Universal Site Services

Get better value with property maintenance services.

doug — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 21:29:41 +0000

Increase Your Property Value by Hiring Property Maintenance Services

If you are a commercial property owner or landlord who is planning to put your real estate property on the market, it goes without saying you naturally want to receive the best and highest offer possible. The best way to ensure you have better chances of getting the ideal price is to contract professional property maintenance services to clean and spruce up the site to give it a better look.

Professional Cleaning Crews at Your Service

Property maintenance services are basically companies that are experienced and equipped to provide trained cleaning crews to cover all areas of maintenance. Their services include repair of any property damage, as well as to improve or enhance the overall quality of the property.

Your property maintenance services provider can take care of a number of different issues, including:

· repair for lighting issues

· broken locks

· plumbing problems

· water or flooding issues

· ceiling repair

· painting

· graffiti abatement

· trash removal

· general and move-out clean-up

Enhance the Value of Your Property

Potential investors will carefully scrutinize such details, as they basically reflect the overall integrity, viability, and value of the property you want to sell. The practical solution is to enhance your property with the quick makeover and clean-up it needs to make the best impression possible.

Whether you’re in need of a couple of cleaning professionals or a full team to tackle the efficient clean-up of a large facility, an established property maintenance services company can easily provide the right scale and scope of professional cleaning you require. Of course, with access to dependable cleaning techniques, equipment, and manpower, you can expedite the whole process and look forward to putting your property up for sale sooner.

If you’re dealing with larger or numerous properties, you can request multiple cleaning, and specify preferred schedules. Take time to review trusted property maintenance companies in your area and look for one that can best deliver the kind of service you have in mind.

Choosing Your Property Maintenance Services Provider

As with any other service, you need to carefully scrutinize the potential property maintenance services company that you are planning to hire—that is, if you want to receive the best value for your money.

Consider getting referrals from trusted sources or go through your own process of screening and interviewing. This will give you a better idea what to expect and establish a good working relationship early on. Before you decide to sign on the dotted line, make sure to carefully review the service contact, which should include the verbal agreements that you’ve agreed upon during the initial discussions.

Be better protected by fully outlining expectations and responsibilities, as well as your possible liabilities, should any accident or mishap may occur during the performance of the job. It’s hard to beat the benefits of peace of mind.

Creative Commons Attribution: Permission is granted to repost this article in its entirety with credit to Universal Site Services and a clickable link back to this page.

Preserve the value of your property with a day porter service.

Chris — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 23:41:32 +0000

Are You Missing Out on Vital Asset Management? Protect Your Property With Day Porter Service

When it comes to the ongoing maintenance and management of your commercial property, day porter service is a viable investment that property managers should never overlook. Whether it’s a large or relatively small facility—especially if you’re dealing with round-the-clock foot traffic—a day porter service not only keeps your property spic and span, it’s also a practical way to preserve the value of your asset by keeping everything in top condition.

How to Maximize Your Day Porter Service

Day porter service is typically needed during business hours, not only to fill the cleaning gap, but also provide basic assistance to customers when needed. With a utility person to work on your premise during business hours, you can rest assured that you project the best possible image to prospective clients and guests. The usual features of a day porter service include:

Surface cleaning and polishing
Vacuuming
Dusting and mopping
Cleaning up spills
Assistance in moving equipment, furniture and supplies
Pantry cleaning and assistance in serving food
Preparing conference and meeting rooms

Ensure a Clean and Healthy Work Environment

If your regular operation covers several shifts a day, a professional cleaning service is a definite must to ensure all areas are kept tidy and sanitized between and during work shifts. Whether or not you deal with frequent customer visits, you and your valued employees definitely don’t want to cope with unsightly overflowing trash bins, untidy break rooms, or unkempt kitchens.

A day porter can make sure you provide the best possible working environment for your employees. A clean, well-maintained facility enhances overall productivity and prevents the inadvertent spread of disease. A day porter service not only provides efficient cleaning—it also comes with the premium convenience of having someone responsible pick up litter, replenish paper products, refill washroom supplies, and even change light bulbs and more—all on a regular basis.

Why Invest in a Professional Day Porter Service?

