope, no thicker than a finger, all that is holding my weight.
I struggle to slide into a small wooden seat, clip my full body harness on to it, then am handed the tools of my trade for the day -- sponge, small bucket and squeegee.
With the rise of glass-covered multi-storey towers has come a new job, the high-rise window cleaner, requiring a handful of brave souls to dangle anywhere up to 100m in the air from a flimsy-looking rope, washing away the city's grime.
"The gear doesn't fail . . . usually," Safetek director and my boss for the day Jan Kroupa says reassuringly, seeing my nervous eyes glancing at the collection of carabiners, descenders and safety lines hanging from my body. We've attached our ropes to two anchors on the roof, which I'm told is actually the biggest safety risk, as the team's mechanical test kit regularly uncovers unsafe bolts that could give way.
We've already tested for wind -- using the hi-tech technique of spitting from the roof and watching where it falls -- ensuring we work in the right direction and don't have drips blowing on to clean sections of glass.
Through the glass I can just make out the office workers at their desks, with a few of the women giving a wave and a smile, but most oblivious to the pair of spider-men clinging to the window.
The actual washing is an artform, with the window quickly covered in suds before I attempt the surprisingly difficult task of wiping it off with the squeegee using a single unbroken motion.
We give the edges a quick wipe, again to stop drips, then lower ourselves down slightly and start the process over.
Each strip is about 2m wide and experienced guys can do much more, swinging across and jamming their skyhooks into crevices on the building.
I've picked an easy day for it, with almost no wind and mild weather. On a summer scorcher the task becomes substantially harder, with a surface temperature of more than 60C giving just seconds to do the whole task before the water evaporates.
For Jan, the biggest challenge is finding good staff.
"For some reason this industry attracts a lot of weird people," he says.
I can't imagine why.
Source:http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/a-real-high-flying-position/story-fn6bm90q-1225987411442
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Warning over 'window cleaners' scam (New Zealand)
Christchurch police are warning people to be cautious about employing door-to-door window cleaners, after recent approaches to householders in the New Brighton area.
Police were concerned the "cleaners" may be attempting to identify empty or vulnerable homes as burglary targets, said northern Christchurch area commander, Inspector Dave Lawry.
A group of two or three men had approached householders in New Brighton and had been seen observing other properties, he said.
The men did not appear to be linked to any recognised cleaning company and seemed to be approaching local properties at random.
"We urge householders to be cautious. There's a strong possibility that these window cleaners are using the business as a ruse to approach houses and establish if they are unoccupied.
"Where they do undertake cleaning, they may be using the opportunity to identify items of interest inside or around the property for future burglaries."
People should be cautious about who they let onto their properties, ask any door-to-door window cleaners for identification, and report any suspicious approaches to police.
Source:http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/4534476/Warning-over-window-cleaners-scam
Woman assaulted by window washer (Australia)
Police are appealing for witnesses, after a woman was attacked by a window washer at a busy Melbourne intersection at the weekend. The 29-year-old woman had stopped at the intersection of Alexandra Parade and Nicholson Street in Fitzroy around 12.15pm (AEST) on Sunday afternoon, when she was approached by a window washer.
Police say the man opened the victim's car and unlawfully assaulted her.
The man police want to speak to is described as Caucasian, in his early 40s with light brown scruff hair.
Source:http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/01/12/3111091.htm?site=melbourne
Sunday, January 9, 2011
How to Clean and Maintain Polyvinyl Shutters
Shutters made of polyvinyl can also help you lower your electric bills. This is because they are great insulators. They can effectively keep the warmth or coolness inside your home, which lowers your energy consumption when your heater or air conditioning is turned on. Although polyvinyl window shutters are extremely durable, you still have to care for them properly to make them last much longer. Properly maintained window shutters do not only prevent damages. They also keep your home beautiful. If you want to know some tips for cleaning and maintaining your polyvinyl shutters, you should check out the following sentences.
One great thing about vinyl shutters is that they can be easily cleaned. One of the best ways to clean vinyl shutters is to wash them with warm soapy water. Avoid using bleach or strong detergent to prevent fading. You can use a soft cloth or sponge Make sure that you remove any large debris before washing your shutters with water. Choose a mild detergent that is suitable for cleaning vinyl.
