Some Questions...
...and Answers!
New Client FAQs
What is your hourly rate?
$65 per hour per labourer.
What services do you offer?
Our goal is to be your one-stop shop for all your stratas building maintenance and repair needs. From gutter cleaning, upgrades and repairs, to window cleaning and power washing. We can inspect your roof vents and attic connections or replace those hard to reach light bulbs.
Have a fence or gate that needs to be repaired or replaced? Decks or stairs need a fresh coat of paint? Just ask, and if we can’t do it we can help you find someone who can.
Do you only work on strata buildings?
Yes. We specialize in making building maintenance and repairs easy for strata members and strata managers. Large buildings and multi-unit developments have different maintenance requirements than an average residential home.
As well, the finances, planning and approval of strata work is specialized and unique to each strata. Because we specialize in stratas, we know exactly what stratas need.
How long have you been in business?
We are a local family-owned business that has served the Cowichan Valley since 2015.
Are you insured?
Yes. We are fully insured as well as covered with WCB and are able to supply your strata with the necessary paperwork upon request.
Are you certified carpenters, plumbers, electricians, roofers, etc?
No, we are handymen and women. Although our team has vast experience and knowledge in all these areas, we never hesitate to let you know if a task is out of our scope.
If a specialist is required for a job we can often work with them and arrange the scheduling to keep things simple for you.
How do I pay?
At this time we accept payment by cheque or e-transfer. All details are on the invoices we send out.
p.s. Once we have established a great working relationship we can chat about the equal payment plan we offer our Preferred Monthly Strata clients.
What do you do to help the environment?
We believe we are all stewards of this wonderful planet we call home. Traditionally the construction industry produces a lot of waste but we believe that collectively small actions can make big impacts so at Good Old Days we do what we can...
Reduce: when possible we purchase gently used tools instead of purchasing brand new and broken tools get repaired instead of being thrown out.
Reuse: Laundering drop cloths and lightly used rags or using lumber cut ends as stakes for fencing projects and concrete work; it all helps.
Repurpose: If we get waste materials that can be put to life in another way by someone else, we happily pass them on.
Recycle: There is a lot of waste in our type of business. Although it would be much easier and less time consuming to lump it all together and dump it in the garbage bin, we spend time separating things into categories to be sure that anything and everything that can be recycled is recycled.
Do you work weekends?
Nope, our family and the families of our team are very important to us. We savour our down time to make memories and enjoy the moments.
If your building ever has an emergency it will almost always require a professional plumber, electrician, etc.
Why should I hire you?
We think we are pretty wonderful people to work with and we have many clients who think the same way.
At Good Old Days you will find a team who is professional, trustworthy, friendly and respectful. We can clean a gutter and paint a fence just fine but at the end of the day it is the people and relationships that matter the most to us. If we haven't worked together before, let's take each other for a test drive.
Try us out for a small job or two and we will see if working together is a good fit.
Do you offer free estimates?
Yes. For smaller jobs that are less than one day of labour we may offer verbal estimates, unless your strata requires a written one for approval.
For larger jobs, we will make a detailed custom estimate that will be emailed to whomever you request.
What is the process of working with you?
When you have a project you would like to inquire about, simply give our office a call (250-709-1701) or email us. Our office staff will gather information about your job as well as contact details.
From there, you can expect a phone call from our owner, Scott, within the next 2-3 business days. He will set up a time to meet you at the work site for an assessment of your job. If an estimate is required you will be emailed within a week or so. Approval is easy with a click of a button on your estimate.
From there, Scott will be in touch when he has scheduled the work to be completed by our team. The availability and busyness of our schedule fluctuates with the seasons.
Due to Covid, we are sometimes experiencing longer wait times on supplies so we recommended that you start the process sooner rather than later.
Is it safe to have workers inside my home?
You bet. We have a thorough hiring process that ensures quality, friendly, trustworthy and responsible folks on our team. We are a small family owned business and it is important to us to feel great about who we hire too.
Do I buy my own materials and have them here for you or do you buy them?
We do repair and maintenance work all the time so we are knowledgeable about what supplies and materials are needed for any job. We will purchase and deliver materials so you don’t have to worry about that.
As is normal in the industry, we mark up materials to cover our costs however we receive discounts at most retailers. We pass those discounts on to you and do our mark up from those reduced prices. In the end our clients usually pay the same or less for materials than what they would pay if they purchased them.
Of course, if there are supplies needed that are decorative like cupboard handles or something, please be sure to let us know exactly what you want!
Do you work outside of the Cowichan Valley?
We work in the Warmland from Mill Bay to Ladysmith and in all the beautiful communities between. Occasionally we will make special arrangements to work outside the valley however travel time and costs are paid by the client.
Do you require a deposit?
It depends on the job. For bigger jobs we often require a deposit and it will typically be about half the estimated total. The amount will be clearly stated on your estimate.
If deposits are asked for they need to be received before we can begin work on your project.
What if I am not happy with the work?
