I clean a 3 bedroom house with kitchen, living room, den, game room, and 2 bathrooms. I mop, sweep, vacuum, do lots of dusting, wash some clothes, and whatever dishes are in sink wash by hand.
I've been charging the same price for about 5 years; once a month for $150. She now wants it twice a month for less since she feels it will be less dirty, however, she has 2 hairy cats and a dog inside which of course shed a lot so I have to sweep and vacuum all floors before moping.
The home is about a 12 mile drive round trip. She calls me last minute lots of times so I am very convenient for her and trustworthy. I was getting ready to ask for $25 more, but don't want to be over charging if its not fair price.
By lmr
If you are doing the exact same cleaning twice a month and it takes you the same amount of time, you should ask for more. Or start charging for last minutes cleaning calls. If your customer can't stick to a schedule then she should have to pay for last minute requests.
I charge $25 an hour for basic cleaning, same work as you do for the 3 bedroom house. I have one client that is an hour drive to get there and I supply cleaning supplies for her also. I charge her $150 to clean her place plus add extra money for the gas and cleaning supplies. I add $15 for supplies cleaners and paper towels I use and $20 for the gas because of the distance. She is very happy with paying extra
Here are the questions asked by community members. Read on to see the answers provided by the ThriftyFun community.
I am interested in getting established as a self employed residential housecleaner. At the moment, I clean my mother's house, but I do not charge my mother because, after all, she is my mother. When cleaning my house, as well as my mother's, I always start from the ceilings in every room and give each room a complete and 100% cleaning! I am not afraid to get my hands dirty and am no stranger to hard work.
My plan is to offer a flxed rate for initial cleanings and a fixed rate for cleaning a house once the initial cleaning is achieved. I reside in Louisiana and have my own transportation as well as a my own cleaning supplies and equipment. Please help me to decide what I should charge for initial cleanings as well as recurring cleanings.By Merry M
I've been cleaning houses on and off for many years now and recently started my own business. I'm hearing that housecleaners are quoting an hourly price which you should never do because you have too much overhead to cover. After travel time (gas), products used, and what little you have left over is what you actually are paid for labor. You should price by the square footage of the house, but only after you have physically seen the house. Cleaning houses is a lot of work and you can make decent money but you have to clean properly with top products and be consistent with every clean.
Some customers want blinds cleaned, that would be extra, vacuuming furniture (removal of cushions) - extra, inside stove, that is also additional charge. This will all make sense once you have got your feet wet a little in the business. I work my butt off, never cut corners, and my customers are always thrilled with the results and that is how you get more customers when they refer you to their friends. Hope that helps you a little!
Oh yeah and reoccurring customers, I give them a little discount if they are weekly/biweekly, due to the fact that is for sure money coming in. It's like a thank you for choosing me and you are hooking them up with a lesser charge but you can count on that money. I would go like $10 off. This is just my opinion granted but I am surely not going to work for $8 an hour.
3 hour clean at $15.00 an hour= $45.00
Minus Gas $ 7.00
Product Used $10.00
That leaves you with $28 divide that by 3 hours labor and you are working for $7 an hour, busting your butt. I never go by hourly rate as you can see you will get nowhere.
$28.00 divided by three equals $9.33/hr. Most people provide product and I worked commuting and no one paid for my bus or train, ever. So the true number is $15.00/hr. If you worked only PT, 20 hrs. Per week, that equals $300/week and then 52 weeks a year; that equals $15,600 per year tax free.
If you have someone come in twice a week to clean your home, what do you pay for for 2, 3, and 4 bedroom house? And how many people and how long does it take them? I am starting my own business and not sure of how to charge. Is $20 per hour fair? I do provide excellent service and live in central NJ.
I've owned my cleaning biz for 12 years. I charge 30$ and hour. It doesn't make a difference how many bedrooms the home has. Bedrooms are simple. The " wet " part of cleaning requires the most time and muscle. So bathrooms, kitchen and floors are where the time goes. You can have a small home that's filthy dirty, costing as much as a large home that's neat and orderly.
It's all up to the client and how they choose to live the weeks in between! A good cleaning woman can tell when she visits the home to interview the prospective client; how long approx, a home is going to take to clean. Initially it will take longer in the beginning, but once the home is up to her standards, the time tapers off. She is still doing the same job.
So having said I'm 30$ an hour..a large 4 bedroom/3 bath home costs 150 give or take 5+ hours. A two hour home is 60$. If you tell me you can only spend 80$..then I try to give you the best " quick " clean possible.
Please consider that if your budget is small, you should be cleaning the weeks in between your cleaning woman's visits in order to keep the house up and get the most value for your dollar! If the house is in good shape then she has better opportunity to clean deeper. Oh and those are " man hours" . I generally work alone..but sometimes I bring help in during the holidays.
So clients are paying 150$ for approx 5+ hrs...but we are through the house in 2.5 - 3hrs. Good luck in your business!! Cleaning is extremely difficult , however if you find clients that are respectful and appreciate your work, it's very satisfying! Oh, I almost forgot; I bring all my own products, I use chemical free non-toxic products. I do not take a lunch break! I don't smoke! And I don't work slow! Good luck!