Before washing your shutters, you can decide whether you want to remove them from the window and wash them in the sink or on the ground, or leave them on the window and wash them using hose or sponge. It is advisable to take them down especially if they are installed in your home's interior. You do not want your furnishings or carpeting to get soaked in water while you are cleaning your shutters. Just make sure that you know how to properly remove and reinstall your shutters.
For exterior shutters, you can use a garden hose to rinse off dust and dirt. Make sure that the hose is long enough, especially if the shutters are installed on your higher windows. You can use a ladder if the windows are too high for you to reach and see clearly. You should avoid using high-pressure hose because too much pressure can damage your vinyl shutters.
To dry your polyvinyl shutters, you can just leave them after washing. It is better to air dry than to dry them under the sun because sun drying can cause fading . If you want to hasten the drying process , you can use a clean dry cloth to wipe the wet surface. Choose a cloth that will not leave lint on the shutter.
Source:http://www.tchouse.com/archives4/Art/38710/117/How-to-Clean-and-Maintain-Polyvinyl-Shutters.html
Saturday, January 8, 2011
DI TANK with RESIN $195
DI TANK with RESIN $195DI TANK with RESIN 1.3cf.
This tank is for the Do-It-Yourself person. All it needs is the fittings to turn it into a purification system. It comes with single use mixed bed resin.
Capacity: 1.3 cubic feet approximately
Exterior measurements are: 46" x 8" x 8"
Buy it here:http://www.windows101.com/shop/product_info.php?cPath=74_176&products_id=1611
Philadelphia VA Medical Center is seeking a qualified Window Washing company for Exterior Window Glazing
The job will consist of two (2) washings/glazings only (one washing in April; one washing in September).
Read more:https://www.fbo.gov/index?s=opportunity&mode=form&id=96d732441c466ee8c772ae1c9d798754&tab=core&_cview=1
Friday, January 7, 2011
The Washington Post Paves the Road to Service Alley
Residents of the Washington, D.C., area in need of home-care professionals can now take a stroll down Service Alley, a new online marketplace from The Washington Post.
Service Alley allows users to find, research, and contact local home improvement resources, as well as to keep records on contractors and view other users’ favorites. Logging in with Facebook allows users to see recommendations from friends.
The site is organized into three categories: Inside the Home, covering bath and sink, designing and decorating, drywall and insulation, locks, piano service, pest control, remodeling, and windows; Outside the Home, which focuses on concrete and paving, decks and outdoor structures, drainage, excavation and demolition, solar energy, and trees and shrubs; and Cleaning Services, including carpet and upholstery, ducts and vents, gutter cleaning, hazardous removal, pressure washing, and window cleaning.
The Washington Post director of new digital ventures Tim Condon said:
Service Alley is something Washingtonians need. We’ve created a trusted, comprehensive marketplace of D.C. home-improvement providers, all for free. We all want to be able to trust the service providers who work in and on our homes. Service Alley allows you to see which contractors your friends have used and recommended, and even keep track of those providers for future use. We’re always thinking of ways to provide our readers with useful tools, and we’re excited to launch Service Alley.
Source: http://www.mediabistro.com/webnewser/the-washington-post-paves-the-road-to-service-alley_b11164
Use Coupons To Help Your Window Cleaning Business
One sunny afternoon as I was standing outside a movie theater, a man in an apron came passing around coupons for his small ice cream shop across the street – A free scoop of ice cream when you buy two scoops at the regular store price. I immediately knew I was going to pay them a visit when the movie was over (true story).
That coupon for a free scoop of ice cream brought me into their ice cream shop for the very first time (and it definitely wasn’t the last). So what does this have to do with your window cleaning business? Coupons are a excellent way of attracting new AND life-time customers! They’re very practical because of being cheap to print and easy to distribute. If your not thinking of going all out you can print them on your own computer at home, maybe even pay to have them put in your local newspaper or the penny saver. You can have them delivered to local (high end) households through the post office. Put them under windshield wipers of parked cars (although this might seem annoying at times it’s good for local promotion), or pass them out to local storefronts.
