House Cleaning Pricing Guide
A common question cleaning companies get is “How much does a typical maid service cost?” The cost depends on a number of factors, but in the end, it is a calculation of how much time it will take to clean the home and how much the service charges for its time. Depending on where you live, how much a cleaning company charges per hour can range from $35 to over $70 per labor hour. The time it takes to clean your home can vary greatly too. Read on to find out more about the different factors that influence the price.
How long does it take to clean your house?
How maid services calculate the time required to clean your home depends on a number of factors. While there are several ways to calculate the time required to clean a house, the inputs are fairly straightforward and the same for all of them. Depending on your answer to these questions, professionals will have a good basis to determine the amount of work to be done.
How big is your house and what’s it made of?
Here’s what to consider in terms of house size:
- As a rule of thumb, the larger the house, the more time it will take to clean.
- Bathrooms take longer to clean than bedrooms. If two houses have the same square footage, the house with more bathrooms will take longer to clean.
- The ratio of hard surface flooring to carpeting is another factor. Carpet is just vacuumed, but wood or vinyl flooring must be vacuumed and then mopped, taking twice as much time.
- The types of fixtures or surfaces also affect time in the home and thus price. Some surfaces, like tile, take longer to clean because you must concentrate on the tile and grout separately, especially if there is a lot of discoloration or mold.
How much stuff is in your home?
Professional cleaners use the term “density” to describe the amount of furniture and knickknacks a home has. The more stuff in the house, the higher the density. Higher density means cleaning will take more time. If a client’s home is more like a gift shop than a place where people live, the price will go up. It takes a huge amount of time and care to clean a collection of trinkets, so houses like that are priced a little higher than the square footage would suggest.
How many people and pets live in your house?
The number of people who live in the home and their ages affects house cleaning prices, as does the number of pets. A couple who tidies up a bit after themselves is a lot easier to clean for than a young, busy family. It seems the most challenging homes to clean are those with teenagers. Also, the more dogs, cats, and other furry animals, the more pet hair, and the longer it takes to clean.
What do you want to be cleaned, how do you want it cleaned, and how often?
What is the scope of work? The type of work we will be performing in the home has a lot to do with house cleaning prices. Move-In/Move Out Cleanings are different from Deep Cleanings, First-Time-In Cleanings, and Recurring Cleanings. The focus of each is different:
- Assuming the house is empty, during a Move In/Move Out Cleaning we are concentrating on cleaning woodwork, shelves, inside cabinets and drawers, and appliances. We might charge extra if there is a lot of trash left for us to dispose of.
- Deep Cleaning Services are for homes that, due to any number of understandable reasons, have been neglected for awhile. They need a good scrub to get them back into the kind of shape where people are comfortable in them again.
- First-Time-Ins are for homes that, in general, are well-kept but have some neglected areas, like baseboards or blinds. We need a little extra time to get them back into shape.
- Recurring Cleanings are regularly scheduled cleanings that are planned so that every room gets a thorough cleaning over the course of a few months.
Whichever cleaning is chosen, cleaning the interiors of ovens, refrigerators, and freezers are usually an extra charge.
How dirty is your home?
On a scale of one to ten, with one being immaculate and ten being a complete pigsty, how dirty is your house? The dirtier your home, the longer it will take to clean it. Typically, the initial clean, sometimes referred to as a First-Time-In Clean, takes longer. Once a home is clean, the time it takes to perform a recurring service is often shorter.
How flexible are you?
Some other things that may affect the price include location, ease of access to your home, flexibility, cancellations, and rescheduling. A home that takes time to travel to might be charged a higher rate unless the owner is flexible and willing to go on a day when we already have cleaning professionals going out to that area. If we don’t have a key to the home, companies might charge more because they have to wait for the homeowner to open the house for them. A homeowner who cancels or reschedules a lot may find their next service costs a little more because their cleaning will take longer than if they had stayed on their regular schedule.
Sure, all these things affect how you price a cleaning job, but if the client is flexible with scheduling, time of day, and day of the week, this allows the company to reduce their cost and thus the price to the client.
Where can I find a cleaning company with affordable rates?
There are many factors that determine how long it takes to clean a house. Even with these factors, the estimated time is still an estimate, and the actual time will vary from cleaning to cleaning because many of these factors vary. At the end of the day, all companies use an estimated average cleaning time per room or per square foot to build their schedule and to determine your house cleaning price.
At Castle Keepers, we do our best to provide outstanding quality for the price you pay. Our fees are also transparent and straightforward from the get-go. Reach out to us to discuss your needs with our responsive staff and receive your free quote. We can expertly care for your leather furniture, get your oven to sparkle, restore the condition of your wood floors, take care of your marble surfaces, and much more. Our team will also use products that are both harmless and effective.
We’re available whenever you need expert assistance!
