4 Guidelines to Be Sure You’re Getting the Job Done Right
Do you own a business that will likely produce debris, chemicals or other types of waste? Do you own a factory that needs to be thoroughly cleaned of even the tiniest debris? Are you overseeing a construction site that needs to be thoroughly excavated before work can begin? Do you need to check that all utility lines and plumbing pipes are in place? And most importantly, are you concerned about the impact your business or industry may be having on the environment, and you want to make sure that everything is cleaned out so that water and soil won’t be polluted?
If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, you’ll want to make sure you hire the right contractor. But how can you tell who will do the best job?
1) Get a referral.
The best way to be sure your contractor has a good reputation is usually word of mouth. When people have a good experience with a contractor, they will most likely recommend that person. There are also websites that are dedicated to rating contractors for various industries. This can yield mixed results. It’s human nature to want to go online and vent about a bad experience, but not as many people will think to do it if everything goes well. So you’ll have to use your best judgment here.
2) Do research.
In this day and age, they should have some kind of web presence. This shows they want to reach out to, and connect with, their customers. If they seem knowledgeable about their work, if they are experts in their field, chances are you can trust them to do the kinds of jobs you’re looking for. In your research, you should be able to tell what types of equipment they use. For instance, do they have a vac truck? At VacTone we use vac trucks that are fully equipped with heavy-duty hoses and are able to get in hard-to-reach places to suck up debris. Our vac trucks can extract gravel from 150 feet away! Your contractor, at the very least, needs to have this capability in order to do the job effectively.
3) Make sure they follow state and federal regulations.
You’d be surprised at how many contractors DO NOT dispose of waste properly, including potentially hazardous waste. They take shortcuts and expect that they’ll never be caught. When material is collected from a catch basin, it needs to be disposed of according to the regulations of the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP). If the contractor doesn’t follow these guidelines, not only is it illegal, but you’ll need to pay extra to have the job redone properly. Isn’t it better to have it done right the first time?
4) Ask if they can handle extra work, should the job require it.
Sometimes when a contractor goes in to do scheduled maintenance, other issues may present themselves. For instance, a tree with a deep root system could be getting in the way of checking on underground pipes, etc. A contractor should not only have state-of-the-art equipment, but also be able to perform work precisely and in a way that can help lower costs. For instance, VacTone performs hydro excavation because the process of using pressurized water is more effective and is less likely to damage the surrounding area. It’s especially helpful at construction sites.
Contact us to learn more about the services we provide at VacTone Environmental.
VacTone Environmental Services is your New England connection—serving Massachusetts, southern New Hampshire, Vermont, Maine and northern to central Connecticut and Rhode Island.