Passing out coupons is one thing, but making a coupon that ACTUALLY WORKS is another. Before you start ordering coupons or using up all your printer ink think of an appealing offer. Why should they call you? What benefits come from having their windows cleaned? You DON’T want a coupon that just tells the public what you do for a living, you want a coupon that will give them a reason to pick up there phone and call you. Make your add stand out from the competition. For example almost all Temecula window cleaners in my area offer free screen washing, who REALLY cares? You’re trying to STAND OUT and be noticed (don’t get me wrong free screen cleaning is a good bait, BUT you have to admit its getting old), how about free hard water removal? Obviously not on all the windows, but why not the first one or two? How many window cleaners do you know of that make that kind of offer?? EXACTLY… You might have lost the twenty/maybe thirty dollars clearing up hard water spots on two windows but what could you have gained? The profit from the rest of the house? A referral from a very happy customer? A LIFE-LONG customer?
Don’t trick yourself into thinking the only way you’ll make money is to be stingy with your pricing, offers, and coupons. Think outside the box with your offers, and you’ll end up with a foot in over all your commercial window cleaning competition.
Source:http://www.articlesbook.com/use-coupons-to-help-your-window-cleaning-business/
Thursday, January 6, 2011
Tips for Operating a Successful Window Cleaning Company
Window cleaning is a business opportunity that is lucrative, but not over saturated with competition. Starting a window washing company is not difficult, but it does require more than a bucket and a vague idea. Operating a successful window washing company involves planning, training, and the drive needed to get any new business off of the ground.
Don't Waste Money on a Window Washing Franchise
There are several window cleaning franchises that offer interested people an opportunity to purchase their own window washing business. The business is often branded with a name that is locally recognized. The new owner is able to run their own business, while receiving limited support from the home company. The problem with franchises is that they often cost thousands of dollars, and usually make the franchise owner follow certain company guidelines on billing, guarantees, and prices. Being forced to follow corporate rules often reduces the franchise owners ability to compete with other local businesses.
Take a Training Class
Starting and running a window washing business might look easy, but without any experience it will be hard to make the new business a success. Training classes are much more affordable than purchasing a franchise, and most offer the same benefits. Reputable window cleaning training schools offer hands on training, full support, and programs designed to help window washing beginners and business owners who want to expand their current knowledge.
Never Hesitate to Ask for Help
Once you've started your business, you might still need some help. When you realize your new business isn't making as much money as expected, or you are having problems keeping your clients happy take a step back and try to figure out where you might have gone wrong. If you can't figure out what you're doing wrong, consult your training school or attend a training course for the first time. Sometimes an outside pair of eyes are needed to establish what exactly isn't working.
Have you been thinking about starting your own window cleaning business? If so, http://www.windowcleaningtraining.com teaches practical knowledge to window washing beginners, and to those who have some window cleaning experience.
Source: http://ezinearticles.com/?Tips-for-Operating-a-Successful-Window-Cleaning-Company&id=5654465
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Great Deals on Rubber!!!!
Window Cleaning: It is Easier to Hire a Professional
By 4u Articles 
Picture by –Tico–
Cleaning windows is the most exhausting position actually. You clean them and the subsequent point you know the sun is shining by means of your windows showing each and every and each streak you have created. When I clean windows it basically means I move the dirt, grime, bugs and these close to. I feel I have performed a great task. When I stand again to seem at my clean windows I recognize it is always greater to call in the experts. I have appear to a conclusion that I wouldn’t run on a particular person since I am not a surgeon. I am not a window cleaner so I must not wash windows.
There is a technique that window washers use that I just cannot master. I have tried Windex with paper towel, Windex with newspaper and a squeegee with soap and h2o. None of which have developed streak no cost windows. How is it that specialists are able to get windows so clean and streak free of charge? Speaking with skilled window cleaners I have identified they comply with some particular ideas in cleansing windows creating their customers windows crystal clear.
Follow these tips to check out to recreate a expert window cleansing position. Or you can do what I do and call the pros. I know now that I won’t ever waste my time trying to clean windows myself ever again. Depart what you can not do effectively to the expert. That is my new motto.
Tips from Skilled Window Cleaners:
Make investments in quality resources. Measure your windows and use devices distinct for the size of your window. More compact windows need a little squeegee and a big squeegee is required for greater windows. It is also crucial to devote the further funds to get top quality products. Quality resources will conserve time and aggravation throughout the window cleaning approach.
