mbobbish,
Safeguard, FAS are contractors like SAMs that have a contract to do the work in specific areas. The agents have no choice. I think all Preservation companies wish that would change, but not likely. FAS I know does every house as a flat fee of $800 for all initial services, and then makes its contractors discount the whole job if it is over 20 yards of debris, and that discount starts at 20%. From what I have seen for pay that would look like this:
23 yrds debris $32 yrd, before discount $736, minus discount $588.80
Janitorial before discount $125, after discount, $100
Initial lawn before discount $75, after discount, $60
Winterization before discount $110, after, $88
Total job: $1,046 before disc. , after $836.80,
Total amount discounted $$209.20
(and that is if you don't get QC declined for a missing photo, which for us happens over 95% of the time, then its another 10% off the top.
This as you can see is a total scam, not sure what all of us could do, but its not good business.
Skyboy