Sad to say, but unfortunately there are some individuals and companies alike that will do or say whatever is necessary to get your money! Although we are in a for profit service business, Aqua Pro Cleaning Solutions still follows this creed....."As a member of PWNA, I believe in fair and honorable practices and pledge to maintain the highest ethical standards in my business, and I obligate myself and my employees to work by the following code of ethics. "I will at all times, conduct my business in a fair and honorable manner. I pledge to represent our products and services as they actually are, to do what I promise and to promise only what I can reasonably do, to compete fairly with others on the basis of the merit of my products and services, and to refrain from making false or misleading statements about my competitors or their products or services......"
I wish everyone else followed a code of ethics too but there always has been and always will be a crooked element in our society that preys on the innocent. This section highlights some of those contractor DONT's as well as some things to look out for. Although we can not possibly think of every scam or lie out there (takes a criminal to think like a criminal) we will list what we have heard or seen. Please feel free to help in building this section by sending us your account of a false claim or scam that have been tried on you. Together maybe we can help save someone else some unnecessary pain.
S-C-A-M-S
1) You'll never have to paint it again!
I recently submitted a thread to a prominent bulletin board that caters to our industry. The question posed to other power washing companies was simple. What scams have you encountered in your professional career? (In so many words) The following is an actual reply. (name removed)
I ONCE let a guy in my house from a "you'll never have to paint your house again" vinyl painting co. gave wife & i a $14,000 estimate (1200 sq/ft) & we in turn gave him an escort to the door... then he dropped it to $11,500 if he could put a promotional "sign" in my front yard... i helped him find the door again....
Despite what people say, there really isn't much of anything (none that I can think of) that is truly maintenance free. 25 years ago, vinyl siding was touted as maintenance free and folks shelled out huge bucks to get on this band wagon for that reason. The reality is most siding manufactures suggest you clean or power wash your siding every two years for proper maintenance. Painted surfaces break down over time as the sun's ultraviolet light and heat bears down on them (oxidizes). As it oxidizes, it turns into a slightly colored, chalky substance. Auto or industrial pollution (petrochemicals), mold and mildew will add to this breakdown.
Be careful when a company makes a claim of "never again". Chances are you will at some point have to do some type of maintenance to whatever it is your having done.
Case in point: There is a nationally recognized company claiming that their "deck treatment" is guaranteed to last 25 years! Man that sure sounds good doesn't it? What they don't tell you is that they add silicone to their product. That's great if your sealing concrete but not so hot when you want to restore your deck after it turns gray again the VERY NEXT YEAR! Silicone is hydrophobic and will prevent water from absorbing into the surface but does nothing to protect against UV damage. Without that needed protection, it will take about a year (most times less) for your deck to start turning gray again. One of the reasons a deck turns gray is that water washes out the natural color and resins. In that respect silicone does help but the UV light will still turn it gray over time. The main problem with this type of coating is that silicone, once in the wood does not come out. The company explained to me that there is 1/64 inch wood surface left exposed that can be power washed/brightened when it does finally turn gray. Ok, and then what about the next year? What if you want to add color to it with a penetrating stain two or three years down the road? The silicone will prevent it from getting in. In my humble opinion, this company is setting themselves up for a class-A!
2) WOW THAT'S CHEAP!
Here is another reply I received....
Person A) "$39.00 house wash with the bullied upsell of everything else. Freakin hacks.............I want to kick them also."
Person B) "Awe c'mon? $39.00? (not the actual reply someone gave-edited to make it clean)."
Person A) "Yep, $39.95 but they upsell like crazy. I've heard it becomes a forced upsell,bad business. The newest one I noticed in today's paper is "We'll beat any bid by 75% with signed contract". I wish I could bid all of the same jobs before they do. I would bid a whole house washes for $15.Then give the customer this ad and say call them,they can beat my price".
Person c) "The $99.00 deck idiots. The same idiots offer "Cedartone Gold" as an upcharge to their victims. This is basically TWP (brand name of stain) Cedartone mixed 1 to 1 with low grade mineral spirits. Gawd,I hate morons................"
