What this help covers

This help may concern a very limited practical check: a few plants to water, a light planter to bring closer, a small pot that obstructs the opening of a balcony door, dead leaves on the floor, a saucer full of water, a watering can placed too far away, a cluttered balcony, an immediate terrace that is not very practicable, a plant sensitive to frost, a plant exposed to excessive heat, or a small outdoor area that the person no longer dares to use alone. DomusHelp can help check with the person what tires them, what they wish to keep, what they refuse to move, what can be done simply, and what must be entrusted to a professional. The help may also consist of preparing a small list: plants concerned, known watering frequency, objects not to touch, light pot that may be moved, pot too heavy to move, slipping risk, saucer to empty, tool to put away, plant potentially toxic for an animal, authorized photo, professional to contact and apparent urgency. This help can also serve to distinguish light help from a more sensitive situation: overloaded balcony, unstable planter near a drop, object that may fall to a neighbour, very heavy pot, slippery floor, water flowing toward a neighbouring home, possible infiltration, crack, unstable guardrail, blocked awning, dangerous branch, wasp nest, unknown chemical product, toxic plant, significant allergy, exposed pet, person leaning dangerously, confused person going outside without landmarks, person who does not dare refuse a change, insistent loved one, purchase of equipment under pressure, conflict with property management or neighbours, possible mistreatment, serious neglect or serious doubt about consent, safety or the person’s protection. The aim is to make the small outdoor area clearer, more practicable and more respectful, without creating a false impression of safety, without turning DomusHelp into a gardening service, without durably modifying the balcony, without exposing the person, neighbours, animals or the building, and without delaying the intervention of a professional when structure, waterproofing, electricity, water, weather, loads, plants, products used, health, responsibility or the person’s protection requires it.

Preferred providers

Before the intervention

• Identify precisely the area concerned: balcony, immediate terrace, accessible ledge, outdoor threshold, planter, plant corner, outdoor entrance or small private space.
• Check who is making the request: person concerned, authorized loved one, family, family caregiver, legal representative, property management company, owner, CMS/SMZ, social service or professional already involved.
• Obtain the clear, free, current and understood consent of the person concerned before any observation, photo, moving of an object, watering, transmitted list or contact with a third party.
• Respect the person’s plants and landmarks: important plants, memories, watering habits, chosen organization, decorative objects and right to refuse a change.
• Observe only what is visible and accessible, without leaning out, climbing, dismantling, drilling, screwing, repairing, treating chemically or intervening technically.
• Identify visible obstacles: pots in the passage, slippery leaves, full saucers, watering can too far away, small tool on the floor, spilled soil, inconvenient threshold or wet floor.
• Move only small objects or light pots that are stable, not fragile, not fixed, non-electrical and clearly authorized by the person.
• Never move alone a heavy container, large planter, pot at height, outdoor furniture, parasol, barbecue, gas cylinder or unstable element.
• Never lean over a railing, climb onto a chair, work on a ladder, attach a planter to a guardrail or intervene near a drop.
• Check seasonal risks: heat, direct sun, wind, storm, frost, snow, ice, wet floor, slippery leaves or insufficient lighting.
• Check risks for animals and people: toxic plants, thorns, mouldy soil, stagnant water, insects, known allergy or unknown product.
• Do not use pesticide, fertilizer, plant-protection treatment, insect product, weedkiller, unknown substance or cutting tool without a competent professional.
• Never intervene on an outdoor socket, cable, light, tap, water supply, drain, awning, railing, façade, floor, waterproofing or shared area.
• Check whether the home is rented, in condominium ownership, private or subject to building rules, and whether a property management company, owner or authority must be informed before any lasting change.
• Protect confidentiality: avoid intrusive photos, views into the home, visible documents, neighbouring people, door numbers, access codes or sensitive information without explicit agreement.
• Identify warning signs: fall, fear of going out, unstable guardrail, pot threatening to fall, water infiltration, visible overload, ice, dangerous product, wasp nest, conflict, pressure from a third party or serious doubt about safety.
• Prepare a sober list: area concerned, inconvenience observed, possible light task, object not to touch, limit not to exceed, authorized photo, professional to contact and apparent urgency.
• Stop the intervention and refer to a competent service in case of danger, emergency, lack of consent, heavy load, necessary work, technical risk, dangerous product, fall, injury, conflict, possible abuse, possible mistreatment or serious doubt about the person’s protection.

What DomusHelp does not cover

• Professional gardening, complete regular maintenance, landscaping, creation of a planted balcony, planting plan or specialized horticultural follow-up.
• Diagnosis of plant disease, plant-protection treatment, pest control, infestation management, use of pesticide, dangerous fertilizer or unknown chemical product.
• Technical pruning, pruning at height, cutting shrub, hedge, tree, thorny plant, climbing plant, dangerous branch or hard-to-reach vegetation.
• Moving heavy containers, large planters, bulky pots, outdoor furniture, parasols, appliances, barbecues, gas cylinders or loads requiring several people.
• Work at height, use of ladder, step stool, chair, edge, guardrail, façade, roof, pergola or area close to a drop.
• Fixing, hanging or installing a planter, trellis, awning, automatic watering, outdoor lighting, camera, sensor, sun protection or durable equipment.
• Work on railing, guardrail, balcony, façade, floor, threshold, waterproofing, water drain, tap, outdoor socket, light, cable or shared area.
• Balcony load control, structural check, safety expert assessment, condominium compliance, validation of an installation or building responsibility.
• Management of infiltration, leak, water damage, claim, neighbourhood conflict, complaint, insurance, tenancy, property management authorization or legal responsibility.
• Heavy terrace cleaning, removal of significant plant waste, transport of soil bags, heavy handling or intervention requiring specialized equipment.
• Management of wasp nests, hornets, dangerous insects, pests, significant allergy, toxic product or health situation without a competent service.
• Forced removal of plants, imposed sorting, change of organization against the person’s wishes or decision about what must be kept, thrown away or bought.
• Purchase of plants, pots, soil, equipment, acceptance of a quote, signing a contract, payment, advance of costs or financial commitment on behalf of the person.
• Promise that a plant will survive, that a balcony is safe, that a pot will not fall, that a neighbour will not be disturbed, that no water damage will occur or that a simple task will be durably sufficient.
• Replacement of a gardener, landscaper, horticultural provider, arborist, qualified craftsperson, property management company, owner, insurance provider, social service, CMS/SMZ, competent authority, police, fire service or emergency service.

Need help with plants, a balcony or a small outdoor area in the district of Sierre?

DomusHelp can help clarify the request, observe the balcony or small outdoor area cautiously, prepare a list of points for attention, preserve the person’s landmarks, respect their consent, distinguish light help from a technical or specialized need, and refer to a light outdoor access service, a gardener, a landscaper, a horticultural provider, a qualified craftsperson, a property management company, an owner, an insurance provider, a social service, a CMS or SMZ, a competent authority, the police, the fire service or an emergency service when the situation goes beyond simple practical help.