Frequently Asked Questions
What can a Household Assistant do or not do?
HomeHQ Household Assistants (‘HAs’) can do the following. The list is not exhaustive but generally requests outside this scope will be considered on a case-by-case basis:
- Laundry – loading and running washer and dryer, folding clothes, putting them away in dresser
- Meal prep – washing, peeling, chopping, measuring and cooking ingredients according to a recipe (or just preparing ingredients for cooking by clients)
- Making snacks – washing and cutting up fruits and vegetables
- Washing dishes – loading and unloading dishwashers and hand-washing items as needed
- Putting back toys and other items – replace items back to their designated locations
- Cleaning out the refrigerator – periodically cleaning out the refrigerator from spoiled foods
- Spot cleaning – cleaning out the crumbs in the corners of your kitchen cabinets for example
- Disposing package boxes – flattening out and taking out for recycling
- Replenishing toilet paper, napkins and soap
- Wiping down counters and tables
- Package returns, pickup and other shipping requests
- Grocery shopping from a client-defined list
- Running errands – picking up medication, dropping off/ picking up dry cleaning, etc
- Make appointments for doctors, haircuts, and other service providers where a HA can call on your behalf
- Researching and booking extracurricular activities for kids
- Researching and making appointments with top vendors for household jobs (e.g., home repair)
- Creating meal plans for client’s approval
- Creating grocery list against ingredients already at clients’ home
- Planning birthdays and holidays
- Support management of school and caregiver schedules
- Water plants
- Feed and walk pets
HomeHQ HAs do not do the following but we can find partners who can provide these services:
- Deep cleaning
- Heavy furniture moving
- Furniture assembly
- Handyman/construction tasks
- Landscaping work
- Transport of people, including children
- Babysitting
- Catering
- In-person food service (i.e., acting as an in-home wait staff)
Will a HomeHQ Household Assistant be my employee?
No. HomeHQ handles the employment relationship with the Household Assistant. This means you don’t have to deal with the tax and legal considerations of being an employer – hurray!
What does the onboarding process look like?
Once a HomeHQ HA is placed with you, the HA, the client and a HA manager will schedule an in-person meeting to walk through the client’s home, typical tasks to be done and any specific considerations from the client. Many clients find that this is also an opportunity where they can set up systems in place to manage their home more effectively not only with their HA but with other people involved such as their spouse, children and babysitter.
What if I’m not satisfied with my Household Assistant?
If you are not satisfied with your HA for any reason, please contact HomeHQ client service. We will attempt to work with the client and the HA to change the quality of service to the client’s satisfaction during a defined trial period. If client satisfaction is not achieved within the trial period, HomeHQ will attempt to place a new HA with the client. HomeHQ also regularly schedules check-ins with clients to request feedback.
How soon can a Household Assistant start?
From client registration, HAs may be placed the client in as little as 3 days to a few weeks, depending on the hours required, client location and other factors. Clients do not pay for service until a HA placement is confirmed.
What areas do you serve?
Currently we serve households within the city limits of Seattle, Bellevue and Mercer Island.
Can a Household Assistant babysit?
No, HomeHQ HAs do not babysit.
What if we are going on vacation?
If a client is going on vacation and does not require HA services during that time, the client is required to give at least 2 weeks prior notice in writing to the HomeHQ client services team. The cancelled sessions will be credited to the clients’ account in the next month’s billing.
How will a Household Assistant safeguard my privacy?
HomeHQ HAs are required to sign a Confidentiality Agreement to safeguard any private information they may come across while serving clients.
What hours do Household Assistants work?
HAs typically work between 8a-6pm Monday-Fridays.
Do Household Assistants speak English?
Yes, all of our HAs are interviewed for fluency in English.
What is the package that is right for me?
This depends on the types of routine tasks you need help with as well as one-time tasks (e.g., re-organization of a playroom). Our client services team can help you determine which package is likely the right one for you.