HPS Palo Alto, Inc. believes every home should serve as a sanctuary to live, rest and reenergize. The company’s Stewardship subscription service is designed to make that happen. It is a strategy and a new way of thinking for a better life. Stewardship removes the work and worry of properly caring for a home from each client’s shoulders.
HPS assesses each home and develops a plan for bringing it to top condition. Then the company schedules quarterly visits that perform 260-plus strategic maintenance tasks to keep it that way. With a Stewardship subscription, homeowners can realize the full enjoyment and value they deserve from their homes. Stewardship replaces the 32 individual service trades that are critical for properly maintaining the home while also improving function, reducing energy use, preempting costly emergencies, and maximizing durability and value.
Founded by Steve Spratt and in business since 1984, HPS offers a full range of high-quality repair and licensed general contracting services for exclusive support to its Stewardship subscribers. Led today by CEO Bobby Evans, former baseball GM and three-time World Series winner, HPS is a national model for quality home services.
“Our mission is to help people live better by realizing the benefits of a safe and nurturing home. We are a family business that prides ourselves on delivering home services of the highest possible quality with the finest people. We believe our long success is due to building extraordinary relationships with our clients, employees and trusted local partners.”
It’s never too late or too early to start a relationship with a home maintenance company.
The main difference between a company that provides home maintenance services and a handyman or building contractor is the emphasis the former places on prevention. While a handyman or contractor is able to perform home repairs with varying skill and reliability, neither tends to be proactive in preventing the need for repairs in the first place. A home maintenance company, on the other hand, primarily focuses on preventing common household problems that require expensive repairs if left unattended.
A home maintenance service is able to perform the same tasks and repairs as a handyman or building contractor but gives equal attention to inspection, systematically examining the fixtures and systems in a home in order to catch potential problems before they occur. Problems such as dry rot and undetected leaks simply shouldn’t happen under the watchful eye of a good home maintenance service. If you’re concerned about the integrity of your home or simply want to keep it in optimal condition, consider signing up for a regular maintenance plan.
One of the most important areas of your home to have regularly inspected is the plumbing system—in addition to pipes that bring water to faucets and toilet reservoirs, this includes water lines that serve icemakers, instant hot water taps and filtered water systems. Since most of your home’s plumbing system is hidden from view, leaks and other system failures can cause a lot of damage in a short period of time, which is why early detection is so important. Look for signs of moisture, mold, water damage, aged fixtures and piping, clogs, rusted traps and faulty shut-off valves. The best way to avoid plumbing issues altogether is to have a home inspection company test and service your plumbing once a year.
Home maintenance companies are always looking for ways to distinguish themselves from their competition, and those that have earned the prestigious Diamond Certified award are already several steps ahead. In addition to its Diamond Certified status, HPS Palo Alto, Inc. sets itself apart by providing a one-of-a-kind service that is as comprehensive as it is innovative: an HPS Subscription includes a 260-point service and inspection checklist that is designed to maintain clients’ homes, reduce their energy usage, preempt costly repairs, arrest property deterioration, and ensure the highest equity values. “The formula for our success is simple: Do it better than anybody else, even if nobody else is doing it,” says former General Manager Mike Ellerin (retired). “Once our clients embrace the idea of a preventative home maintenance service, the rest is just about following through.” In addition to the core maintenance service, HPS Subscribers also receive exclusive access to 24/7 emergency support, handyman services, general contracting, internally vetted vendor referrals and coordination, estate management, project management, design, and landscape services.
Unlike less experienced home maintenance companies that strive to maximize their workload volume but sacrifice customer service in the process, HPS Palo Alto focuses on building close relationships with its customers to ensure each account is treated with care and consistency. “Few companies have the expertise or willingness to systematically care for people’s homes 24 hours a day, 365 days a year,” says Mr. Ellerin. “Our technicians are trained to protect our clients’ investments and make their lives less stressful so they can enjoy the comfort of their homes.”
Another distinguishing feature of HPS Palo Alto is the emphasis it places on prevention, which includes keeping a close eye on each client’s property to catch potential problems before they become too costly. “As we’re performing basic maintenance steps like replacing filters, repairing hardware and flushing water heaters, we’re also systematically inspecting the home for signs of deterioration,” explains Mr. Ellerin. “This is really what makes our service so valuable—our technicians catch most issues when they’re inexpensive to repair or before they’re even needed.”