Ive been in business for several months now and find that it's best to give an estimate based on how long it will take you to clean. Some customers feel I charge too much and others are elated. I don't charge a higher first time fee as I feel the price balances out in time. I also don't itemize additional cleaning tasks unless it's the oven or refrigerator.
It seems nit picky to have to add 5+ dollars for some additional task the client may ask about. Try and figure some of those things into your initial quote. That way, you're coming off with a much stronger sense of customer service. The customer also knows that they're getting their money's worth. I charge $20.00 per hour and live in the Midwest.
I need information on rates to pay an hour for light house work. I am temporarily restricted due to shoulder and need help. I offered to pay my friend's 20 year old daughter to help me 2 to 3 hrs a day, 1 or 2 days a week. She would do dishes, sweep kitchen, take out trash, wipe off the table, and straighten up the living area. It's only a small single floor home with 2 bed rooms, a bath, kitchen and living room. It's only light cleaning, just to keep my head above ground. What would be a fair price? I'm on a budget, live in a small east coast town, and am doing this out of necessity. I don't want to offend anyone because we're good friends. Her mom worked for a local company and got paid $20 per hour.
I pay my younger lady friend $10 an hour 8 hours a month or 4 hours every two weeks. It is worth it to me as I have 1216 square foot of linoleum flooring to mop and clean. She comes twice a month 4 hours each time.
I have been staying with my friend and her family since the beginning of June. Mind you I am normally not home and when I was I would be cleaning. I vacuumed twice a day every day I was there. I did a detail cleaning of both master and hall bathrooms. I cleaned 2 of the bedrooms, one of which took me 2 hours to clean. I did the dishes once or twice a week, even though I never ate or used any dishes.
I did quite a few loads of their laundry. I also dusted the whole house everyday. And now they have kicked me out and refuse to pay, even after agreeing to pay for everything I did. I was there for 23 days, what should I charge for everything I did?You do not provide any reasons why they "kicked" you out without paying you.
A bit of reality here: Did your friend and you complete an agreement for what you were supposed to do and how much they would pay you BEFORE you started living with them? If you do not have an agreement, on paper or in computer, you have no records that can prove they would pay you a specific amount for specific services.
Re fees for your service-You do not provide your specific location so it is difficult to recommend a fee for specific services. House cleaning varies tremendously from city to city and state to state. Unfortunately, you can charge any amount for your services and if they don't pay you anything, you have little legal recourse except Small Claims Court. Here, again, you have no records to prove anything.
Good Luck!!!
I am doing a one time cleaning for a friend that has a one bedroom, one bath home, with kitchen, living room, and dining room. My friend is about to move in, but wants it totally cleaned and mopped. I supply the cleaning supplies and it's about a 30-45minute drive to their house. So what do I charge?
By BW from Liberty, TX
I would charge $15 an hour and also count your drive time. Sounds like a small house so may not take too long. If the place is small may just charge a set amount, say $50-$100. Good Luck.
My friend just bought his first home in the same city l live in and me being a stay home mom, l decided to clean their house before they move in. (For some cash.) I saw the house is a 2 story home and is very dirty. l have not ever cleaned someone else's home, but l know the time and work required. How much should I charge for cleaning a new empty home with 5 bedrooms, 3 full baths, including lots of windows. I will also be cleaning walls and a cabin.
By Miriam
I have cleaned houses for many years. For a move in/move out cleaning you need to double the number of hours you would usually need to clean the house. Add an hour because you are unfamiliar with the house.
Most houses that size take 5 to 5.5 hours to clean. Because it is super dirty you should add 3 or 4 extra hours. Time for washing walls would be approximately 5 to 6 hours. So you are looking at about 15 hours for just the house. Most people cannot clean more than 5 hours in a day because it is so strenuous.
High cost of living areas charge $30 an hour. Low cost of living areas can charge between $5 and $10 and hour. It just depends on where you live. If I were you I would go on an hourly basis. It is impossible to bid the job with so many variables.
Let your friend know approximately how much time will be required. People can be really dense about that sort of thing, and you don't want to damage a friendship. I would allow 4 to 5 days for this job. Good luck!
We are wondering how to estimate and what we should charge. We live in Michigan and we will clean walls, floors, and appliances of houses being prepared for rent or sale.
By Chris T
More than likely you should charge by the hour. I'm not sure what the wages are in Michigan, but normally people will charge around $13 an hour to do this type of work.
A lease management company wants me to clean a duplex after a tenant moved out. It has 2 bedrooms and 1 bath. The oven is a disaster.
By Terri
In this case you should charge by the hour. A normally cleaning fee for office and apartment is $17 an hour. You might have to adjust this fee according to where you live and the hourly wage of your area.
I am new in the cleaning business. I got a job for a 5 bedroom duplex, each room has 1 toilet and bath. Please help me, I don't know how to prepare the quotes for this job. Thanks.