When hiring a cleaning crew, it’s best to choose a professional day porter service provider with extensive experience and expertise. Remember, you’re not only investing in day-to-day cleaning and maintenance. You also want to ensure you get the best possible service by choosing a trusted company with an established reputation.

A good professional day porter service uses appropriate supplies, cleaning techniques and suitable chemicals, so that cleaning is carried out effectively and efficiently—without the risk of causing damage to property.

Choose a company that can readily provide all necessary equipment, such as vacuums, buffing machines, pressure washers and carpet extractors, for example, and one that has established processes in place. What are your specific needs? Don’t go another business day without finding out!

Creative Commons Attribution: Permission is granted to repost this article in its entirety with credit to Universal Site Services and a clickable link back to this page.

Get the best out of your parking lot sweeping service.

Chris — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 00:57:05 +0000

Guide to Negotiating with Your Parking Lot Sweeping Service Contractor

Contracting the services of a parking lot sweeping service contractor is a vital element in effective commercial property management. Spending significant amounts of money on advertising and marketing of your brand can potentially go down the drain all due to one overlooked aspect – an unkempt parking lot.

When it comes to running a successful business, regardless of what industry you may be in, the devil is always in the details. Don’t get caught unguarded with a less than pristine parking lot. In today’s exceedingly competitive market, you simply can’t afford to risk damaging your corporate image by cutting back on your exterior grounds maintenance. To get ahead of the game, make sure all your bases are covered – and that includes contracting a reliable parking lot sweeping service.

Negotiating Smartly – Get the Parking Lot Sweeping Service You Pay For

Parking lot sweeping is one of the most effective and efficient services available to keep your exteriors looking spic and span all year round. Different types of commercial establishments collect varying types to debris, which is actually an important consideration that high quality parking lot sweeping service providers know to look into. An experienced contractor will take time to study the usual trash and dirt that tend to accumulate in your parking lot area in order to determine what specific type of equipment to use.

During the bidding process for parking lot sweeping services, an estimator usually takes time to conduct an inspection of your property, which will be the primary basis for coming up with a reasonable quote.

Here are some key factors you need to discuss with your potential service contractor:

· Request a detailed list of what’s included in their price.

· Discuss additional service needs you may require such as emptying of trash cans and performing blower work behind your building.

· The frequency of the parking lot sweeping service. For example, if you have high traffic flow on your property on a daily basis, you may require daily sweeping services.

· Ask if their parking lot sweeping service carries adequate insurance including Worker’s Comp, if so request a copy. You definitely don’t want to take chances on an under-insured company that could expose you to liabilities.

· Discuss preferred sweeping time and if there are limitations or restrictions imposed during performance of service.

Key Factors that Determine the Price of Parking Lot Sweeping Services

Upon inspection of your property, your parking lot sweeping service contractor will come up with a quote, which is usually based on the following factors:

· Frequency of service. Traffic flow on the property will determine how often sweeping services are required.

· Layout of the parking lot. Presence of many obstacles that need to be worked around can add up on cost of service.

· Presence of trees. Leaves along with other debris can also influence cost.

· Existing condition of parking lot. A deteriorated or dilapidated property will require an increase in sweeping time.

· Trash disposal. If contractors are required to haul sweeping debris away from the property, this will add to the costing price.

Now that you have a better idea on what factors to take into account, you know better what relevant questions to ask and important points to discuss to ensure you will get the service you pay for.

Get better value for your money with graffiti removal service.

Chris — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 00:49:30 +0000

What You Need to Know Before Hiring a Graffiti Removal and Restoration Contractor

Commercial buildings and public areas need constant maintenance to prevent rapid wear and tear as well as the maintaining of overall cleanliness and commercial appeal. One of the major challenges that comes with the upkeep is graffiti removal and graffiti abatement. Aside from incurring more expense, some graffiti removal and restoration efforts can potentially leave the surfaces looking just as bad or even worse than prior to the start of the work.

Key Factors to Consider on Graffiti Removal Service

In order to ensure the success of your graffiti removal efforts and protect the surfaces from further graffiti damage, here are some key points you need to carefully take into account:

· Proper identification of the surface type and what substances should be used in graffiti removal

· Proper choice of the most appropriate removal method

· Application of protective coating to prevent further damage

There are a number of cities that have established graffiti removal and restoration guidelines. This is in line with their efforts to preserve the structural integrity of their architecture, most especially when dealing with old buildings and those structures that are made of materials that require extra care. When choosing a service contractor for graffiti removal, it is important that they are familiar with the local guidelines.

