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Terms & Conditions

Five Star Deck Services, LLC

Thank you for choosing Five Star Deck Services, LLC (FSDS). We are honored that you trust us with your home and deck. Our goal is to provide you with a seamless experience from start to finish. From the first time you call our office, until your deck is beautifully refinished, we want you to feel comfortable, confident, and happy. Good communication is one of our top priorities. If at any time you have questions or concerns, we want you to ask. Our office line is: (443)690-2247. Please don’t hesitate to call. In the meantime, please read these Terms and Conditions thoroughly.

MAIN BULLET POINTS – (Summary Only. Please read the entirety of this document.)

  • Estimate approval signifies acceptance of these Terms and Conditions.
  • Please read your project description thoroughly and let us know if you have questions.
  • Any changes must be in writing, and costs for changes must be paid.
  • Deposit must be made to secure your place on our job list.
  • Customer must be home on the final day to sign-off on our work and make final payment.
  • There are fees associated with electronic payments.
  • Most work begins approximately 3-7 weeks after sign-up, entirely weather dependent.
  • Trust our knowledge of when to schedule based on weather/moisture/etc.
  • There are limits to our work guarantees. See below.
  • For work to begin, we need a clear space and access to water and power.
  • Homeowner is liable for water damage from windows/doors in disrepair or left open.
  • Customer has five day right-to-cancel.
  • All contracts are governed by Maryland Law.

ESTIMATE APPROVAL

  • By approving this estimate, the customer agrees to the Terms and Conditions of this work agreement and agrees to pay the total estimated cost for work performed, as well as the cost of any supplemental work added to the contract subsequently.

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

  • Please refer to the attached Estimate for individual project description.

ALTERATIONS/CHANGE ORDERS

  • Any additional work or change requests must be in writing and acknowledged by FSDS staff. If our team finds any additional work needed while on site, customer will be made aware, and any additional charges will be discussed immediately.
  • Any costs relating to changes shall be the responsibility of the customer and considered in addition to the original contracted amount.

CONTRACT PRICE

  • See attached Estimate for project price breakdown.

PAYMENTS

  • Deposit payment must be made to secure Customer’s place on our Job List.
    • Most Restoration jobs (cleaning/sanding/staining) require 10% deposit
    • Most Remodel/Repair/Carpentry/New Build jobs require
      § 1/3 deposit, 1/3 at job start, 1/3 at final
  • All final payments are collected upon completion and work must be signed-off on by the customer. If you expect to be out of town on the day of completion, please make us aware so that appropriate arrangements can be made.
  • Most of our customers choose to pay by cash, check, or Zelle; but we do also accept all major credit cards and EFT (EFT’s are subject to 1% processing fee and credit card charges are subject to a 4% processing fee)
  • All workmanship guarantees will be in effect as of the work completion date; however, no work related to said guarantees will be provided unless final payment has been made in full. In no event shall a delay in Customer payment extend any warranty/guarantee period.

SCHEDULING

  • Due to weather and other factors, we are unable to schedule in advance. Please refer to our Welcome Email for general timeframes.
  • By approving your Estimate, you agree to allow FSDS to make all decisions regarding weather-dependent work. We are seasoned professionals, and to keep our schedule queue flowing, we must be able to complete any portion of work we can, even if conditions do not seem ideal.

WORK COMPLETION

  • We ask that you are home on the final trip in order to sign off on our work and to make final payment.
  • It is the responsibility of the homeowner to be present to give final approval of the work before our team leaves.
  • Any final walkthrough requests must be made when the technician is scheduling the final day of work. Once our team has finished and left the job site, the job is considered complete.