Don’t wash windows in the immediate sunlight. The sunlight will result in it to dry before you are able to remove the cleansing solution leading to these dreaded streaks.
If you use paper towel or newspaper to wipe up left over drip page and your squeegees make certain to maintain the components dry. If the paper towel gets to be damp get a new one.
If you perform the squeegee on an angle instead of straight up and down or aspect to aspect you will be less probably to have streaks on your windows.
Do the inside windows 1st. Dirt collects on the outside of windows which will leave your cleaning supplies dirty. This is why professionals often start on the inside.
If you comply with all of these measures and nonetheless finish up with windows that leave you wanting greater call the specialist. Not only will hiring a specialist save you time but also the tension and hassle of undertaking this challenging position oneself. Specialists also take the time to clean the screens. Clean windows with dirty screens depart significantly to be preferred. If you can’t see out of the window because of dirty screens what is the advantage of possessing clean windows? Professionals also do a thorough job of cleaning the inside of the sill and track which alleviates the probability of windows sticking from the gunk that tends to develop up more than time.
Cleaning windows is one position I like to depart to the professionals. The further expense saves equally time and stress that would be caused from cleansing the windows on my individual. I know the outdated declaring practice can make best and I do feel that in most conditions this is correct. I have experimented with and tried once again and have but to master the method of window cleaning. I have made the decision to depart this up to the experts. Excellent luck on your window cleaning journey. If window washing frustration finds its way into your existence do what I do and call the pros.
If you have appreciated this article from Kevin Germain at CPS please check out http://www.truecleaning.com these days exactly where you will locate useful information on window cleansing.
Get Your Home Ready for the Spring Real Estate Market
If you’re thinking of selling your home in the spring market, you should start early to get it sale-ready. Depending on the upgrades your home needs, it could become very time consuming to complete them especially if you try to do the work in between your day job and family activities.
Major overhauls like redoing bathrooms and kitchens aren’t necessary in order to sell your home. If your bathrooms and kitchen could use updating you should consider whether spending the money to do it will result in a good return on your investment. The most conservative approach to selling an outdated home is to price it accordingly. Don’t expect to list it at the same price as the other homes for sale that have had upgrades.
Even if yours doesn’t need updating there are a few minor changes you can make that will have a good return on your real estate investment. The most significant changes you can make include:
- Updating the flooring
- Adding a fresh coat of paint
- De-cluttering
- Cleaning like there’s no tomorrow
These sound easy to accomplish on paper but getting them done is another matter. You can begin by assessing what needs to be done and doing so early in the year. Consult with your Realtor and seek their advice on considering a professional home stager.
If you plan on re-carpeting or having other flooring changed, you will need to allow plenty of time to do so before listing your home for sale. Changing the flooring will require moving the clutter first and it is better to paint before redoing the flooring. That means you’ll need to hire a painter and flooring professional or set aside a significant amount of time to do these chores yourself.
Updating Flooring
You will need to allow time for choosing a flooring specialist to work with. Aside from visiting their gallery to see samples, you will need to allow time for measuring, time to choose the flooring, and time for them to get a written quotation back to you. If you plan to compare quotes, you will need more time for extra appointments.
Flooring professionals need lead time to order your product and to book their service crew. Some flooring experts will book you within a couple of weeks while others will need several weeks’ notice. Set a target date for your flooring installation with a goal to have it completed a week or two before you want to show your home. You won’t want to leave time for the new flooring to become soiled or for pets to damage it before showing your house.
Re-Carpeting
Re-carpeting is a good option if you already have carpet. It is less costly and you will get a better return on your investment than if you replace all your floors with hardwood. Hardwood floors are the modern trend and may help your home to sell quicker, but the amount you’ll be able to raise your asking price to is usually marginal compared to the exorbitant cost of laying the hardwood. A carpet professional can help you choose something current and inexpensive that is suitable for showcasing your home for sale.
Painting
If you’re hiring a professional painter, allow time to get estimates. It can be frustrating when a painter you’ve booked for an estimate cancels his visit because he’s taken on a bigger job. It is important to allow time for problems like this.
Choosing the paint colours themselves can become very time consuming when trying to find a happy medium between neutralizing your home’s colours, keeping them modern, and complementing existing or new furniture and fixtures.
