To give a customer an estimate, add up the times for the areas given by the customer, divide those times by 60 to get the time it will take to clean, and multiply that number by your hourly rate. The number you will receive will be the amount you charge your customer. Business customers prefer this pricing method, so it may be easier for you to price all your cleaning jobs the same way. You can then charge your usual fee for subsequent cleanings, as you're back to normal.
This pricing method requires you to price each room individually based on the time it takes to clean it. Customers may want additional services such as window cleaning, linen change, or laundry to be completed from time to time. Now is the time to learn how much to charge for house cleaning and how to present the quote to your customer. Having a professional cleaning business planner will keep your business running at the most efficient level, saving you time and money in the future.
Since the customer is not in charge of a cleaning company, they will not have the same level of understanding of what the job requires compared to you. While having a “general idea” of what the market price for cleaning houses is a good idea, you NEVER want to copy what someone else is doing. While a flat fee may be easier to sell to the customer, it can also cost you if your fee doesn't cover all the cleaning you need. Some people lie to you about how dirty their house is and you end up spending extra time there and then paying extra money to your cleaners.
Office, concierge and commercial cleaning is most often charged per square foot, usually 5 to 55 cents per square foot. If you're someone new to the cleaning industry, then you shouldn't charge more than experienced cleaners charge. It will give you an idea of cleaning time and help determine what supplies and equipment will be needed. Flat rates may be easier to sell to customers (because they know what they have to pay upfront), but if you don't know the house very well, or don't clean it very often, this model can cost you.