By Solomon
Here in Il. I would estimate no less than $700.00 Every bathroom and every kitchen takes about 2 hrs. to clean. you may estimate even higher, and believe me even with a good helper it will probably take at least 12 hrs.
I want to know if I have someone come clean my house, how much does it cost to clean one time or weekly? And how much for my office building everyday or every other day. I just want a good price with good service.
By Francesca
Hi, my prices for basic cleaning are: 1 bedroom - $65,
2 bedroom - $75,
3 bedroom- $85 and so on...
Fridge +$20
Stove + 20
Laundry + 25
For estimating the office I need to see it...
I'm located in Central New Jersey, my number is 609 858 1718. If you interesting please call me...
I am looking into getting someone to clean my home 2 times a month. I live in a 3 bedroom, 1 bath trailer. I have a 2 year old little girl and am expecting another this spring. I'd only need them to clean our living room, kitchen, bathroom, and small hallway. The job would consist of vacuuming, sweeping, dusting and polishing end tables/coffee table, wipe down countertops, toilet, and tub.
The job may also include a few dishes here and there if there are some. I will have all supplies they'll need, including gloves. My question is what's a fair pay for them? Id like to be sure I'm paying them as they should be. Also I live in the New Mexico area. There are no pets.By Ashley S. from New Mexico
I would pay them by the hour. $20/hr or a minimum of $15/hr as long as they are thorough. Good luck!
How much do it cost to clean a 5,000 sq. ft. home in Bloomfield?
By Casheba
Most individual cleaning people charge by the hour. Most of the people that I know that have housekeepers pay between $10-$15.00 per hour.
Are most house cleaners a self employed business setup as an LLC? Do you have any insurance, bonds, or setup any contracts with clients? Are most clients experienced with this type of service?
By Pamela
Self-employed, set up as an LLC? Not all companies are set up this way. Some are groups of people who start a business together. As just one person you'll only be able to handle, at the most, 2 to 3 clients really, really well, and even then 3 might make it hard to keep a good reputation. Which you will need more than anything.
Do you have to have insurance? Yes. For yourself if you are injured on someone elses property. For clients if they injure themselves stepping over any of your equipment while you are on their property.
Do you need to be Bonded? Yes. This shows the client that if anything goes missing and they think you stole it that you have a bond to cover such loses.
Do you have to set up contracts with clients? With some yes. Example: If you clean apartments for an apartment building owner. Some rich people like to make a contract to have you show up on certain days each week.
Other people will call in asking for one time services. Usually a company has several workers and can accommodate these one time callers.
It is up to you to decide if you want to make contracts or just wait for one time callers. Contracts will bring in a more regular income.
Are "most" clients experienced with this kind of service? "Most" does not apply to anything. But I always assume that the client has no idea what they really want and ask them many, many questions. Make a list of questions to ask callers so you can get them to the point of what they really want and need without taking all day. Guide them, politely, to an end result.
Have your rates set up in advance! Tell them your rates. Do not negotiate rates right off the bat, over the phone. If they seem serious and want to come in to sign a contract you can, at that time, offer them discounts based on what they want.
How much does a house cleaning service cost?
It depends on where you live. Here in the Pacific Northwest (Seattle) it runs about $30 an hour. Most homes take between 4 and 5 hours to clean. this assumes they are picked up and ready for cleaning and have been cleaned on a regular basis. If not, double the price. Most services will quote you a price at no charge.
How much should I pay a neighbor to vacuum and mop once a week (4 times/mo) and dust every other week (2 times/mo)?
It depends on the size of your home and the area you live in. Are bathrooms included? A full house cleaning of a 3 bedroom 2 bath home in my area is $100
I have to clean a 4,000 sq.ft. house before the customer moves in. How much do I need to charge?
By ST
You need to charge 25-30% more than you would normally. Its a big job. You need a deep cleaning and everything, including appliances, must be spotless
How much I should ask to clean a 4 bedroom house, including a living room, dining room, basement, bathroom, and kitchen.
By Elizabeth R.
I live in NY. It would be $110-120 here. You will need to check where you live because NY is high
I just started my business in Oklahoma City and I am wanting to put a spring cleaning package together, but I don't know how much to charge.
By Alexis from Oklahoma City
Charge 10% more than a usual cleaning. You will be cleaning windows, I assume
I am located in Chicago, Illinois, doing garden maintenance and would also like to offer common area cleaning. I want to know what a good price is for the following 6 unit building common areas: front stairs and back decks, foyer area and glass of doors, sweep all walk ways and laundry room cleanup. Estimate about 2-3hrs total for all areas. I would like to offer a once-a-week service to match up with the garden care as I'll be on-site anyway.
Thanks!
PJ
By Patrick L.
I am composing this because am interesting in learning about "cleaning prices" although I am not qualified. I want you people to teach me.
ThriftyFun is one of the longest running frugal living communities on the Internet. These are archives of older discussions.
How Much Does House Cleaning Cost? f you have someone come in twice a week to clean your home, what do you pay for for 2, 3, and 4 bedroom house? And how many people and how long does it take them?