Once you’ve chose your colours and are ready for the painting to begin you will need time to pick up the paint and supplies and do prep work unless a painter will be doing it for you.
A professional may also notice things you should repair such as cracks in ceilings or walls. It is important to repair cracks, drywall tape that may be lifting, and to repaint any ceilings marred by smokers. Drywall repair compound or similar products will need drying and sanding time. Priming and repainting ceilings is very time consuming.
As you can see, a good paint job means more than slapping a new paint colour on.
De-Cluttering
Once the walls are painted and the flooring laid you will need a day or two to finish de-cluttering closets, crawl spaces, the garage and so forth. You may want to rent a portable storage unit to temporarily remove items from view. You’ll need a day or even a week of lead-time for delivery of the bin, a day or two to load it, and another appointment to have it taken away to the storage facility.
Cleaning
The more you can clean the better. You may want to consider hiring a cleaning service to clean specific areas like your appliances or washrooms and kitchen in order to conserve your energy.
A professional window washer that cleans both the indoors and outdoors will bring that extra sparkle to your home making it look fresh and new.
Setting Deadlines
In order to achieve the best results in a timely way, it is important to draw up a schedule outlining deadlines:
- Start by choosing what you feel is an ideal listing date. Then work backwards.
- Allow a couple of weeks to clean your home and stage your furniture just before showing it and for an appointment with your realtor to finalize your contract.
- Set a deadline for having the flooring completed allowing a six-week period to get the process going.
- Set a two to four week period before that for painting.
- Often floor baseboards need removing prior to flooring changes. Removing, touching them up and reinstalling them will gobble up another day or two.
- Allow several days to de-clutter and complete other repairs.
As you can see, to accomplish even a minor overhaul needs several weeks or months of lead-time. The spring market is a hot selling time you won’t want to miss. Getting your home into sale condition early is very important if you want to capitalize on the rush of buyers hunting down their perfect home.
In today’s competitive real estate market, it pays to be prepared. When you make minor changes to your home, you will have more peace of mind, you will receive more traffic, and you will get better results. Allow plenty of time by starting early in the New Year.
Sunday, January 2, 2011
Underground Economy
State Ups Scrutiny On ‘Underground Economy’
On July 1 Richard Power got a surprise visit from two state investigators, who whipped out their badges and asked Power, owner of Worcester-based Commonwealth Environmental Services, to show proof of his worker’s compensation insurance.
Power, a former member of the U.S. Air National Guard, always tries to keep his business paperwork up to date, including worker’s comp, unemployment insurance and businesses taxes.
But there had been a mistake: Power’s worker’s comp policy had expired, unbeknownst to him.
The state investigators ordered Power to immediately stop working until he could show proof of insurance. Within a week Power obtained a new policy and he was able to go back to work.
He had to pay a $900 fine and was barred from bidding on any public projects for one year.
Situations like the one Power found himself in have become increasingly more common in the last year as the state has ramped up enforcement of the so-called “underground economy.”
The label describes businesses that, for whatever reason, are not up to date on mandatory businesses expenses or have misclassified employees as contractors. Doing so allows businesses to save significant costs related to insurance and benefits. State officials claim that some businesses do it purposely to save a buck. But many business owners claim, like Power, that it’s all an honest mistake.
Whatever the reason, the state is finding these businesses and has increased fines against companies by more than fourfold in the last year.
Enforcing Fairness
In March 2008, Gov. Deval Patrick signed Executive Order No. 499, which established the Joint Enforcement Task Force on the Underground Economy and Employee Misclassification (JTF). The program combines resources from more than a half-dozen state agencies.In 2009, the first full year of the program, the task force collected $1.4 million in revenues through fines. But 2010 proved to be a banner year with the state collection nearly $6.5 million, including more than $2 million in fines levied against businesses with lapsed policies or no unemployment insurance at all.
For the thousands of businesses that have been cited by the task force, getting caught by the JTF means anywhere from a $100 fine up to tens of thousands of dollars in penalties and possible probation.
While some businesses say the issue is a simple oversight in paperwork, state officials say other businesses appear to have purposely skipped on paying employee costs in an effort to boost their bottom line and to gain an edge on companies that are complying with the laws.