Remember the old saying, "if it's too good to be true, it probably is."
There are legitimate offers/discounts that a consumer can take advantage of but the extreme low ball offers like the above scenarios are setting you up for trouble.
3) Where did you say you're located?
Avoid scams & fraud by dealing locally! Beware any deal involving Western Union, Moneygram, wire transfer, cashier check, money order, shipping, escrow, or any promise of transaction protection/certification/guarantee.
DON'T DO THAT!
This section addresses some of the common mistakes the untrained contractor might make. This isn't to say that people don't make honest mistakes or are incapable of making mistakes, but their are some DEFINITE no-no's in our industry that you want to beware of.
1) The 4,000 PSI Bandit! There are some companies that claim they can remove all of the failed stain on your deck without using any chemicals (promoting earth friendly procedures). That means they are going to rely on mechanical means of removal (e.g.. water blasting/sanding). High pressure on a deck/fence, especially cedar will cause unnecessary damage. That much pressure will splinter wood, raise grain and in a lot of cases cause irreversible damage (Pic1, Pic2, Pic3). Then to add insult to injury, they will compensate for this by sanding the entire deck down (if your lucky). The problem with that much sanding is that it closes the pores of the wood, preventing a good penetrating stain from getting into the wood were it does the most good.
2) DON'T aim the power washer at an upward angle when cleaning lap siding. This can drive water behind the siding. Also, the force of the water can lift the siding from the wall. A lot of ill equipped contractor's try to fit a square peg into a round hole when they clean exterior siding with the wrong type of wand. This is common with some painters as well when they wash your house before the new paint job. Or worse yet, your house doesn't get washed or improperly washed before that new paint job. Guess the news, a poorly prepared surface will yield premature failure.
3) Is it dry yet? One common reason deck stains fail prematurely is that it was coated while the wood was still wet. It is possible to wash a cedar deck or fence on Monday and come back to stain it on Tuesday but a moisture meter should always be used to check to make sure the moisture content is below 15% (12% ideally). Don't let someone rush your stain job just because he is moving out of the area. Make sure that the deck or fence is dry!
4) High concentrations of sodium hypochlorite (bleach) to clean siding or wood. This is another no-no. Although, used properly, under certain circumstances with the right dilution ratio, bleach can be an effective tool against mildew, too many contractors use it as the end all cleaner. The primary reason is to save a buck or two. Bleach is relatively inexpensive and their bottom line increases. The downside is the risk for damage increases. A hint that you are dealing with an unqualified contractor is if they say they will be using Chlorine Bleach to "restore" the wood.
5) "Latex Shmatex"- I am so sick of this one. Contractor's that insist a solid color latex is best for a new deck. The forest products laboratory in Madison Wisconsin says different. Latex stain/paint was not meant for an exterior deck! Period. Don't let someone talk you into putting this type of stain on your deck. Unless that is what YOU want. Read the following for more info on the differences. Stain Vs Paint
Things to look for in a contractor:
The contractor should be able to offer proof that they have knowledge of the trade by certifications, affiliations to manufacturers , distributors , franchises , business or trade organizations. Most of the reputable manufacturers and organizations offer courses and/or certifications. A consumer should feel free to ask if a contractor has any of these in their background. Some examples of these maybe, the Pressure Washers of North America(PWNA) , stain and sealer manufacturer certificates or affiliations , the Better Business Bureau , a Chamber of Commerce , or any way to determine they are in fact a "professional" with knowledge of the trade. A professional contractors appearance and conduct is just as important. Look for things like uniforms, logos on items like business cards, stationary, vehicles, etc.. The contractor who gets out of an old broken down car or van with a pressure washer hanging out of the back , who then knocks on the door wearing the clothes they slept in the night before is probably someone you should not hire. Don't be afraid to ask questions like ; Are you affiliated with any organizations? , What are your qualifications? , Do you or your company have any certifications?, What is your experience/ , and What types or brands of coatings do you use and why? , just to name a few.