Proper Identification of Surface Type

Stones, bricks, aluminum siding, concrete, piles, utility boxes, pavements, wood, street signs glass, bus shelters – these are among the most common materials that are often defaced with graffiti. The surfaces can be textured or smooth, painted or unprotected.

While popular material used for graffiti is spray paint, there are a number of other possible tools such as adhesives, markers, shoe polish, stencils, lipstick, etching products – you name it. The age of the graffiti typically determines how easy or difficult it can be to have it removed. The longer the graffiti remains the more it will tend to be stubborn.

Selection of Appropriate Removal Method

Except for regular paint, industry grade graffiti abatement removers are not readily available in either home improvement or hardware stores. This is mainly because these are considered specialty industrial products, which are typically sold in large bulks to cities and professional graffiti removal companies. Below are the common methods of graffiti removal:

· Paint Out – use of paint to cover graffiti, a low cost option

· Chemical Removers — requires more safety precautions and should only be used by trained and experienced graffiti removal specialists.

· Pressure Washing – involves the use of water with or without the combination of solvent to effectively remove graffiti from the surface.

Now that you have a better understanding on the basics of graffiti removal, it is easy to see why it requires professional assistance. It is also important to keep in mind that timely attention and regular maintenance is critical in the efficient removal of graffiti.

Parking Lot Sweeping Service for Porous Asphalt Pavement

Chris — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 20:54:49 +0000

A true indication of a highly successful business and well-managed company starts with its exterior image. This brings home the all-important need to contract a reliable parking lot sweeping service so you can project the right impression to draw in clients and customers.

Effective property maintenance requires attention to detail. Cleanliness of your commercial property does not only reflect care and safety, it also indicates your competence and capacity to deliver a consistent level of high standards for your products or services.

Property Maintenance – Porous Asphalt Pavement

Porous asphalt pavement is commonly used on many parking lots today and is also widely found in other high traffic areas and applications such as sidewalks, walking paths, plazas and playgrounds. This is widely used in commercial and residential properties, as it is known to be highly effective in the reduction of contaminants such as metals, grease, oil and suspended solids.

To fully maximum the benefits of pervious systems, its design and construction are not the only considerations, but most importantly its maintenance.

If your exterior property features a porous asphalt pavement, it is critically important to choose a parking lot sweeping service contractor who not only has expertise, but has expertise in dealing with this type of surface. This is mainly because porous asphalt has specific maintenance requirements that are best carried out by seasoned experts in this particular area.

Important Factors on Porous Asphalt Pavement Maintenance

The important goals of a parking lot sweeping service when dealing with porous asphalt maintenance is to prevent clogging of its void spaces, well within the surface, and its underlying infiltration bed.

Regular sweeping and vacuuming of debris is highly recommended in order to ensure the system is kept clean and to also extend its life span. When dealing with porous asphalt, the use of compressed air units and pavement washing systems are strongly discouraged.

Effective Parking Lot Sweeping Services

It is important to keep the surrounding areas clean, most especially if there are planted areas adjacent to the pavement in order to prevent soil washout that can clog the pavement with fine sediments. With proper and routine parking lot sweeping services delivered accurately, you can look forward to extending the life of your porous asphalt for many years.

Aside from regular parking lot sweeping, it is also key to vacuum the surface at least twice a year using an industrial grade vacuum sweeper. Note that the use of simple broom sweepers is not recommended when dealing with porous asphalt.

Additionally, winter presents a number of maintenance challenges since abrasives and sands are not to be used, as these can potentially clog up the pores. The standard road salt is often the acceptable deicing material used.

With all these considerations in mind, it highlights the importance of why you need to choose an experienced, top-of-the-line parking lot sweeping service contractor who is adept and fully equipped to handle this type of property maintenance work.

Parking Lot Sweeping Services Help Keep Companies Clean and Green

Chris — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 20:22:49 +0000

Commercial and residential owners alike are highly encouraged to do their share in making eco-friendly choices to help preserve the environment. These days, a growing number of companies have touted offering “green products and services” as part of their corporate responsibility and brand positioning.

