Selecting The Right Sweeping Contractor
Determining the right sweeping contractor for your job is important to its success. Pricing is only one factor to consider in selecting a reputable sweeping company to perform services. Below are a few things you should consider when selecting a sweeping vendor.
Does the sweeping contractor have a good reputation?
Ask the contractor for a comparable reference list. Just because they do a great job at the local corner store does not mean they have the equipment or employees to handle a large shopping center.
What certifications and training does the company and its employees have?
A sweeping company who has industry certifications with well trained employees will follow best practices for the sweeping industry. This results in a safer, more professional vender on your property and gives you peace of mind that you have professionals on-site doing the job correctly.
NAPSA Certified Sweeping Companies have been trained to the Power Sweeping Standard and their managers and sweeper operators have completed NAPSA training on best practices. You should consider who will be performing these services on your property during the bidding and selection process.
Do they carry adequate insurance?
In today’s society proper insurance coverage is critical. The sweeping company should present you with a copy of their insurance certificate so you can review it and be sure it meets your requirements. You could be held responsible for a company that is under-insured, so don’t take chances!
A few things to know
- These machines are designed to pick up trash (e.g. cigarette butts, paper, sand). They are not built to pick up large debris or liquids.
- They do not remove stains (e.g. oil spills) from pavement.
- If you decide to have your lot swept once a month, you can not expect it to look clean for the entire month. It will begin to accumulate trash and debris immediately after being swept.
- Sweeping contractors can not be held responsible for slip-and-fall accidents. These machines will keep your lot looking neat and tidy, but they will only be on site for a limited time. Something can spill, leak or blow into the area after the contractor has swept the lot.
If you have further questions on what you should expect of your sweeping services, ask your contractor. They will be glad to answer your questions or demonstrate their sweepers.
Determining the Price
Check with your sweeping contractor to see what is included in their price. If you have additional needs that are not included in the price (e.g. emptying trash cans, blower work behind the building), just let them know so they can price accordingly.
The following are several factors that may be considered when determining a price for sweeping your lot.
How often does the lot need to be swept?
If there is a high traffic flow your lot will need to be swept more often than a specialty store with only a few customers per day.
What is the layout?
The more obstacles there are to work around, the more expensive the service will be. If you have center islands filled with rocks or bark, the contractor knows this material will work its way into your parking lot.
Is your lot surrounded by trees?
The leaves and other debris from the trees are considered when the contractor looks at your lot.
What condition is your parking area in?
Deteriorating pavement will increase sweeping time.
Is there a limited sweeping time?
If your parking area has a noise restriction there will only be limited times that the contractor can work in your area. Even if there is not a noise restriction there may be other factors that limit sweeping time, e.g. a bar that is open until 2:00 a.m. or a coffee shop that opens at 6:00 a.m.
Can the contractor dump on site?
If the contractor has to haul the sweeping debris away the job will take longer, therefore costing more.