FAQs
- What should the customer know about your pricing (e.g., discounts, fees)?
XLE uses a national database of pricing guides, adjusted by region, to fairly estimate job and material costs larger-scale projects. While often this is the best way to estimate this scale of jobs, on occassion I offer pricing based on experience with similar work, distance to jobsite, and bundled pricing for multi-discipline scenarios. Some jobs are easier than others to gauge based on time expected to complete. Others are better calculated based upon some unit of measure. For simple Handyman services, or where there is an unknown or not easily determined amount of time a job may take, XLE charges a per hour rate. This is also true for work that is typically under a day to perform, or is otherwise unsuited to estimate with a certain amount. Upon recent economic and market conditions, XLE has deeply considered the need to begin charging a minimum job cost for the occurrence of distance and/or scale of job in time. Also, because of the time involved in preparing large estimates that take several hours to both travel to jobsite and prepare, the need to charge for the estimate to offset the costs in time and expense has been made clear. XLE historically has not charged minimums or estimate fees, but with the vast increase in fuel, lead service, and time costs, it has become necessary to do so now. As XLE serves a wide area and settings for the company providing these leads do not allow for the inclusion of a minimum charge per area served, and different estimates require different preparation, assessments for these costs will be made upon occurrence to do so.
- What is your typical process for working with a new customer?
Firstly, knowing all the details of the particular task is important to give a fair estimate and to understand the customer's desire. The more information, the better the diagnosis of the cause of the issue and the better the result and response time. For example, until you have carried at least a literal 1 million pounds of shingles, I don't expect you know enough about roofing to say exactly what the problem is. But, I can most often tell you potential issues by looking at the nail pattern on the inside of the roof, the thatching pattern of the shingles, the exclusion of flashing, the granuales on the shingles, the lay of the decking, and staining patterns... etcetera. Alternatively, you may not have a roof leak; it might be your AC drain pan. Planning is often the most important step in any process, and this is true for construction or repair. After years of working, the realization is that the hardest work done is not necessarily applying the physical effort, but the forethought of how to achieve the result. Everything is in layers, and everything has a root cause. Placing a patch on a problem and calling it fixed is not well enough. With these things in mind, XLE believes in keeping customer relations simple and informed. Prior to initial contact, it is asked that customers are first certain they are ready to inquire about doing the job and are reasonably ready to move forward with a timeframe in mind upon selecting a service provider. Once a request is made and there is initial contact, XLE will ask questions pertaining to scope of work, what the items and documentation the customer has or wishes to provide and what they would like done specifically in a list, if there are special circumstances, and that the customer provide pictures where possible. Many jobs can be estimated by pictures with considerations of complexity and potential complications. Organized and detailed descriptions are especially useful in instances where XLE will be called requested to work on properties where the owner cannot be available locally. For smaller-scale handyman needs, typically in the range of from an hour to perhaps 2 days, XLE will work on voiced agreement and typically a log of text to describe needed items and tasks to be performed. For larger, more complicated task with known elements, XLE provides a written estimate in digital form detailing materials needed and time estimated to complete all or each tasks. Where there are unknown elements, statements will be presented for possible and/or likely situational causes and outcomes with instructions on how to deal with them upon occurrence. The majority of jobs through this service are not complicated in nature, and as such, it is not necessary to make them more complicated. Simply making a request, having a discussion about it, and getting it done is usually how easy it can be, and truly needs to be.
- What education and/or training do you have that relates to your work?
I have worked in multiple trades since pre-adulthood. I just fell into this kind of work, and love what I do. Painting, Carpentry, Trim, Flooring, Roofing, Decks, Cabinets, Air-Conditioning, Electrical, Plumbing... I can't think of to many things I haven't had to deal with by this time in over 20+ years of working. I will tell you what I know. I will tell you what I don't know. I will tell you what I am willing to learn and how far I am from capability. I enjoy challenges. I don't mess with sure defeat. Push farther, by increments.