From the call to the decision
- 1
You phone the number on this page
It is answered 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You may be asked for your ZIP code, so that a company working in your part of the valley picks up.
- 2
You talk to the cleanup company itself
Not to a salesperson for this site. The person on the phone works for an independent company that does biohazard cleaning in Santa Clara County.
- 3
They ask a few questions
What happened, where, when, whether the police or the Medical Examiner-Coroner have released the place, and whether it is a home, a business or a vehicle. You need not describe anything in detail.
- 4
They explain, and give a price
Sometimes on the phone, more often after seeing the room. The price is theirs to set. This site has no say in it.
- 5
You decide
If you hire them, the agreement is between you and the company. If you would rather not, say so and end the call.
Checks worth making
- Ask for the name the company is registered under, and look for it on the California Department of Public Health list of trauma scene waste management practitioners.
- Ask for proof of liability insurance.
- If repairs will follow, ask whether a licensed contractor does them. The Contractors State License Board (800-321-2752) can confirm a licence.
- Get the price, and what it covers, in writing before work starts.
- Ask where the waste goes, and whether you get paperwork showing it was shipped.
Two things people ask
Will I always reach a company?
The phone is answered at all hours. Whether a company can take a particular job at a particular address is something only the call can settle.
Can I call on someone else's behalf?
Yes. Relatives, friends, landlords, employers and case workers do it all the time. You will need the address and a rough idea of what happened.