“If there’s one word to describe what we’re doing, it’s ‘fairness,’ ” said George Noel, the state’s director of Labor and chair of the JTF. “It’s fairness for employers, for the employees, for the consumers and the taxpayers. We’re trying to make sure that everyone is on a level playing field, because the people that are playing by the rules end up subsidizing the ones that aren’t, and that’s just not fair.”
Ulterior Motives
While state officials insist that the increase in fines levied against businesses has been done out of fairness, some business advocacy groups say there is an obvious reason for the increased enforcement in this year.“With all the revenues that have been lost at the state, they’re looking to make it up wherever they can,” said Michael Lanava, business resource manager for the Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce.
The JTF’s work shows that either there are more companies not following the laws or the state has become much better at finding them. Noel said it’s a combination of both.
Another part of the increase in fines is because of the state’s comparatively strict standards related to employee classification, according to David Felper, chair of Worcester-based law firm of Bowditch & Dewey.
“Massachusetts has one of the strictest standards in the nation to determine the classification of employees,” he said.
If a worker is classified as an independent contractor, a business does not have to pay for unemployment insurance, worker’s comp and other benefits. That can add up to big savings for a company.
A worker can only be an independent contractor if they perform work outside the regular nature of the business, if the hiring business does not control the way the job is performed and if the laborer considers himself an independent worker. Other states and the federal government have looser definitions.
So, for example, a law firm cannot hire a lawyer and call them an independent contractor, because that is within the purview of what the law firm does. The firm could, however, hire a window washer as an independent contractor.
Skirting on the laws, while it may save money, can hurt employees who lose out on benefits they are guaranteed by law, state officials say.
For some businesses, not complying with these laws is not an issue of purposely misclassifying workers to skirt the law, rather it may have just come down to an honest paperwork error.
That’s what Debbie Ferdella claims happened with her business, Dick & Paul’s Auto Body, a small, family-owned West Boylston Street repair shop in Worcester.
In mid-August Ferdella was sitting at her desk when two investigators from the state came in and asked to see proof of the business’s worker’s compensation insurance.
Ferdella, thinking that she had an up-to-date policy, was surprised by the inquiry.
“I was quite shocked,” she said. “I was under the assumption I had it.”
Her insurance broker, she said, mixed up some paperwork. She thought that her garage liability insurance needed to be renewed, not her worker’s comp. In fact, it was the other way around.
Because of the mix-up, the shop had to close for a week while Ferdella resolved the issue.
While Ferdella said it’s conceivable some businesses may be attempting to skirt worker’s comp laws, she said that was not the case for her.
“This is a minimal line item, in the grand scheme of things,” she said. “It’s not worth it for me to skip out on it.”
Ferdella said instead of slapping the business with a $1,900 fine, as Dick & Paul’s was, the state could have been more sympathetic to the situation. She reinstated the insurance as fast as she could, she claims, but each day she didn’t have a policy the fine grew by $100.
“I think they were a little hard on us,” Ferdella said.
The Good Guys
Power, with Commonwealth Environmental, who was hit with a $900 fine, feels differently. He said he’s happy to see the state cracking down on businesses, even his own. It’s important for him to have a current worker’s comp policy to protect his business in case a worker does get injured. Without worker’s comp, the business could be liable for much larger medical expenses if an accident did happen.For businesses that are up to date on all of their insurance policies, they’re happy to see the state taking action.
Jim Donlevy, for example, owns a custom granite countertop business on Nashua Street in Worcester and said he’s lost out on customers to other companies that he believes misclassify workers as independent contractors.
While competitors may build the stone or granite to a custom size, they have other workers that install the countertops in clients’ homes.
Some businesses classify the installers as independent contractors so they don’t have to pay worker’s comp, unemployment insurance or benefits for them. Doing so allows them to offer more competitive bids compared to Donlevy, which means he loses out on customers.
“It’s a huge savings (if you don’t pay those costs),” Donley said. “And they’re not independent contractors, they’re employees.”
Donlevy’s happy to see the JTF increase its enforcement: He’d like to see them go even further.
“Ignorance of the law is not an excuse,” he said. “This is part of doing business. You have to know the rules."
Source:http://www.wbjournal.com/news48097.html