Terms of business

These cover domestic work carried out by Daniel Nicholls, trading as Seaford Driveway & Patio Cleaning, Seaford, East Sussex, BN25. They are written to be read rather than to be impressive.

Quotes

Quotes are fixed, in writing, and valid for 30 days. The price is worked out from the published square metre rate and the area, and both are shown so you can check the arithmetic.

If the job turns out to be larger or harder than I judged from your photographs, that is my misjudgement and the price does not change. The one exception is if the area is materially different from what you told me, in which case I will stop and talk to you before carrying on rather than presenting you with a larger bill at the end.

The minimum job charge is £150 regardless of area.

Payment

On completion, by bank transfer, against an invoice. No deposit is taken on domestic work.

If you are not happy with the work, tell me before I leave or within seven days and I will come back and put it right. There is nothing to pay for work I have not put right.

Your right to cancel

Because quotes are agreed away from a business premises, the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013 give you 14 days from agreeing to cancel without giving a reason. Just tell me by phone, text or email.

If you ask me to start within that 14 day period and then cancel, I can charge for what has already been done. I will always say so before starting early rather than after.

If you cancel outside that period with less than 24 hours notice, I may charge for the time I cannot fill, and in practice I rarely do.

Cancellation by me

I will move a booking for weather where it affects the work. Cleaning goes ahead in rain. Sealing does not, because rain within about eight hours of application ruins it. I will not wash a porous surface below about three degrees, because water freezing in the pores can damage the paving.

A moved date is not a cancellation and nothing is charged for it.

Access and what I need from you

Vehicles moved off the area, loose items cleared, windows on that side closed, and access to an outside tap. If there is no outside tap, tell me in advance so I can bring an alternative.

I need to park within about 30 metres of the work for the hose run. Where that is genuinely not possible, we work out an alternative before the day rather than on it.

Please tell me about anything I should not point water at, and about any surface you know to be loose, cracked or repaired.

What I am responsible for

Damage caused by my negligence. I carry the cover stated on this website, and where no insurance is stated it is because I have not yet supplied the details to be published, which you are entitled to ask about before booking.

What I am not responsible for

Pre-existing damage that cleaning makes visible. Cleaning removes growth that was hiding cracked slabs, spalled surfaces, failed pointing and settlement. The surface will sometimes look worse afterwards for that reason. I point out what I can see before starting.

Loose or already-damaged material that comes away during normal careful cleaning, where I have flagged it beforehand.

Growth returning. Cleaning removes what is there. How quickly it comes back depends on aspect, shade, ground and exposure, and no honest contractor can guarantee an interval.

Efflorescence, black spot lichen and iron staining, which are characteristics of the material rather than dirt, and which I will tell you about at the quote stage.

Work I do not carry out

Weed and herbicide treatment, which requires PA1 and PA6 certification I do not hold. Laying or repairing paving. Oiling or staining timber. Roof work requiring access equipment unless separately quoted.

Photographs

I photograph work before and after, for my records and to send to you. I will not publish a photograph of your property without asking you about that specific photograph first.

Complaints

Ring me. I would far rather come back and sort something out than have it sit unresolved. If we cannot agree, these terms are governed by the law of England and Wales.