Not All Home Watch Services Are The Same – What You Need To Know
At Gamble Home Services (GHS), we use the term Home Watch with some trepidation. Home Watch seems limited and doesn’t really capture the level of service we provide. The truth is, we are much more than a 'Home Watch' company; we offer a complete range of home and property management services. However, Home Watch is a commonly used term to refer to Absentee Homeowner Inspections, which are an important part of what we do, so it’s paramount to understand the difference between GHS and the typical home watch services offered here on Kiawah, Seabrook and Lower Johns Islands.
What is Home Watch?
Click the image to view our 60-point Home Watch Inspection Checklist.
The term 'Home Watch' is used to refer to Absentee Homeowner Inspections, Unoccupied Residence or Property Inspection Services. These services are designed for second home owners and rental property owners who are away from their properties, for example, in another city or state, for extended periods of time.
Home Watch is a valued service that provides assurance and protection for your home or property through regular on-site inspections. During these visits, a Home Service Manager will look for signs of damage or danger, both immediate and potential.
The GHS Approach
While we cannot speak for other Home Watch Services, at GHS, we have developed a 60-point checklist, below is a short overview of the items we inspect, every time we visit your home:
- Exterior for signs of damage, wear and tear, and animal/pest intrusions
- Landscaping, exterior lighting, and patio/porch areas to ensure everything is in it’s right place and working correctly
- Signs of wood rot on the house
- Length of trees to ensure they are trimmed away from the house
- Paint condition
- Proper coverage of pine straw
- The interior of your home, paying special attention to ensure that your appliances, HVAC units, and water heater are in good condition
- All your lights get tested and bulbs are replaced if needed
- The attic, garage and crawl spaces get thorough inspections
- We make sure there are no leaks in the house, especially in the attic and around windows
- Testing of your alarm systems
- Ensure your property is properly locked and secured when we leave
- And much more!
No stone goes unturned. Along with these standard services, we also provide many of our clients with a complete range of additional services. These include pre-arrival home preparations and cleanings, post-departure home cleanings and closings, triggered alarm response, hurricane and flooding notifications, storm preparations and post-storm response. As part of our comprehensive home watch service, GHS is available 24/7 to respond to emergencies such as triggered alarms and storm preparations. Whenever you need us, we will be there for you. When you hire Gamble Home Services, you can relax and have peace of mind knowing that your home is properly maintained and protected.
Benefits of GHS Home Watch Services
We feel that there are many reasons our services are different from our competition. However, when it comes to Home Watch, there are a number of distinctions between what we do, and what a typical home watch company will provide.
Receive a Free No-Obligation Whole Home Survey
Even before you decide to work with us, we will schedule a free, no obligation Whole Home Survey for you. Fill out your contact information in the form to the right and one of our Home Service Managers will contact you. During this meeting, your personal Home Service Manager will come to your home to pre-inspect your property and outline a Home Watch Inspection plan for your specific needs. We realize that, while our 60-point checklist is a great starting point, many homes have specific needs and requirements. Your Home Service Manager will discuss any special requirements with you and add those to your homes’ customized inspection protocol. Before we begin any work, your Home Watch plan will be put into writing, along with a clear cost quotation.
Frequent Inspections
At GHS, we offer weekly or twice a month inspections, while most of our competitors only offer monthly inspections. In our experience, too much can happen in thirty days. A minor leak can turn into major water damage, a small animal or pest intrusion can turn into a full-scale invasion, a broken or malfunctioning appliance can become a fire hazard. During our Whole Home Survey, we will discuss our recommendations for the frequency of inspections for your home. A key factor in determining how often we visit your home is the age and condition of your property.
Fully Bonded, Licensed and Insured
Another important point of differentiation between GHS and other home watch providers is that we are fully bonded, insured, and licensed with a South Carolina Residential Builders License (SCRBL). To operate a business such as GHS with all the services we provide, a company must obtain a SCRBL. Why is a license important? First and foremost, it is illegal for contractors to work without an SBRCL. Second, it means that the work we sub-contract for you is guaranteed by us, not a third-party provider. It allows us to request permits for any type of residential construction, home improvement, repair, renovation or remodeling project. Any work that is not properly permitted may not be covered by your homeowners insurance, should something go wrong, and this can cost you thousands in out of pocket expenses.
Peace of Mind
Because we are a comprehensive home watch service, the GHS team is available 24/7 to respond to emergencies at any time, providing you peace of mind. As the listed emergency contact for our clients' homes, we have called out to homes in the middle of the night to respond to triggered alarms, floods, fire, animal intrusions, loss of electricity, heat, or water, and much more. You can rest assured that we will come anytime, day or night.
We also provide convenience and efficiency. We cover a wide-range of home services including Handyman, Home Improvement, Home Maintenance & Repair, House Cleaning, Construction, Renovation and Remodeling, and we can sub-contract services such as HVAC maintenance and repair, plumbing, carpentry, painting, power washing, window washing, and much more. Most other home watch services are only able to provide home watch. If something goes wrong they can only refer you to another provider and you are on your own, because they cannot legally supervise the work without a license. At GHS, you can rest assured that we will get the work done according to your wishes, on time and on budget.
Other Alternatives
Many second home and rental property owners will decide that they do not need a Home Watch service. They go at it alone, or they will rely on a neighbor or nearby family member to ‘keep an eye out’ and hope that nothing goes wrong. This can have disastrous results. Our team is experienced and trained to spot issues and deal with them in the most effective and efficient way possible. We have served this area for more than 22 years and we know how to identify issues before they get out of control. If you own a home or property, you know that there is a cost in maintaining and protecting your investment. By choosing a professional Home Watch service like Gamble Home Services, you can be assured that your property will be cared for, maintained and protected while you are away.
If you would like to learn more about Home Watch Inspection services from Gamble Home Services, please call or email us at 843-768-9923 or email@gamblehomeservices.com or complete our Whole Home Survey request form, and one of our Home Service Managers will contact you to setup an appointment.