FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What is hoarding?

By definition, hoarding is a pattern of behavior that is characterized by the excessive acquisition of and inability or unwillingness to discard large quantities of objects that cover the living areas of a home and cause significant distress or impairment. Compulsive hoarding behavior has been associated with health risks, impaired functioning, economic burden, and adverse effects on friends and family members. When clinically significant enough to impair functioning, hoarding can prevent typical uses of space so as to limit activities such as cooking, cleaning, moving through the home, and sleeping. It can also be dangerous if it puts the individual or others at risk from fire, falling, poor sanitation, and other health concerns. 

Why hire Chicago Hoarding to cleanup your hoarding residence?

Unlike other companies who prey on and take advantage of the families and other caring members affiliated with the Hoarder, the founders of Chicago Hoarding have been in existence for nearly 20 years, and founded their business on one very simple premise, “helping first” and doing business second. Our number one goal is to help people get their lives back and begin the process of moving forward. 

What makes Chicago Hoarding different from other hoarding cleanup companies?

Chicago Hoarding separates itself from other hoarding cleanup companies in a variety of ways such as; we do not give a “Blind” inflated estimate over the phone. When contacting Chicago Hoarding, a hoarding specialist will schedule a NO COST, NO OBLIGATION site visit to the hoarding residence, in order to provide an accurate estimate and scope of the work being requested to be performed. Ask yourself this question, if your vehicle wasn’t running correctly and you called a mechanic and asked how much it would cost to fix it, and he gave you a price without looking at or inspecting the vehicle first, would you really trust him to perform the work? Also, Chicago Hoarding will not pull a “bait & switch” quote, meaning we will not quote you a lower price before beginning the cleanup, and then upon concluding the work performed, inform the client that due to a variety of issues, the price has increased (usually substantially). Additionally, unlike other hoarding cleanup companies, we are truly a “local” company. Other companies provide a toll free phone number for you to call them, and when you contact them they are an out of state call center who simply subcontracts out some part-time handyman/cleaners to come to your residence and clean. They are usually not hoarding specialists nor are they trained professionals. Many times the contracting company does not even know the subs they have hired. Would you want strangers who have not been properly vetted or trained to come to your home and rummage through your personal belongings? This also means that Chicago Hoarding can respond to a hoarding cleanup request immediately. Another aspect of Chicago Hoarding which separates us from others is the fact that we have trained professional family therapists who specialize in this area of expertise. The family and loved ones of our clients have found this amenity to be extremely helpful throughout this most sensitive and emotional of times. 

Does Chicago Hoarding share information about or notify any other entity regarding a Hoarding matter?

Absolutely Not! When you contact Chicago Hoarding to inquire about our services or to request a NO COST, NO OBLIGATION site visit, whether or not you contract Chicago Hoarding to perform any services at the hoarding residence, Chicago Hoarding will never share any information or knowledge about this with anyone. It is a confidential and classified matter. 

Does Chicago Hoarding offer any maintenance or follow up service after the initial hoarding cleanup?

Yes. Chicago Hoarding offers a regularly/routinely scheduled maintenance program in whereas we will come back to the hoarding residence after the initial cleanup and perform follow up services to ensure that the residence remains in the manner in which it was upon completion of the original hoarding cleanup.

Does Chicago Hoarding perform any general cleaning services after the original hoarding cleanup has concluded?

Yes. While the original hoarding cleanup will result in the removal of all necessary/requested items, the hoarding residence will still be in need of a thorough and detailed cleaning, due to the effects caused by the original hoarding situation. Chicago Hoarding does offer a detail cleaning program to remedy this concern.