[ok cleaning]

Good evening everyone we only clean windows for now but we would like to start house cleaning we have been cleaning windows for 14 years now so most of customers are asking when we will start house cleaning what we want to know is howmuch is the minumum hourly rate pros charce for an our ?and is it worth the hastle thanks

[julia]

Hi
I think the price depends which area you live??
Julia

[a-r window cleanin]

We only have about 12 customers whose houses we clean and my missus does that. She charges £9.00 per hour but does do a cracking job

[wilclean]

hi

  I've just started my own cleaning business in darlington co durham and dont know how much to charge either, weather it be a 2 bedroom or 3 to 4 bedroom I havent got a clue.

I've got no work offered as yet but I was hoping to get some kind of help and advice before I did, as I didnt want to charge too much that I would scare them off.

I have checked on another post they were saying they charge £250 for a building clean for a four bed house, £120 for a reclean and £80 for a sparkle clean but dont know if I can charge that where I live?

Any idea's, help and advice I would be most grateful

[Sarah Sarill]

We looked at developing our w/c round into general house cleans a few years ago and did a fair bit of background work.

The only way to gauge what price you can charge in your area is to look at what your competitors are charging and what type of service they provide (some will do ironing etc and some wont).

Also another gauge is what the local councils home help service charges the elderly.  In our area this was £8.50 per hour and they have a waiting list 

Set your rate in line with your competition and don't offer to include any more than they do.

Good luck,

Sarah

[Vanessa1]

We charge £20.00 for a basic 2 hour clean depending on property. More if it is an apartment or bigger property. We also state that it is for the service of up to 2 hours, try not to say by the hour  and always state exactly what is included in a basic clean because some customers will take advantage of the cleaner and expect more to be done.

We always state that a basic clean is hoovering, dusting, kitchen and bathroom if they require extras example windows there is an extra charge. I have learned that the customer should know from the start, otherwise they will have you running around like a blue a** fly. You have to be assertive otherwise you will be working harder than necessary.

[trudi]

Hi I have run a domestic cleaning company for the past 18 months and pricing up is probably the hardest thing.  Until you actually clean a property it is difficult to tell how long it is going to take.  we work in pairs and I tend to base the price on around £30. per hour for  2 cleaners and all materials etc. As you grow you will get to realise what types of houses are easier, brand new houses for example should in theory be quicker.  I price my houses per job to the customer and try to estimate how long it will take, if it takes longer than I thought then thats just how it is. Dont be the cheapest though, customers know they get what they pay for.
Hope this helps!

[Sarah Sarill]

Im moving this thread to the general cleaning section as I'm sure you will get more replies there and it may be of some help to others. 

Sarah

[nevil]

Looking at some of the prices you guys charge I think maybe I am overdoing it.

I was asked to clean carpets & suite in a three bedroomed cottage, which I did verbally. The customer then asked me to give a written estimate to clean the lounge, 3 bedrooms, hall and stairs. The place has been at the mercy of the builders for several months with everything including all pictures furniture, walls & doors covered in dust. I reckoned about 30 hours an£550 including consumables. But that is starting to look pricey.

[Alan Rowley]

We charge per job as opposed to by the hour. By doing that, you can adjust your price based on the customer's ability to pay, distance, cleanliness of the house, size etc.

Having said that, we generally base our prices at around £15 per hour worked. We only target the more up-market properties who can afford these prices.

Don't be tempted to under-sell yourself to get the work. If you do, you will be extremely busy, but you won't make much money. Tell customers when you estimate that you aren't the cheapest, but you give the best value for money.

[The Great One]

Hi

Go in at least £25-30 p/h

You will always find more when you get down to cleaning.

Regards

Martin

[Alan Rowley]

Go in at least £25-30 p/h

What?

 

Where do you live, Martin, to command those prices? We thought £15 was on the high side.

ALAN.

[House Angels]

Hi

I think Martin is right on the ball. £20 - £30 is not unrealistic when you consider overheads etc.

Two of our cleaners have just finished a basic end of tenancy clean on a 5 bed (No carpets, interior windows, these are charged as extras) and charged £315 started @ 9am finished at 1pm.

This was a new property so was easy to clean. The client was amazed at the quality of the work!

You have to price to what you want to earn. If it is too expensive you wont get the job but then another comes along and you get it? Everyone is looking for value for money but they also want someone who knows what they are doing and will pay for that service

Dont sell yourself short, the days of the £5 an hour cleaner are long gone, our diary is full and always looks good.

We dont target any income group but work throughout London & the Home Counties for all income brackets.

For all you newbies there is enough work out there for everyone

Good luck

 

[The Great One]

Hi Alan

I 'm down in Brighton.

I did an EOT the other day, I was on site for about an hour, plus 20 mins total travel time plus materials I charged £40.00.

Just finished another, total time on site about 3 hours, travel time again 20 mins plus materials, £140.00.

It all depends how dirty it is and you always find more to clean when you get down to it. Basically if I am wiping other peoples sh** off of toilets, and pulling hair out of plug holes with certain body fluids over it  then I deserve to be paid well for it. EOT cleaning as far as I am concerned is only a step away from Trauma Cleaning.

It is dirty, grotty work, don't sell yourself cheap.

Regards

Martin 

[murky]

Brilliant as usual Martin, bang on the nail.

We did EOT clean the other day dirty house, was a game keeper and all that went with it.

2 of us in there for the day £250.00, paid up and all happy. Oh and by the way the difference between usual Flash and Industrial Flash has to be seen to be believed, landlord came round to see how things were going said he wasnt really happy with the level of clean cupboards not that clean etc etc, changed to Industrial Flash and WOW what a difference1

Go cheap and you wont make any money, you are just doing some one a favour, price realisticly and you will, as was said earlier the days of the £5 ph cleaner has long gone.

Murky

[The Great One]

Hi

Thanks Murky.

Just done another yesterday.

Told ' Only a wipe over & vac required'

Got on site found all the kitchen cupboards were dirty, skirtings dusty,, windows, bath & tiles, you always find more needs doing.

Two hours on site, 15 mins travel time plus materials £60.00

Regards

Martin 

[Dust Knights]

End of tenancy cleaning is different to regular domestic cleaning. It is one-off work rather than repeat and is of a deeper cleaning standard.

The initial question related to regular domestic cleaning.

Alan and Trudi have got their figures pretty much right if you want to make a decent living from it. Too many domestic cleaners go in at stupidly cheap rates.

I've had 2 flyers in the last week offering services at £8.50 per hour. How the hell can anybody run a business like that after insurance, materials, equipment, admin costs etc have been taken into account? How to go under in one easy lesson!

Chris

[bob1]

House cleaning is really hard work, it's normally a luxury for the person having it done as they choose to put thier efforts in elsewhere, i.e a full time job. Therefore they should pay well for you to be their slave. But normally these types tend to be tight with their money. (obviously there are exceptions) But, value yourself as an expert, charge at least £10/hr to show your worth. Just make sure you do a good job and the house looks like you have been there. Don't be a slacker, earn your money but don't be taken for granted that way you will be recommended. AREA does not count, loyalty, honesty and credability do!

[Adam10]

Do You guys know the average price for domestic cleaning in edinburgh?

[Alan Rowley]

by the way the difference between usual Flash and Industrial Flash has to be seen to be believed,

Is industrial flash the same as professional flash? just did a 6 bedroom end of tenancy clean, was minging. Mr Muscle and certain other products we tried were hard going...need to know where to get this industrial flash..been on website and can only find  professional flash...help please..