This is both a personal and an insurance issue. It is difficult to determine exactly how often someone should have their home inspected. If an issue arises, it is always best if it can be identified before it becomes a large problem. For safety reasons, once a week would be best. However, many clients feel every two weeks is sufficient. We believe that less frequent inspections do not provide the level of security needed to ensure that our clients’ homes are properly taken care of while they are away.
Also, some insurance companies require someone to inspect an unoccupied home once or twice a month. Other insurance companies do not seem to have an issue with this, so there are no requirements. In order to see what requirements the insurance companies may have, please contact them before making a decision on the frequency of inspections.
Why not have a neighbor watch my home?
Neighbors are great and usually free of charge, but most of them do not have the expertise to properly inspect your home, which is a very large investment on your part. In most cases, neighbors will pick up the mail and newspaper, maybe take a quick look inside the home, and then watch the home from across the street. We use an extensive checklist to ensure that each potential issue can be detected before it becomes a major problem. We are available at all times, not only for regular inspections, but also for an emergency. Contrastingly, a homeowner never knows if their neighbor is going to be in town or on vacation. Our fees are a small price to pay for our clients to know their homes are being taken care of by licensed, experienced and insured professionals.
Who is conducting the inspections?
All of our home watch inspection are completed by the owner, Robert Castillo and his son McKenzie. In the event that we are not avaliable we will have a certfied staff assitant complete inspections.
Are you avaliable at all times of the day or evening 24/7?
Yes, we take calls at any time for emergency issues.
Can you provide me with a fee schedule or price breakdown?
Prices for services will vary from house to house, depending on the size, location, ease of access and extent of services desired. Although it is difficult to determine the exact cost of services without first seeing your property, prices for services generally range from $75 to $125 per visit for basic inspection services. Premium services range from $40 to $50 for a quick errand to $100-$150 hourly charges for coordinating with and meeting service providers or taking vehicles, bikes, packages and other items for service or delivery. Details of our fees will be discussed after a review of the home and discussing what specific needs exist. Because we are a small, family-run business, the cost of using our services is generally much more affordable than that of the larger companies that have greater overhead costs.
Is Good Steward Home Watch Services licensed and insured?
Yes, we are licensed with the City of Scottsdale and are bonded and insured for our services in Arizona.
How do I really know if my home is being taken care of while I am away?
Good Steward Home Watch Services uses a custom GPS System and QRIDit system for reporting and inspection updates. The GPS system only allows us to obtain access to our reporting software when we are in front of your home. This ensures that someone was actually at the home at the time of the inspection. To obtain more information, please go to the QRIDit section of our website where you will find a comprehensive video on the program.
Is Good Steward a home security company?
No. We are not a security company. Regular inspections do offer some security because we are at the property regularly. We will discover if the home has been broken into or if something has been vandalized but we do not do daily patrols.
Do you inspect my home after severe weather?
Arizona is a harsh climate, especially durning the summer months. Additionally, high winds, dust storms and torential rainstorms can cause extensive damage to homes. We offer post-storm inspection services If you home is not scheduled for a regular home watch inspection shortly after a large storm, you can request that we do a post-storm inspection to make sure there is no visible exterior or interior damage to your property. These inspections are conducted at less than the normal rate as they are just to ensure that there is no storm-related damage to the property. We do not perform a complete inspection after storms because we have many homes to check in a short period of time. If a regular inspection is scheduled a day or two after a storm, we will perform the full inspection at the regular price and not charge you anything additional for the inspection.
How do you communicate with us?
Our reports are sent to our clients via email. If there are any immediate problems that need to be discussed, we will always place a phone call from the home as well as provide you a report via email.
How do I pay for services?
We will email , or if you request - mail you an invoice. Most clients prefer to set up an account with monthly billing but we can make other arrangements if necessary.
Can you provide referral services if I need work done at my home?
Yes, we have an extensive list of qualified licensed contractors and vendors who can meet most of your needs.