Three For Friday

Debris scooped out from Dane Mitchell's gutter goes in to an Ettore window cleaners bucket.

Recent rain means big business for gutter cleaning services  (DALLAS) -  Dane Mitchell has been meaning to clean out the gutters of his North Dallas home. Take one look at his roof, and you'll understand why he's been putting it off – it's tall and steep. "I'd get me a ladder from Home Depot and do it myself, but here I am three years later and I've never touched it," Mitchell said. Thursday he brought in a professional. Mark Brown of Brown's Painting and Window Cleaning is a tough get these days. "It won't stop ringing, I've got 20 calls, I'll go spend a whole day doing estimates and I've got another 15 to 20 calls," he said.

Brown's company has been around for 22 years. The most recent storms have produced the most water he's ever seen. He's one of a half-dozen cleaning crews we called that's all booked up. "Some people have even told me, they've never even thought about cleaning their gutter until all this rain," Brown said. Mitchell admits, he's one of those people. He's watching safely from the ground as Brown carefully scales a two story ladder to investigate. "When it shoots past my gutters and doesn't even stop and doesn't collect and doesn't go down the downspouts, then I'm kind of concerned that there is some blockage there," Mitchell said.

Mitchell was right, and the proof is in the yellow bucket. "And this is just leaf debris and stuff that comes out of the gutters, that was just across four or five feet," Brown said. Debris that Brown says will eventually weigh down the roof and damage the gutters. And standing water isn't good either, it provides a breeding ground for mosquitoes. When Mitchell's gutters were clear, Brown was off to the next house with weeks of backed up drains ahead of him.

In 1915, a small window cleaning company was cleaning the dirt and smoke generated from gaslights off of buildings in downtown Grand Rapids, MI. 

Happy 100th birthday... how a small Grand Rapids window cleaning company grew to one of the largest cleaning operations in Michigan: In 1915, a small window cleaning company was cleaning the dirt and smoke generated from gaslights off of buildings in downtown Grand Rapids, MI.  Now, that same company, Grand Rapids Building Services, is turning 100 this year. How did a once modest company turn into one of the oldest and largest custodial contractors in the Midwest?

Versatility:  GRBS has always demonstrated an ability to serve a wide range of clients. The facilities in their repertoire are quite diverse, ranging from universities and K-12 school districts to office, government, medical and light industrial buildings. The custodial team has prevailed over a century by proving they can meet the challenges of the most demanding industries.

Customer Dedication: The company knows they would not be in business if not for their faithful customers - some of GRBS' clients have trusted in their services for over 50 years, notably 5/3 (Old Kent) bank and the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island. You cannot retain decades-long patrons without making dependable customer service a top priority, which is exactly how GRBS approaches every client – old or new.

Employee Care: The people of GRBS think of their employees as family. They believe the key to a successful team is through respect and constant collaboration. Employees are team members, not subordinates. GRBS has only become a better company by believing everyone is integral to their success.

Life Long Learning: Whether it is the always-changing landscape of cleaning technology, equipment or chemistry, GRBS has stayed ahead of the curve by keeping an open mind. By keeping up with contemporary practices, the company has not only been able to succeed for a century, but also expand. They currently service over 30 million square feet throughout Michigan, Indiana and Illinois, and have a team of over 1,300 employees.

This little company out of Grand Rapids has grown to be a custodial force in the Midwest. And it is these core beliefs that have allowed Grand Rapids Building Services to become the model for longevity and success. Yes, they have set new standards for the custodial industry, but any small business with large goals can learn from GRBS' dedication to keeping an open mind, and most of all, treating clients and employees like friends and family.

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Men in Kilts blow into Houston and they're ready to do some heavy-duty cleaning: Making household maintenance fashionable and fun, an all-male crew of professional cleaning technicians, Men In Kilts, hits Houston today. They not only do windows but, in a nod to company founder Nicholas Brand’s Scottish ties, all employees do their chores while rockin' a tartan plaid kilt.  Men In Kilts enters the Texas market thanks to Houston oil and gas entrepreneur — and kilt enthusiast — Bob Cavnar (pictured), who is often seen wearing the Scottish garb at black-tie events around town.

“Three years ago, I saw it (the company) on the national news and really liked the entire concept. First off, because of my own affinity for wearing kilts, and also because of my family’s Scottish background,” Cavnar tells CultureMap. With his interest peaked, Cavnar flew to Vancouver to meet with the founder. “I really wanted to have a piece of the action because I thought it would be fun. But at the time, I was still heavy in the oil business and didn’t have time. Now I do, so I bought the Houston franchise and plan to expand to all the major metropolitan areas in Texas.“

As for putting together his merry band of kilted men, Cavnar says, “My target employee is military veterans (via organizations such as the Lone Star Veterans Association) and young guys looking for direction. This gives me a good platform to provide good steady jobs to guys who need them. Anyone who is good shape and doesn’t mind climbing on ladder, I will hire.”

Men In Kilts offers a range of household maintenance services.

The Canada-based franchise, with U.S. outposts in Boston, Jersey Shore, Bucks Montgomery, Pa., and Raleigh, offers services including window cleaning, gutter cleaning and pressure washing for residences and commercial businesses. Prices vary according to the size of the job and such factors as the number and type of windows (large pane, divided, high surface requiring a ladder, etc.), window treatments and screens; when we called to asked about the price for a two-story house with 18 windows (half high surface), the estimate came in at around $350.

Cavnar believes Men In Kits has another advantage in that all workers are fully insured. “We have employees, not contractors, and we do background checks. Everyone who works for Men In Kilts is accountable to me.” As for what the men are wearing underneath those pleated wraparounds, Cavnar says, “We never answer that question. No peeking!”