If your company is actively supporting the green movement, don’t just limit your efforts on the choice of raw materials for your products. You can also extend your advocacy in your property maintenance as well, starting with a reliable parking lot sweeping service.

The Problem with Storm Water Runoff

What is stormwater runoff? This refers to the portion of the precipitation that is not immediately absorbed by the ground following a storm event. The excess rainfall will accumulate on the surface of the earth during a storm, which will flow downhill. As it travels down towards streams and other nearby concentration points, it will inadvertently collect contaminants on surfaces along its way.

These contaminants will eventually reach the lakes, rivers and oceans, which will result in the contamination of the groundwater. In the recent report released by the Environmental Protection Agency, an estimated 80, 000 miles of rivers and streams in the United States today are considered impaired due to their poor stormwater quality.

Where Do These Contaminants Come From?

The urban environment is the primary source of contaminants. A lot of streams have been tested and found to have increased levels of nitrogen and phosphorous concentrations. This is mainly brought about by the use of pesticides and fertilizers, which are used in parks, commercial landscaped areas and residential lawns. The roadways are also a major source of these contaminants, particularly from tire dusts and brakes of vehicles that accumulate on the surfaces of pavements.

Urban surfaces have also contributed greatly on the increased concentrations of metals found in bodies of water. The sediments found in many construction areas have also been identified as a major contributor to the increase in contaminants in stormwater runoff.

How Can Regular Parking Lot Sweeping Help?

This brings us back to the importance of having regular parking lot sweeping services, which should be regarded as an integral responsibility of commercial businesses, manufacturing companies and construction sites. The city government of course should not be exempted in these concerted efforts of preventing contaminants from polluting the waters.

Regular parking lot sweeping is an excellent preventive maintenance measure for stormwater runoff. Through regular cleaning and vacuuming, the contaminated debris and pollutants are removed before they can enter the stormwater systems. Choose a parking lot sweeping service that offers this type of benefit as these contractors have machines, such as regenerative air sweepers that are known to effectively remove all sediment and fine dust particulates out of every crack and crevice of your pavement and entire parking lot area.

So if you want your company to contribute in making environmentally friendly choices and align itself it a positive cause, include regular parking lot sweeping services in your green campaign today.

Preserve Business Image with Parking Lot Sweeping Services

Chris — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 05:39:03 +0000

One thing holds true to all businesses across various fields and industries: first impressions last. Whether you are offering products or services or a combination of both, you naturally want to exude the image of utmost professionalism and unquestionable capability. This means keen attention is required down to the last detail – including the upkeep of your parking lot.

Parking Lot Sweeping is an Investment, Not an Expense

A lot of people may regard contracting professional parking lot sweeping services as an additional overhead expense. But for seasoned business owners and large corporations, it is an essential and viable investment – that is, if you are keen on protecting your brand and corporate image.

Your reception hall is not the first area that represents your business that potential and existing clients are most likely to see –it’s your parking lot. With this in mind, you definitely want to ensure your parking lot creates the right first impression. Instead of investing in the hiring of an in-house cleaning crew and purchasing regular cleaning materials and the correct equipment, which is quite costly, contracting professional parking lot sweeping services presents a more viable, economic and practical solution.

Benefits of Contracting Professional Parking Lot Sweeping Services

Well-kept parking areas and sidewalks are critically important in attracting customers. According to studies, the cleanliness of an establishment ranks as a primary factor in determining where people prefer to shop. In addition, studies revealed that before entering a building, people consider the exterior cleanliness to be equally important as interior cleanliness.
One of the major environmental pollutants identified is stormwater runoff. This can be prevented through regular parking lot sweeping and maintenance to effectively minimize pollutants in stormwater streams.
It is next to impossible to maintain or develop a company’s competitive edge if the business exterior, most especially the parking lot area is untidy.
Maintaining a clean and well-preserved parking lot is an effective deterrent and a good way to discourage people from throwing trash carelessly when they shop.
Sand and dirt are abrasive in nature. Therefore, it is of vital importantce that the dirt not remain unattended on pavements as it can contribute significantly to the rapid deterioration of the paving material. Pavement replacement costs are a much greater expense than routine maintenance.
Keeping a clean and well-maintained parking lot effectively projects an image of success and based on studies, consumers tend to patronize businesses that are successful.

