F.A.Q.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does the Home Stewardship Subscription plan cost?
The monthly cost is about the same as hiring a housekeeper, however, the long term savings in maintenance and repairs in invaluable. Pricing is based on square footage and is $250/month for homes up to 2143 sf. We bill after each seasonal service, and you can cancel your subscription without penalty.
What about items not covered in the Stewardship Seasonal Checklists?
Construction items not included on seasonal checklists we call “Special Projects.” For these items we provide you an estimate and contract that defines the scope and duration of work, and a fixed or “not-to-exceed” price. If you decide to proceed a Project Manager assigned to your home will help schedule and drive the project forward with our team of construction experts. We might replace decking or complete a kitchen remodel, replace a roof or install better site drainage, or update ventilation and filtration systems, etc. We are a licensed General (B) Contractor in the state of California.
Can we do a Special Project even if we’re not a Stewardship Client?
Yes, though our Stewardship Clients get priority and better pricing. The majority of our construction projects are for homes that have received an inspection through Healthy Building Science or families that have signed up for Home Stewardship. We find that building a trusting relationship with clients is best for all parties, and we’re more interested in working with families who agree with the long-term philosophy of prescribed and proactive home maintenance.
What is your relationship with Healthy Building Science?
Healthy Building Science, Inc. is the parent organization of Home Stewards. Healthy Building Science is an industrial hygiene (environmental testing and inspection) company that services all building types all over the bay. Much of the HBS client base is commercial, retail and institutional clients in San Francisco, Silicone Valley, and the East Bay. Home Stewards on the other hand focuses on residential maintenance and construction, and we generally limit our services to the North Bay counties of Marin and Sonoma. Home Stewards is essentially a “division” of Healthy Building Science. Our corporate status, insurance, general contractors license, etc., are under the HBS umbrella.
Does your team do all the work, or do you subcontract it out?
Depending on the scope of work we may do all the work in-house with our trained team, or we may bring in our trusted vendors. For larger HVAC, plumbing and electrical projects, for example, we have a collection of professional subcontractors whom we trust to deliver high quality services at fair market rates. You get one point of contact – your Project Manager – and if the project requires subs we manage 100% of their work.
How is this different from hiring a handyman to fix everything as needed?
HBS is a licensed, insured, and bonded General (B) Contractor. Because we have a general contractor’s license we can take on larger projects and we use only licensed professionals as subcontractors. We are also one point of contact for all of your home’s maintenance and repair needs. Also, handymen are usually reactive and respond to problems after they’ve presented. We take a more proactive approach to home inspections and maintenance, and through our comprehensive seasonal checklists we often “fix” problems before you even notice them. The old adage “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure,” rings true for the home maintenance field. We offer prevention and cures (small and large), while handymen focus on small cures.