WORK GUARANTEES

  • Because we are seasonal and have a heavy workload, there is no set timeframe for warranty/service calls.
  • We will work to accommodate these calls as quickly as possible but cannot schedule in advance and it may be weeks before a technician is available.
  • All warranty calls will be completed based on the geographic and workload availability of your assigned technician.
  • DECK RESTORATION GUARANTEES:
    • We guarantee stain application for a sixty-day period after job completion.
      • If the stain bubbles, peels or flakes within sixty days of your service date, we will provide one warranty call free of charge.
    • Limitations/Exclusions
      • Guarantees do not apply to decks ten years old or older (aged wood is unpredictable and depending on prior treatment and weather exposure, new stain may not adhere properly.)
      • Oil stains for hardwoods/exotic lumber (such as ipe, cedar, cumaroo, etc.) are excluded from the sixty-day guarantee.
      • Heavy acrylic coatings are excluded (ex. Deck Correct, etc.)
      • Wear and tear are not covered, i.e. foot traffic wear, pet damage, etc.
      • Color choice changes made after staining are not included. If a customer is unhappy with the color of the new stain, a new estimate must be approved for re-coat at current market rate.
      • FSDS is not responsible for environmental deposits such as pollen or dust left on deck after service completion.
      • Wood cracking/curling after stain service is excluded (wood can sometimes crack or curl after the staining process due to lack of moisture content before staining and/or exposure to weather and heat; especially older wood).
      • Rust stains caused by screws/nails not installed by FSDS are excluded.
      • Any stain issues that are not caused by application should be directed to the stain manufacturer.
  • CARPENTRY/REMODEL GUARANTEES:
    • We guarantee our carpentry craftsmanship for a period of twenty-four months. If any repair fails as a result of faulty craftsmanship, we will provide one warranty call free of cost.
    • Materials are not guaranteed by FSDS.

CONDITIONS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

  • FSDS is not responsible for faulty well pumps, plumbing, or capacity issues.
  • Closure of all windows/doors will be the responsibility of the customer. FSDS is not responsible for water leakage into the home.
  • FSDS is not responsible for damage to personal items left on or around the deck.
  • Customer is responsible for removal or alteration of items such as electrical, HVAC, plumbing, etc. which may be necessary for work to be performed on the deck. (Ex. Hanging lights, grill gas lines, vents, etc.)

CANCELLATION

  • Customer has the right to rescind this agreement within five business days of deposit. Cancellation request must be in writing and received by FSDS within those five business days. Thereafter, any products ordered and/or work performed by FSDS must be paid for in full.
  • Deposits are non-refundable.

CONTRACT LAWS

  • The validity, interpretation and performance of this agreement with respect to any provision stated or not, shall be governed by the laws of the State of Maryland. All parties agree to submit all disputes which cannot be mediated to the courts of the State of Maryland only.

NOTES FOR DECK RESTORATION PROJECTS:

• Deck restoration is a seasonal business in our area because of temperature, moisture, etc. We typically operate from mid-March to around early December. We must be extremely efficient in order to complete all projects within that timeframe. To make this possible, we have a refined process that we’d like you to be aware of. The following is a general outline of what to expect when you hire us to restore your deck:

  • SIGNING UP/STEPS BEFORE OUR TEAM CAN COMMENCE WORK:
    • Please mark the estimate as ‘Approved’. This acts as your digital signature within our contract.
    • If you have a specific deadline, please be sure to discuss it with us at the time of your estimate.
    • *PLEASE NOTE* We service our customers in sequence, according to estimate approval, weather, and deposit payment; this system is in place to allow fair scheduling for all customers.
    • Our office staff will send out our ‘Welcome’ email, providing information on the process and what to expect. This email confirms that you are properly entered into the system, gives you a re-cap of our process and lets you know that we are working to meet your needs.
    • Deposit must be made before your project can be added to our Job List.
    • We will be in touch as we get closer to starting work for you. Work on your project will commence within the timeframe discussed previously (weather dependent, of course).
    • We want the process to be easy on you, so we only ask that the customer is home on the final day of work to sign-off.
    • If other contractors are scheduled for work during the timeframe that we’ll be working on your deck, please notify us ahead of time. We need to be able to properly coordinate if that is the case.
    • Water spigot must be turned on (anywhere on the exterior of the home is fine).
    • Notify us if you are on well water and if there are any issues with water capacity or with your well pump.
    • Electric outlet must be accessible and turned on. If the outlet is not covered, water may trip GFIs in your home or cause a fire. If any power goes out following our services, please check all GFI reset buttons. FSDS is not liable for any subsequent fires.
    • Doors and windows must be shut tightly near the deck and in any other areas we are working, to avoid water/dust from entering your home. Please be sure that these areas are in good repair, to prevent any leaks.
    • If you have experienced any issues with water getting in through a closed door or window, please make us aware before we begin work. Additional steps may need to be taken by the homeowner, such as securing plastic over a patio door, etc.
    • We need access to the deck; if you have a gate with a latch/lock, please make sure you unlock it on the day we are scheduled to come out.
    • Items should be removed from both on and under the deck. A clear surface makes for the best work environment for our team. We do offer furniture moving services at an additional cost if needed (seniors 65 and over may request this service for free).o There is always some potential for overspray of water and/or stain. If you have any valuable items that need to be covered or moved farther away, please make arrangements to do so. This also applies to neighboring properties. If your neighbor’s home is adjacent to yours, please discuss preventative measures with them ahead of time.
  •  TIMEFRAMES
    • We average 3 to 8 weeks-time from sign up to completion. During the busiest times in our season, scheduling can take a bit longer, but we do our best to keep our average. Again, this will always be weather dependent.
    • DEADLINES: If you have an event that requires us to be finished by a certain date, be sure to discuss this with your sales representative up-front so that we can make special accommodations, if possible. We will work hard to make sure your needs are met.
    • NOTICE: We typically provide notice the night before. Due to weather dependency, we cannot give more advanced notice in most cases.
  • AVERAGE TIME ON JOB/WEATHER DEPENDENCE:
    • Most deck restoration takes approximately one to two weeks from start to finish, but this may vary due to weather and scheduling. Inclement weather sometimes keeps us from completing the sanding and staining portion of jobs in our queue. This means that we may end up with several decks that are clean and ready for the dry work phase at any given time. If we end up cleaning your deck towards the end of one of the “wet” periods, then it will likely take us a bit longer before we come back out to finish the job. Please do not be alarmed or concerned. We want you to continue using and enjoying your deck between phases. Any dirt, debris, pollen, mud, etc. that we find upon our return is typically removed during the sanding and prep steps.
    • Please note that we can complete much of our work in rainy conditions. Our technicians are experienced and are trained to make responsible choices with regard to working in the rain. In fact, some rain can be helpful in the cleaning process.
    • By approving your estimate, you agree to allow FSDS to make all decisions regarding weather-dependent work. We are seasoned professionals, and to keep our schedule queue flowing, we must be able to complete any portions of work we can, even if conditions do not seem ideal.
    • Our technicians are very experienced and friendly. Feel free to ask them questions throughout the process.

NOTES FOR DECK REMODELS, REPAIR OR OTHER CARPENTRY WORK:

  • THE PROCESS:
    • Our estimator likely gave you a ballpark timeframe for when work will begin. If you have any questions or concerns regarding this timing, please call our office or reply to this email.
    • Once we are closer to your project start date, we will communicate with you regarding materials drop-off, job specifications, inspections, etc. If you need us for anything in the meantime, please don’t hesitate to reach out.
    • You will not need to be home for us to begin work but are welcome to be if you like.
    • If you have any special requests for placement of materials when they’re delivered, please let us know.
    • As your start time approaches, please make sure that you remove all items from your deck and place them as far from the workspace as possible. We want to be sure that your belongings are cared for, and that our technicians have as much of an open workspace as possible. If there’s anything that needs to be tarped or covered, please do so in advance.
    • We can provide furniture/item moving services at an additional cost if needed (seniors 65+ receive this service for free).
    • Our technicians will need access to water and power on the exterior of your home. Please make sure that these are on and available outside or let us know if special arrangements will be needed.
    • We have a great deal of experience in deciding on weather appropriateness. Please trust our judgement with regard to weather and scheduling.
    • If there are other contractors scheduled to do work around your deck within the same timeframe, please let us know ahead of time so that we can coordinate accordingly.
  • JOB COMPLETION:
    • You will only need to be home at the time of job completion. We ask that you are there to sign-off on our work and to arrange final payment. If no one is home at this time, the job will be marked as complete without signature. Please see our Terms and Conditions for our Work Guarantee procedures.
    • Most of our customers choose to pay by cash, check, or Zelle; but we do also accept all major credit cards and EFT (EFT’s are subject to 1% processing fee and credit card charges are subject to a 4% processing fee)
    • Please feel free to talk with us throughout your project. Our office staff is happy to answer any questions you may have, and our friendly technicians enjoy open communication with our customers.
    • We look forward to developing an ongoing relationship with you, and your deck! Thank you again for your business.
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