Let us know! We want you to be happy with all the work we do!
If there is ever anything that is not done to your satisfaction please let Scott know and we will do our best to work with you and make it right!
What is a Preferred Strata Client?
We're glad you asked! If after working together for a while and establishing a great working relationship you want to make your strata maintenance and repairs even more streamlined then let’s chat about becoming a preferred strata.
For more details give us a call or read through the FAQ’s for Preferred Strata Clients below.
Do your team members like homemade baking?
Yes. It’s a simple answer.
For some reason we seem to hire team members who have a weak spot for cookies. Especially Tom… Tom really likes cookies!
Preferred Monthly Strata Client FAQs
What is a Preferred Monthly Strata Client? hourly rate?
If working together for a few odd jobs is like dating then becoming a Preferred Strata Client is like getting engaged! Our commitment includes preference in scheduling, access to your strata's Client Hub, annual walkthroughs to create individualized maintenance plans, budgeting for a repair and maintenance wish list, annual contracts and equal payment plans with automatic invoicing and payments.
And, of course, if you ever get cold feet you are free to cancel at any time.
What are the perks?
Preference in scheduling: The jobs of our Preferred Stratas are scheduled first. This is especially nice for you in busy seasons.
Client Hub: We use interactive software that allows you to log in to your strata's personalized Client Hub to make job requests, track appointments, view and approve quotes, view and track invoices and see the history of our work together.
Annual walkthrough: We are here to work with you to establish a maintenance plan and repair wish list. Most stratas like to do their walk through a month or two before their AGM. Regular maintenance can be discussed as well as a wish list of sorts of all the small, medium and large odd jobs that strata may choose to complete.
We will put together a rough estimate for each project and supply a checklist to have at stratas' disposal. This makes it easy to budget, plan and request jobs to be completed throughout the year.
Annual contracts: For regular maintenance tasks Preferred Stratas set up an individualized annual contract. This means only once a year you plan what you want us to check on, fix, clean, etc. and you don't have to think about it again for the rest of the year. You can rest easy knowing your buildings and property is being cared for.
Equal payment plans: We know that budgeting for building repairs and maintenance can be a headache. Preferred stratas can set up equal payment plans to take the fluctuations of monthly costs out of the equation. Working with the estimates we have provided from your Annual Walk Through checklist (see the “What are the perks?” question for more information) we will work together to come up with an amount for your strata. Minimum payment is $500/month. You can choose to pay for only the regular maintenance you choose and still receive other invoices for odds and ends jobs from your wish list OR, you can choose to add a set amount per month to go towards the wish list jobs. We would then reconcile your account at a set date each year. Equal payment plans are individually created for your stratas needs.
We would then reconcile your account at a set date each year. Equal payment plans are created for your strata's needs.
What if there are changes in our strata members?
The only thing that never changes is that things will always change! We know the stress of trying to get new members up to speed on building repairs and maintenance.
- What if someone has to quit suddenly?
- What maintenance has already been done?
- Who do we get to do this job?
- Is there a plan to fix such and such?
- Has anyone called to set up gutter cleaning?
- When was the last time someone was on the roof checking for potential leaks?
- Who do I give my extra home baked cookies to? Just joking, we’ve already answered that last question, those are for Tom remember?
Okay, seriously though… our software system keeps a history of all work completed, jobs in progress and tasks planned for the future. Combine this with your access to your strata's Client Hub and answering all of these questions is a breeze!
Can we make a long term plan?
You bet! Remember that annual walk-through we talked about in the Perks question? We can make a note of potential repairs that will need to be looked at in the future.
If you’d like, we can set a reminder in our system to talk about it 1 or 2 years from now so you don’t have to think about it anymore.
Do you offer an Equal Payment Plan?
Yes. We know that budgeting for building repairs and maintenance can be a headache. Preferred stratas can set up equal payment plans to take the fluctuations of monthly costs out of the equation. Working with the estimates we have provided from your Annual Walk Through checklist (see the “What are the perks?” question for more information) we will work together to come up with an amount for your strata. Minimum payment is $500/month.
You can choose to pay for only the regular maintenance you choose and still receive other invoices for odds and ends jobs from your wish list OR, you can choose to add a set amount per month to go towards the wish list jobs. We would then reconcile your account at a set date each year. Equal payment plans are individually created for your strata's needs.
What if an unexpected job comes up?
Not a problem, Give us a call and we will take care of it. With your equal payment plan you will have 2 options for paying for unexpected jobs.
- Fully pay for them as they come up and we complete them.
- Include paying for a certain number of hours per month that would be tracked and go towards unexpected jobs that come up. At a set month per year your account will be reconciled and an invoice or payment sent to you.
Can I cancel?
Our annual contracts are set up on a yearly basis. At the end of each contract you can choose to renew for an additional year or end the contract.
Why choose us?
We love what we do and that shines through in our workmanship. It's our goal to be proactive with the maintenance of your building to help you enjoy the space you live and avoid large repair costs down the road. Questions or want to get started?