What Should I Set my Rate Structure at?
This is the most common question amongst house cleaners. I will tell you how to approach this question with your clients.
Let's look at an example: A client calls and wants to know what you would charge for a 4 bedroom 2 1/2 bathroom home. They want a quote over the phone. This is a big no-no. Never give a quote over the phone. You can tell them around what to expect but that you can not give an accurate quote without looking at the home.
There will be many variables that will go into your quote.
Let's look at those variables:
- Size of home
- Number of bathrooms
- Condition of home (overly dirty, clutter, lots of pet hair, etc)
- Pets
- Whether they are going to provide cleaning supplies or you are
- Frequency of cleaning
- Number of people living in home
- Addition of services not included in basic cleaning
Generally, you will need to do an initial clean. This clean is done to get the home to YOUR standards to be ready for maintenance cleaning. Then the client will schedule their cleanings at weekly, bi-monthly or monthly intervals. You may also get some party clean clients and spring clean clients. The more you clean, the less you charge.
Initial cleans are generally a bit more expensive than your maintenance cleans ranging from $115-$200 depending on the size and condition of the home. Make sure you factor in how many hours the first clean will take and then how many hours your weekly or bimonthly cleans will take. One-time cleaning clients are also generally around the initial cleaning range depending on what they want done.
Make sure you charge enough to make the job worth it. Undercharging is what causes us to start cutting corners and giving sub par service. Remember, the motto is, "you get what you pay for".
Once you have quoted the initial clean, you let them know how much their regular cleaning rate would be. On average, cleanings will range from $20-$35 per hour depending on your area. I would recommend calling cleaning companies close to you (not competing with you) and see what they charge or looking up cleaning businesses in your area on the internet to see their rates. This way you can see if your rate will stand in your area. You don't want to be too high that people can't afford you. You also don't want to seem cheap. Remember, you get what you pay for.