What to Consider When Hiring Professional Parking Lot Sweeping Contractors

There are a number of service contractors that claim to be the best when it comes to parking lot sweeping services. To help you effectively narrow down your choices, request comparable reference lists. Check to see if their service areas do not only include small commercial establishments but also large shopping centers. This will give you an idea of their capabilities.

It is also important to choose a parking lot sweeping contractor with insurance coverage. Request for a copy of the insurance certificate and study to see if their coverage meets your specific requirements. Also require a detailed list of all inclusions in their services, so you can better compare each provider. This will help you to ensure you get better value for your investment.

Parking Lot Sweeping Services Make a Great First Impression

Chris — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 04:20:01 +0000

This post has been Revised

If you’ve ever parked your car in a lot, and stepped out of it only to land in wad of gum, or other assorted debris, while on your way to a store or perhaps a business meeting, you know the importance of Parking Lot Sweeping Services. You also know the pleasurable difference it is when you step out of your vehicle into a freshly clean parking lot for your business meeting or even your food shopping

Either one of those experiences is the first impression your customers and clients have of your facility.

What your customers and clients will want in your property is the same thing you want for your property; that it make the very best first impression, every time.

In this instance that would be a seamless transition from the car exit through the parking lot and into the building – That will most effectively be accomplished with regularly scheduled parking lot sweeping services.

Protect your Parking Lot with Regular Cleaning

When any area of a building is left untended for any length of time, it becomes vulnerable to a number of possible issues. These can include the possibility of an infestation of roaches, or rodents and bacterial disease, if the lot is not properly cleaned. Among other things, these kinds of issues open you up to potential lawsuits, as well as driving customers away.

Over a longer time period, you may find actual damage to your parking lot due to corrosive liquids, left untended eating into your lot’s surface.

The regular delivery of Parking Lot Services will ensure that your lot is clean on an ongoing basis. It will also ensure that all garbage and trash receptacles will be cleaned and emptied out regularly, which will help to ensure that no one ‘slips on the preverbal banana peel’, reducing your company’s potential liability.

Maintaining your Parking Lot’s Value

One of the best reasons to keep your lot in the same high quality condition as the rest of your facility is that it will usually cost as much as your building. Keeping the property maintained in pristine condition will pay off in keeping your investment sound.

Quality Parking Lot Sweeping Needs Quality Professionals

Due to the fact that your lot could be damaged by a neophyte Parking Lot Sweeping crew, it is to your advantage to hire a seasoned, highly competent company for this service.

The Parking Lot Sweepers you Want to Hire

a) Understand the value of your lot, consequently the importance of maintaining it to your standards,

b) Are experienced and skilled in the operation of state of the art equipment,

c) Will tailor the assignment to your particular needs,

d) Handle garbage clean up with regenerative air sweeper units,

e) Handle your job in a timely and professional manner.

f) Are willing to give you an estimate and answer all your questions.

Top notch property maintenance will yield rewards for you over the years, both in your customer base and in the value of your property.

Picking a Qualified Construction Sweeping Service

Chris — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 07:40:49 +0000

Whether it’s for a residential or a commercial area, the overall cleanliness of an area under construction greatly relies on the efficiency and thoroughness of a construction sweeping service.

It’s easier for a construction sweeper to deliver a higher quality product when expectations and instructions are clear. Therefore, it is important for construction firms to fully coordinate with their service sub-contractors to ensure optimum delivery of services.

Here are some things you can do to ensure all parties are well coordinated in the safety and cleanliness of your construction site.

Do Your Research when picking your Construction Sweeper

Gather the information you need on the street and construction sweeping service provider in which you’re interested. Checking their references is one of the best ways to gather the info you’ll need to comfortably make your decision. Past and current clients know about their vendors from a first-hand perspective; Items like timeliness, thoroughness, safety, extra attention and care placed where needed will be things you learn about your perspective contractor.

Talk to the Contractor and ask questions. Find out if they will do general clean-up, what is their experience sweeping during dirt hauling and foundation dig-out. Make sure you feel this is a contractor with whom you can work with.

