Wednesday, December 26, 2012

Join the Herd: We're Hiring an Estimator!



Job Opening!

Buffalo Restoration Estimator/ Sales Position
Open Until Filled
Full time, 40 Hours/ Week

Job Description
Qualifications: Experience in estimating restorative construction. Hands-on knowledge of construction practices. Solid sales skills or experience. Budgeting skills and experience. Ability to manage multiple projects, personnel management experience, excellent communication and problem solving skills, organizational skills. Also, must have some knowledge or be able to develop expertise in insurance claims handling processes and familiarity with Xactimate or similar software programs.

Duties: Will scope and develop potential new projects; estimate cost of jobs for potential customers; maintain customer accounts & follow up with customers previously contacted; close all sales and meet sale goals; obtain bids from subcontractors; develop budgets and allowances; prepare contracts and payment terms; follow through & review contracts; work with insurance adjusters and project managers to ensure completion and success of projects; be available to help with production when needed; maintain, complete, submit preparations and paperwork for invoices, orders, supplements and audits; maintain complete and timely updates of job-mangement software; perform other tasks as assigned; report to Sales Manager.

Hours: M-F 8-5. On call rotation after trained up for emergency services.

Wage: Annual $40,000.00-$50,000.00. Benefits available after the first 90 days.


Referral Instructions
Please apply Buffalo Restoration Inc in person or e-mail resume to Mr. Phil Blodgett
Contact Direct:555 MANLEY ROAD,BOZEMAN,MT 59715
Email: pblodgett@buffalorestoration.com


Monday, December 17, 2012

Don't Let Your Christmas Tree be Kindling


Christmas is the most joyous time of year. But your beautiful Christmas tree can be a source of disaster. A fire during the holidays is certainly more of a headache than the in-laws. Be safe, save the presents, and your sanity.

Did you know that fire departments respond to an average of 230 home fires caused by Christmas trees per year?

Christmas tree fires aren't incredibly common but when they occur, they can be very serious.

One of every three home Christmas tree fires is caused by electrical problems with lights.

One out of every six tree fires is caused by a heat source being too close to the tree.

Yikes.

Here are some tips from the Buffalo herd:
  • When picking a tree, choose one that has fresh green needles that don’t fall off the branch when touched.
  • Before placing your tree in the stand, cut 2 inches from the base of the trunk.
  • Make sure the tree is far away from any heat source including a fireplace, candles, radiators, or lights.
  • Make sure the tree doesn't block an exit.
  • Water your tree daily. See the video below for an example of how a dry tree burns versus a tree that has been water properly.

  • When you’re adding decorations and lights, make sure you replace any worn or broken bulb connections. Don’t connect more than three strands of lights together.
  •  Never use actual lit candles on the tree.
  • Always remember to turn off the lights on the tree before leaving the house
Have a safe and happy holiday season from your friends at Buffalo Restoration!

Tuesday, December 11, 2012

How to Tell If Your Hotel Room is REALLY Clean

You've heard the horror stories. And the Bozeman Daily Chronicle just ran a disturbing report of a local hotel's lack of cleanliness and disrepair. So whether you have family in town or you're staying in a hotel away from home, make sure you know what to look for in a clean hotel room. If it isn't clean to your standards, call the front desk for a re-clean. You're entitled to a comfortable and clean space, no matter how many people have stayed there before you.



Here are some things to check before you get comfy:


  • The fancy covers and pillows on top of the beds don't get washed every day so just sacrifice the pretty bed and toss them to the side for your stay
  • Is the comforter in a duvet cover that is washed every day or is it a dark, stain-covering bed spread? Opt for the white duvet covers, toss the bed spread and use a blanket.

  • Everyone's worst nightmare, bed bugs.  Rip off all the layers of sheets on the bed and look at the top and bottom edges of the mattress. If you see brown or red spots, you've got a problem. 

  • Housecleaning will wash the sheets and vacuum, but they may miss what we call "points of contact" which include commonly touched items such as remote controls, phones, handles, door knobs, light switches etc. Make sure they look clean, and if you can, take a Lysol wipe and do a second round. Being extra careful can't hurt.

  • Furniture obviously can't be cleaned daily so only use furniture that looks very clean.

  • Most rooms are stocked with glasses for water. If they aren't individually wrapped to show that they have been cleaned, do a quick rinse before using as they may have accumulated dust.

  • The bathrooms are important. Make sure the floor is free of debris. The amenities are stocked (you should never see items that have been used before). The toilet is scrubbed. And the shower (bottom and walls) are spot free.

  • And lastly, if you have issues, make sure to call the front desk. They'll fix it. And if the room is really clean, give the cleaning staff a tip. They work hard, and you will probably never know the messes they've had to deal with.
Happy, safe, and CLEAN holiday travels to all from the Buffalo Herd. 

Friday, December 7, 2012

Don't Drink and Drive this Holiday Season

Buffalo wants you to stay safe this Holiday season.

So we'd like you to know about Operation Tipsy Tow offered by AAA

They'll tow your car and give you a free ride home (within city limits of Belgrade and Bozeman and a tow up to 10 miles). Tipsy Tow is available Dec. 14-Jan. 1. Put this number in your phone!

Just call 1-800-222-4357.

Thanks to AAA for providing this important service for our community!

Wednesday, December 5, 2012

Did you know our contents cleaning equipment uses sound waves?


Did you know Jay Leno uses the same machine that we do to clean his garage tools and car parts? Check out our cool Omegasonics Ultrasonic technology which uses sound waves to remove dirt, soot, rust, and all sorts of particles from contents. We can take the soot covered belongings from a fire or smoke damage and make them look like new again, without any harmful chemicals and solvents.  We're saving our customers money by speeding up the cleaning process and restoring items that would have been unsalvageable and replaced.

Want to visit? We're always open for a tour at our new facility, 555 Manley Rd. in Bozeman, MT! We're restoration geeks and we love to show off our state of the art equipment.