Rates for Cleaning Services

How do you figure out the flat rate to charge by the cleaning job (not hourly)? Thank you for any information.

By Baha from Great Falls, MT

Answers:

Rates for Cleaning Services

I had a very successful business for several years. I charged by the hour or by the job. After awhile it all got very simple. I charged $30 an hour (I'm in the big city). I found that almost all houses took between 4 and 5 hours. It didn't matter what size they were, smaller houses are more cluttered and dirtier, so they take as long as a big house. So I would tell people what the charge would be for....say...4.5 hours, or $135.

And I would also tell them I could give them a firm figure after I cleaned the house 3 times. People seemed OK with that. I also told them that the 1st cleaning could take as much as twice that unless the house had been thoroughly cleaned on a regular basis (ie twice a month). I had a few that took 3 times as long. I considered these "rescue" situations. People knew the situation, and I never had a complaint. Good luck! (04/16/2010)

By Lizzyanny