Check to ensure the company is fully equipped with the proper safety equipment on their trucks, as well as having sufficient safety equipment for their cleaning crews. This should include the use of appropriate flags, flashing lights along with slow-moving-vehicle triangles, etc., on-board their vehicle.

Whether it’s a construction jobsite or a residential site, the cleaning crew should also have all the necessary personal safety equipment.

Providing Construction Signage

Provide your service contractor all the proper construction signage (or traffic direction personnel) they will need to install around the perimeter to supply adequate warning for vehicles and passersby, about the ongoing construction, and the operation of equipment in the area.

You will find that:

Warnings and signals can significantly help in easing and calming traffic, and
It gives you some coverage as a precautionary measure should anyone enter the construction zone without the express permission of an authorized person.

Proactive Contracting

Contract the services of a sweeping and cleaning company for your construction site before a site manager will require it.

Municipal Legalities & Local Regulations

For example; it is illegal to take water from a hydrant or a meter without prior municipal permission. Take care of this issue ahead of time by making all the necessary provisions and arrangements with the local municipality for the use of any water you will need.
Although you can expect an experienced service provider to be fully knowledgeable in the area of licenses, insurances and quality guidelines, it’s always a good idea for you to be on top of such things as well, especially since these local regulations do change from time to time.

Construction Sweeper Equipment and Staff

One additional thing to look for when you’re evaluating a street sweeping service provider, is whether or not they have enough manpower and equipment to provide you with a cleaning crew around the clock, and immediate replacements for staff or equipment in case of any unforeseen issues. That’s vital for thorough and timely property maintenance.

A sweeping service provider can help you maintain a safe and clean jobsite, no matter what type of construction project you undertake. Being aware of the legal requirements and coordination points with your construction sweepers should help facilitate the work in a timely and orderly fashion.

Quality Pressure Washing Makes Your Property Shine

Chris — Sat, 17 Dec 2011 04:58:14 +0000

Professional pressure washing services are employed for graffiti removal and to make your property shine. Pressure washers are traditionally used to clean parking lots, garages, buildings, cars, municipal streets and highways, construction sweeping, and graffiti abatement.

Pressure washers interact with detergents in order to increase the efficacy of the cleaning. You might be interested to know that there are environmentally friendly versions of these soaps and chemicals.

Pressure washers are a type of industrial machinery that spray steady and intense streams of water in order to clean surfaces which would otherwise not lend themselves to being clean or would take exorbitant amounts of time and staff to clean.

Different Setting to Get the Highest Quality Results

There are fundamentally two difference kinds of sprays and settings that pressure washers work on: either a low-volume high-pressure rate (LVHP) which is great for deep cleaning stuck debris, grease and grime; or a high-volume low-pressure rate (HVLP) which is used in order to remove already loosened particles like paint, dust, mud, dirt, etc. from surfaces like concrete, roofs, wood and painted surfaces and other items that will need regular cleanings.

Gas and Electric Washers each have their Strengths

The gas powered pressure washers tend to have greater mobility than the electric ones and therefore work well for expansive exterior spaces and the necessary maneuvering around them, however, for indoor applications you’ll find that the electric pressure washers are preferable as they are significantly quieter and have no exhaust fumes with which to contend.

When bringing a pressure washer in to clean your premises, another factor to consider is your water pressure. No matter what type of machine is used, it will not be able to pull out more water from the pipe than is to begin with, so the water source needs to be sufficient for use or it can damage the pump, and will almost certainly be ineffective in getting the desired result as far as level of cleanliness.

Graffiti Removal

FYI, using pressure washers with special chemicals at just the right pressure and nice hot water temperature settings have great success rates in the removal of graffiti. You want to make sure that whoever does the job for you doesn’t clean with such vigorous force that they etch the surface and damage the surface material, or render future pressure washing impossible.

So when faced with the need for graffiti removal, look for a pro who knows how to handle the graffiti while keeping your property in good health.

Of course, as with any power tools, you want the most qualified professionals in-charge of them. You want the people who know the most about settings and machinery and all the newest information about environmentally friendly products, which is one more reason why it is important to hire an experienced, competent company to do your pressure washing.