Rates for Cleaning Services

I am trying to determine how much to charge for cleaning after a move out. I think there are 2 people. The house is 3 bedrooms and 2 baths. What do you think? How much would you charge?

By Jackie from Reading, PA

Answers: Rates for Cleaning Services

Read answers for this question below.

By 10/27/2010

A move out cleaning takes twice as long as a regular cleaning. That would be 8 to 10 hours. In the PNW the going rate is $20 hourly in the suburbs and $25 to $30 hourly in the city. I give an approximate bid and then adjust for "surprises" when the job is finished.

Questions

Here are questions related to Rates for Cleaning Services.

Rates for Cleaning Services

I'm going to clean a two story house that has 3 bedrooms and two and 1/2 baths. I will do all the dusting and clean all bathrooms, vacuum, sweep, and mop. If she adds anything else what should I charge? I'm just not sure what to charge. Please help.

By TracyLR from Snellville, GA

SharePrintFollow1 Feedback

Most Recent Answer

By Lizzyanny07/12/2011

I just retired as a cleaning lady. Most all houses take between 4 and 5 hours. I would tell new people it would be approximately 4 1/2 hours and what your hourly charge would be. Let them know you will give them a firm price after you have cleaned the house. Be careful, because if the house has not been cleaned on a regular basis, it can take twice as long to get through it the 1st time. You need to let people know this before you start. If folks have moved out, it will take twice as long as usual also. I charged $30 an hour, but I live in a high cost of living city. Some folks charge $15 an hour. You need to ask around. It just depends on where you live. Let people know that if they need to add work on to your usual chores; that you will let them know how long it took and charge them by your hourly rate. Good luck... I loved house cleaning.

Move Out Cleaning Rates

I live in the southeast and was wondering if anyone can give me some tips on what to charge for a move out cleaning for a rental house. I know it depends on the size of the house. It will include a very thorough cleaning, drawers, cabinets, windows, plus appliances. Do most people charge by the hour, square foot, etc? Thank you.

By Marie

SharePrintFollowPost Feedback

Rates for Cleaning Services

I want to start a housecleaning service and have no idea what to charge. Is it better to charge by the job or by the hour? There will be 2 people working at one time. What would be a fair price to charge for my area? I am near Atlanta, GA.

By Mimi from Atlanta, GA

RE: Rates for Cleaning Services

Why not call a few services in your area and ask what they charge? No one has to know you're planning to compete with them! :) (10/21/2009)

By lah34a

RE: Rates for Cleaning Services

Call cleaning services and ask them what will be done for a two hour, two cleaner booking. Call all the ones in the book, and you should have a good idea of what the going rate is, then decide what you want to do. You can charge the same, or a little less until you get more experience, or charge by the job until you get really efficient (which will basically be putting the responsibility on you, which is fair). When you get more efficient, you'll still get paid, but it won't take you as long so you can book more. However, if you are experienced and efficient (by your own estimation), that doesn't apply and you just need to find out the going rate.

A few years back, I called a popular service, Merry Maids maybe, and for 2 hours, two cleaners, and $45 dollars, one got vacuuming, picking up anything on the floor, dusting, emptying wastebaskets, counter wiping, picking up magazines, a quick clean of mirror in bathroom. It really wasn't so much. I don't even recall dishwasher loading, wiping stove and fridge, beds, toilets. I think some of that was extra and anything like cleaning the fridge inside or cleaning the stove was much more. Basically people got tidying they didn't like doing. More than tidying, was more. (10/21/2009)

By PIKKA

RE: Rates for Cleaning Services

My husband and I do the same thing together and charge $15 each. So for one hour we get $30 total. Sometimes one of us can't make it to a job, so that job turns into two hours for the one person (at $15/hr) and the customer still pays $30. Hope that helps! Good luck! (10/23/2009)

By PainterLee

Rates for Cleaning Services

I want to start my own empty rental unit cleaning service in West Palm Beach, FL. I don't know how much to charge for an apartment or a house. Can anyone help me decide? Do I charge by the job or the hour? What are the going rates for each approach?

By Elizabeth from West Palm Beach, FL

RE: Rates for Cleaning Services

Cleaning the whole apartment-$25

Cleaning the whole house-$40 (12/08/2009)

By sunshine64

RE: Rates for Cleaning Services

Why not call a few cleaning services to see what they charge? This way you will have a better idea what to charge. Also maybe you could work for one for a brief time. This way you would learn the tricks of the trade. Best of luck to you. (12/11/2009)

By Amandablue

RE: Rates for Cleaning Services

Hello, my daughter is trying to do this also and was told to charge 15.00 an hour and get a list of priority things the owner wanted and go from there. She is posting posters, but calls are slow. Have you found a way to drum up business? We are in Ocala, Fl (12/11/2009)

By cybergrannie

RE: Rates for Cleaning Services

Hi, I do this on a regular basis here in MS. For an empty apartment I get from $85 to $100. For a 3 bedroom house it is a little more. I do not give my hourly rates out, but I know about how long it is going to take me to clean it and multiply that by $30 per hour. The more you clean, the more efficient you get at it. It will come naturally after a while as you learn the shortcuts that you can do, and is still a job to be proud of when you are through. I love my job. Good luck.

Kathy (12/13/2009)

By msfixit17

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

RE: 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

Rates for Cleaning Services

I'm interested in starting a cleaning service that focuses primarily on new construction homes. I want to charge by the house, but I have no idea on how much to charge. Any ideas? Thanks.

By Linda from Omaha, NE

RE: Rates for Cleaning Services

http://www.ehow.com/ Use the search box at top of website. (06/03/2010)

By MCW

RE: Rates for Cleaning Services

I used to own a construction company with my ex. The prices about 10 years ago were somewhere around $25/hr. Of course just starting out you would need to find out the shortcuts for cleaning tar and paint, etc. from carpets, vinyl and hardwood safely; also you would need to find out the best and fastest way to clean windows without streaking. You also need to know what each construction company expects. They all want different things. It's hard work, but pays well. Good luck:) (06/04/2010)

By yoder178