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.
By Merry M
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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. Remember this is part time. It seems a bit low but it is part-time. What happens to breakage? Charge more if you get insurance.
You must use a lot of gas at $7.00 a client. Here in NJ, supreme is approx. $3.50/gallon.
You are not describing your cleaning. Some people just use water and others really clean with elbow grease. This is the difference. Using a mop on the floor .... Not worth $35.00/hr. Sorry.
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