What we do with our TRUE chemical free cleaning is so far superior to any other service that the small difference in price benefits you more than it does us.
What separates Castle Keepers from the rest of the bunch? We may not be the cheapest home cleaning service in town, but we are the best…and the best value. What we do with our TRUE chemical free cleaning is so far superior to any other service that the small difference in price benefits you more than it does us.
But there are a lot better reasons than price to take a second look at hiring a “private” or “independent” house cleaner. It really comes down to your own personal risk assessment: are you willing to risk your personal belongings, your personal finances and credibility, and even your personal health (or your family’s) with an under-the-table arrangement.
First, any domestic (in-home) employees you hire, you are required by law to document with the IRS, which includes paying employment taxes, social security, etc. You should also pay a worker’s compensation policy to protect yourself against an injury claim. This applies not only to your house cleaner but also your babysitter, your lawncare specialist, your handyman, etc. If they claim to be “licensed, bonded, and insured,” ask for proof. Because the first time your “private” house cleaner slips and sprains her ankle in the bathroom, you’ll get stuck with the medical bills and an unpleasant appointment with the IRS.
Second, ask yourself how sure you are that the “private” house cleaner knows what she is doing. Sure, the faucets may gleam and the air smells lemony fresh, but is the house clean? If you don’t like the job she did, what can you do about it? You can ask her to do something differently next time, but with the under-the-table deal, what you get is…well, what you get.
Third, what happens if what you get is the last surviving piece of your great grandmother’s crystal broken? And it’s irreplaceable. What happens when she sucks up your best pearl earrings into the vacuum cleaner? What happens when she uses the wrong product on the antique wood table and ruins the finish? With the “trunk slammer”, you have no recourse. She can quit or just say “no”, assuming she has you hooked by her cheap price.
It’s all about your risk assessment. Pay cheaply now and cross your fingers really tight that nothing goes wrong or pay a little bit more for not only the best cleaning but the best personal and financial protection you can get!
In the U.S., residential cleaning has always been a large part of the underground economy, where taxes and production costs (insurance, business licenses, and workers’ benefits) are not paid. The longer unemployment stays high, the more new entrants move into the underground economy; the longer the economy struggles, the more consumers look to save money by utilizing these non-legitimate cleaning businesses. In addition, higher taxes and healthcare reform will increase costs for bona fide businesses, making it harder to compete against the underground economy, especially if the consumer considers your service comparable to that of a “trunk slammer.”
