Carpet Cleaning Scams
Like every industry, the carpet cleaning industry has its share of bad companies. Although the majority of the companies are honest, theree are some that are looking to scam the consumer. This article will help you identify the unethical carpet cleaners and help you avoid getting ripped off by a scam.
Bait and Switch
This is the classic carpet cleaning rip-off. In this scam, the customer is lured in by a ridiculously low priced carpet cleaning. Often the advertisement you read will offer carpet cleaning in the neighborhood of $5 per room. There is no way that a company can be profitable selling its services that low. But the companies usually have no intention of leaving your home with only the advertised amount. So how do they increase the bill after you have taken the “bait” of the low price?
Preconditioning Scam
One way they will increase the bill is by selling you preconditioning. Most legitimate companies include this in their pricing. That low price they offered probably didn’t include it. It may have been $5 per room to clean it with water only but pre-conditioning will cost you an additional 25 cents per square foot. Considering an average room size of 150 square feet, that would be $37.50 per room extra. So a 5 room home would go from the advertised carpet cleaning price of $25 to $212.50. Quite a difference.
But what if you just refuse to pay for the pre-conditioning? Chances are you will get a substandard cleaning or a rush job, but their is another way that they can try to force you into paying for the pre-conditioning. They may offer to do a demo for you. This isn’t necessarily bad, many good carpet cleaning companies do demos. What Bait and Switch companies will do however is clean an area in a highly visible area. If you decide to not pay for the extra service, you will have an extra clean spot in the middle of your carpet that will stick out like a sore thumb. By doing this you are forced to pay the extra price.
Extra Room Scam
Another way for Bait and Switch companies to increase their bill is through extra room charges. If you use a coupon, you must read the fine print. Some companies will charge extra for rooms over 100 square feet of carpet for example. It is hard to find a room in a typical home under that square footage, so that means the typical room will count as two and the typical living room or family room will count as three or even four rooms.
Protection Scam
Almost all carpet cleaning companies offer protection at reasonable prices and carpet protectors themselves are good products. This doesn’t become bait and switch until a company uses high pressure tactics. Customers may be told that their carpet will be ruined if they don’t have protection applied. This is simply not true. Protection will certainly extend the life of your carpet and make future cleanings easier but it is in no way necessary.
Monday
Carpet Cleaing Trade Secrets
This is a great little video that we wanted to share with you about some of the carpet cleaning trade secrets!
Sunday
Carpet Cleaning Costs
We hope this article helps to give you some idea's about carpet cleaning costs
You can view the full article Click Here
The industry recommended time to have carpets cleaned is every 12-18 months, yet the average homeowner has her carpets cleaned every 7 years. "If it vacuums up, then it ain't dirty," as the old saying goes. The reason for the discrepancy between the time recommended and the span before they are actually cleaned results from the public not knowing how often this should be done, not to mention some misconception about costs. This article works towards solving these issues and a few others as well.
Average Carpet Cleaning Costs
The average home has about 1000 square feet (sq ft) of carpet. The national average for carpet cleaning costs on this size home is $.30/sq ft, which brings the actual carpet cleaning cost to $300. So the typical home spends around $43 a year for clean carpets, if the carpets in that home are being cleaned every 7 years.
If you happen to have more carpet than a typical home, you are likely to get a per sq ft discount, since your home is a bigger job. However, cleaning carpet costs will go up if you have less.
Less is More
In order for carpet cleaning companies to make a profit on homes with less than 1000 sq ft of carpet, they have to raise the price per sq ft. The company still has to drive out to your house, unroll all of their hoses, set up their equipment, do the work, and the break it all back down. This takes time. So don't feel that you are being ripped off if your price per square foot is higher than your neighbors'. This is an industry standard.
Trick of the Trade
If carpet cleaning costs are more than you think they should be, here are a few ways that can help you cut down on costs.
If you schedule a regular yearly cleaning with your carpet company, you are likely to be able to negotiate for a lower price. With homeowners cleaning their carpets every 7 years, you will be way ahead of the curve and in the position to ask for a discounted price, since you are such a regular customer.
Next, most companies who clean carpets also do other cleanings, such as upholstery and ducts. If you bundle all of the chores together and have them performed by the same company on the same trip, even though the entire cleaning will cost more, you will be saving money on each individual process, since they are only making one trip.
The Final Word
The items and prices listed above are just averages that we have gathered from our carpet services across the nation. Not every service will give you the same price or negotiate for the same kind of deals. However, if you think that the price you were quoted for your cleaning is too high, be sure to get several estimates so that you can see if your area just charges a higher rate.
*Remember. Carpets last longer and look better with regular cleanings, plus carpet traps dust, dander, and allergens that can cause health issues. This is an inexpensive process that does wonders for your home and family.
Matt Myers is a freelance writer for the home maintenance and remodeling industry. Formerly a contractor specializing in deck building and casework, Matt has written over 500 articles for both homeowners and contractors.
Read more: http://www.servicemagic.com/article.show.Carpet-Cleaning-Costs.13808.html#ixzz0f4k4wVAO
You can view the full article Click Here
The industry recommended time to have carpets cleaned is every 12-18 months, yet the average homeowner has her carpets cleaned every 7 years. "If it vacuums up, then it ain't dirty," as the old saying goes. The reason for the discrepancy between the time recommended and the span before they are actually cleaned results from the public not knowing how often this should be done, not to mention some misconception about costs. This article works towards solving these issues and a few others as well.
Average Carpet Cleaning Costs
The average home has about 1000 square feet (sq ft) of carpet. The national average for carpet cleaning costs on this size home is $.30/sq ft, which brings the actual carpet cleaning cost to $300. So the typical home spends around $43 a year for clean carpets, if the carpets in that home are being cleaned every 7 years.
If you happen to have more carpet than a typical home, you are likely to get a per sq ft discount, since your home is a bigger job. However, cleaning carpet costs will go up if you have less.
Less is More
In order for carpet cleaning companies to make a profit on homes with less than 1000 sq ft of carpet, they have to raise the price per sq ft. The company still has to drive out to your house, unroll all of their hoses, set up their equipment, do the work, and the break it all back down. This takes time. So don't feel that you are being ripped off if your price per square foot is higher than your neighbors'. This is an industry standard.
Trick of the Trade
If carpet cleaning costs are more than you think they should be, here are a few ways that can help you cut down on costs.
If you schedule a regular yearly cleaning with your carpet company, you are likely to be able to negotiate for a lower price. With homeowners cleaning their carpets every 7 years, you will be way ahead of the curve and in the position to ask for a discounted price, since you are such a regular customer.
Next, most companies who clean carpets also do other cleanings, such as upholstery and ducts. If you bundle all of the chores together and have them performed by the same company on the same trip, even though the entire cleaning will cost more, you will be saving money on each individual process, since they are only making one trip.
The Final Word
The items and prices listed above are just averages that we have gathered from our carpet services across the nation. Not every service will give you the same price or negotiate for the same kind of deals. However, if you think that the price you were quoted for your cleaning is too high, be sure to get several estimates so that you can see if your area just charges a higher rate.
*Remember. Carpets last longer and look better with regular cleanings, plus carpet traps dust, dander, and allergens that can cause health issues. This is an inexpensive process that does wonders for your home and family.
Matt Myers is a freelance writer for the home maintenance and remodeling industry. Formerly a contractor specializing in deck building and casework, Matt has written over 500 articles for both homeowners and contractors.
Read more: http://www.servicemagic.com/article.show.Carpet-Cleaning-Costs.13808.html#ixzz0f4k4wVAO
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