We’ve seen a lot of unprecedented events over the past few weeks related to COVID 19. At Criterium-Hardy Engineers, the safety of our clients and employees and the safety of the occupants of the homes, offices, and buildings we inspect, are of utmost importance. I want to share what we are doing as a company to help keep everyone safe.

Action Plan – Key Points:

• No contact during site visit – remain 6 feet apart.
• One person/representative to attend site visit.
• Sign service agreement ahead of time – watch for a DocuSign email.

Action Plan – Details:

While we typically encourage our clients to attend our evaluations, we are temporarily changing that request.

In cases with a realtor providing access to the property, we ask that only your real estate agent be in attendance at the inspection. If a lock box or supra key access is possible, the evaluation can be unattended. If requested, we will provide a brief phone call at the end of the evaluation. Once the written report is issued, you are certainly encouraged to call if additional explanation of our findings is needed.

For structural evaluations and design visits requested by the current occupant/homeowner, we ask that, when possible, one person attend the evaluation. If others are home, please have them move to an area of the home that we are not inspecting or, in the case of an overall inspection, consider moving outside/taking the children for a walk during our evaluation. In any case, we will trust you to keep your family safe by minimizing contact.

Please do not bring children or additional family members along to any evaluation. Absolutely no one who is ill should attend the evaluation. If someone in your home is sick and we will be entering your house, please reschedule. If our evaluation is outside or in the garage, the visit can go on as planned.

Prior to visit:

• When possible (based on type of visit), service agreements will be sent electronically for your completion prior to the site visit. This eliminates sharing pens, touching our clipboard, and exchanging paperwork.
• You may continue to pay with a check which can be handed to the engineer. If you plan to pay with credit card, please consider paying electronically to further limit contact. Please respond to this email and an invoice can be provided allowing you to complete your payment via SQUARE. If you pay with credit card in person, the engineer will have you read your numbers aloud in order to avoid handling your card and returning it to you.

While on-site, our engineers will take the following steps to protect themselves and you:

• When available, we will use hand sanitizer just prior to/upon entering the premises. If you request it and provide a sink and paper towel, we will wash our hands before we start.
• If you have hand sanitizer available, we will use it as often as you wish throughout your house.
• Our hand tools (tape measures, flashlights, etc) are wiped with disinfectant between sites.
• We will not shake hands.
• We ask that you respect a distance of 6 feet all times.
• If discussions can be moved outside, either before we begin or at the end of the inspection, we will do so. Please be dressed for that possibility.
• If any of our inspectors have a fever or cough, we will not conduct the inspection. We will send a different engineer or reschedule with you.

We will continue to monitor this dynamic situation. We will adjust any of these policies as needed or recommended to help ensure everyone’s safety. Thank you for choosing Criterium-Hardy Engineers.