What to Do When You Cannot Reach a Contractor After a Job
A homeowner in one of the outer towns had the house washed in late spring. Three weeks later the shaded north elevation had greened up again and a gutter end cap was hanging loose. She called the number on the invoice four times over eight days. By the fourth call the voicemail box was full. […]
What to Do When Sales Tax Was Not Charged on Your Connecticut Invoice
A homeowner on a street of 1960s colonials called us late last spring, after the wash was already done by somebody else. She was not calling to complain about the work. She was holding a handwritten invoice with a single number on it, and she wanted to know whether that was normal. It is a […]
What to Do When a Contractor Cannot Produce Proof of Insurance
What to Do When a Contractor Cannot Produce Proof of Insurance Three quotes on the kitchen counter of a 1960s split-level in Newington. Vinyl siding, a tall maple leaning over the back roof, and one of those quotes several hundred dollars under the other two. At the door the homeowner asks the question everybody asks: […]
What to Do When the Final Bill Exceeds the Quote
What to Do When the Final Bill Exceeds the Quote A woman on a quiet Newington street of 1960s split-levels met us at the door on a Tuesday morning holding the printed quote in one hand. Big maples over the north side of the house, coffee still going inside. She did not say good morning […]
What to Do When the Crew Does Not Show Up
What to Do When the Crew Does Not Show Up The patio set came off the deck the night before. Both cars were pulled down to the street by 7:30 for an 8am to 10am window. By 10:45 there is no truck in the driveway and no call on the phone, just a mid-century ranch […]
What to Do When a Newington Contractor Damages Your Landscaping
If a contractor damaged your landscaping, flush the affected plants and soil heavily with fresh water right away, then photograph and video everything with timestamps before removing anything. Notify the contractor in writing, request their certificate of insurance, get an independent written assessment, and set a firm response deadline. A Newington Cape in Late April […]
What to Do When Cedar Turns Gray Again After Restoration
Cedar turns gray again after restoration because cleaning and brightening remove dirt and reverse surface color, but they add no UV protection. Graying is ultraviolet light breaking down lignin at the wood surface. Without a pigmented coating, bare cedar begins graying again within 6 to 12 months, fastest on south and west exposures. So the […]
What to Do When a Fence Post Rots During Cleaning
A fence post that gave way during a wash was already gone. The water did not rot it, it carried away the soft decayed fiber that had been hiding the failure at the soil line. Two things to do right now: stop washing that section, and probe every other post at ground level before you […]
What to Do When Composite Decking Develops Permanent Mold Spots
Most permanent looking mold spots on composite decking are one of three things: live mold on the surface film, tannin stains from wet leaves locked into the cap layer, or pitting in older uncapped board. The first two clean off with the right chemistry. Only the third is truly permanent. Which one you have decides […]
What to Do When Deck Stain Peels Unevenly After Cleaning
Pressure washing did not cause your deck stain to peel, it exposed peeling that had already started. Film forming stains, meaning solid and semi solid products, sit on top of the wood and lose adhesion over time. Washing removes the loose film. The real decision is strip and refinish, not spot touch up. Read that […]