Standard of care
A protocol, not an arrangement.
The difference between a service and a favour is that a service is written down. Here is what happens, in what order, and what it produces.
Cadence
Weekly from November through April. Bi-weekly in season. Additional visits triggered automatically — not on request, and not billed separately — after any named storm, hard freeze, or power outage affecting the property.
The cadence is stated in the agreement. “As needed” is not a cadence; it is a way of not committing to one.
The interior protocol
- Interior temperature verified and recorded at or above 55°F
- Leak and moisture inspection at ceilings, under sinks and around fixtures
- Water supply status; visible plumbing runs and shut-off condition
- HVAC and hot water operation
- Sump pump and interior drainage function
- Fuel and propane levels against consumption rate
- Generator readiness
- Appliance status; refrigeration and freezer contents
- Pest and rodent evidence
- Mail and package retrieval; light timer function
The exterior protocol
- Roof condition, gutters and downspouts, visible flashing
- Site drainage and standing water
- Storm debris and tree condition over structures
- Pool and spa status, cover integrity, water level
- Landscape condition and irrigation shut-down state
- Driveway, gates and access function
- Every outbuilding — guest houses, barns, pool houses, garages. These carry their own heating and plumbing and are the most commonly omitted item in a caretaking scope, which is precisely why failures start there.
The record
Every visit produces a written report: date, time of arrival and departure, weather conditions, every protocol item with its status, photographs of anything changed or of note, and any action taken or recommended.
Reports are retained indefinitely and indexed by property. They are yours — during the engagement and after it.
This is the deliverable. Everything else is the means of producing it. See why the record is the thing that has value.
When something is found
- Immediate risk — active water, no heat in freezing conditions, compromised structure or access: we act first and inform you within the hour. Standing authority for emergency mitigation is agreed in advance, with a ceiling, so that nobody is waiting on a phone call at 3am while a pipe runs.
- Requires attention — a failing system, a developing problem, a vendor issue: documented, quoted where relevant, and brought to you with a recommendation.
- Noted — anything changed since the last visit, recorded whether or not it needs action. The value of a continuous record is that it captures what nobody thought was important at the time.
Discretion
We do not name clients. We do not photograph properties for marketing. We do not discuss one household with another. Staff and vendors engaged on your behalf are bound to the same standard in writing.
You will not find your house on this website, and neither will anyone else.