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Just wondering if anyone knows what people in your area charge for housecleaning. Do they charge by the hour, or by the size of the house, we are talking about dusting, vacuuming, cleaning bathrooms, knocking down the cob webs, and once a month dusting the baseboards.
I have a friend who is going into the business, and needs some guidelines about what to charge.
I have two friends that clean houses. One charges by the hour and finds that as she gets better she spends less time thus makes less, much to her chagrin. The other charges by the house according to what tasks are expected, so as she gets better she spends less time and can take on another house.
I cleaned houses and always love a deep clean, never skimped on any jobs. I did laundry, vaccuuming, mopping, dusting. I was a college student and doing it part-time under no company. I charged $8 an hour and this was Michigan 8 years ago. The rates ya'll are describing, whew! I guess I'll never be able to hire a maid! :) Sounds like good money to be made.
My friend is cleaning my house gratis, and I asked her the other day what she would charge me if I was a paying customer. She said $75.00. My house is 1450 sq ft. but she doesn't clean one bedroom, nor the laundry room. That is 2 bedrooms a bath and a half, a great room, and kitchen and dining room. She does a good job, but is usually able to do the actual work in about 2 hours. We take breaks, and talk. I have everything picked up and in it's place, so it is straight dusting, vacuuming, and cleaning the bathrooms. She does mop the kitchen and dining room.
If I had to pay for this, I could, but probably wouldn't. She does this because I have helped her out over the past 18 months with dififerent things, loaned her money, interest free, for a year before she was able to repay me. She has asked for my help in the spring putting in some perennials and annuals, as she is very allergic to just about everything outside. So all in all, it is a barter system, and it is working for us.
I cleaned houses for a living and I charged this way, after viewing a house, and seeing what had to be done, AND, looking at who hired me to do the cleaning I charged my clients this way, If they were old and couldn't due it themselves, I'd be very frugal in what I charged, but if I walked into the home and the lady of the house was fit, nails done, and hair, and better yet didn't have to work, had money and could very well do her own cleaning, and choose not to, I very well charged the max, $150.00 for approx. 4 hours, most of their houses were very big, 3 + BR and 3 + plus baths and in all honesty, not dirty, I would charge what came to mind. Do you want to pay for phone, cable, drivers license, etc.? These are called luxuarys, and if you want them, you pay the price ???!!!! Am I correct? So never feel bad about what you charge, as they can very well do it themselves,( crying now, as I think about being face down in someones toilet while cleaning it OMG it was terrible )when they very well could clean it themselves and choose not to !! yeah, it's up to the person cleaning and if the one hiring you isn't willing to pay the price, move on, there are plenty out there who need your help, as I'm now on the disabled list having to have someone clean for me, and I'm willing to pay the price because I appreciate it, and the pain it takes away from me and my body,( due to degenertive bone disease ) having to deal with cleaning my own home, I would if I could!! I hope this helps as I see no one has posted here for awhile, but I just had to get this off my chest after reading the original post. GOOD LUCK, and make money from those who have it !!!!!
jamibad. glad that you chimed in. I posted this for a friend whose husband went to prison, and she had no marketable skills in the job market, other than cleaning. She did that for awhile, but I found her a permanent job cleaning for a Christian summer camp, and she is doing well now. Oh, BTW, her husband is out of prison and they are slowly rebuilding their lives. Will be a long haul, but they will get there.
So sorry to hear that you are now disabled, I shudder to think that I was not able to take care of my house, gardens, and the every day necessitites. Hugs to you.
hello defoecat, thanks for the support, i'm doing OK, thanks to having a SSd check once a month, and a DH who has a pension, But my point was, If they have no physical problems, charge them what you feel they can afford, and if the Mrs. of the house can afford the nails, hair, and what ever else they buy to make themselves beautiful, as we all do, I'm not one to do with out if I can afford it, BUT, cleaning someone elses bathroom is not what I envisioned for me in a job, but you do what you have to to get by, and so, just like the cell phone industry, and even more so , the cable industry, charge them, if they want the service they'll buy it, LOL,( sorry to those who are paying for a clean, but fair is fair, )I pay and I haven't found anyone yet who can meet my expetations, but I pay just the same because my home is cleaner than when they started, I just don't hire you back! too many others are looking for the job.
and defoecat, my prayers to your friends, Give them some advice, have them post a cleaning ad on Craigs list in their area, and to be very careful, but the calls will come in for jobs. Have them charge what they feel like, look and evaluate the situation, and if it works out, great, they earn their money, Take the time and be very articulate, pay attention to the smallest details of cleaning, earn respect with their customers, and word of mouth will get them new jobs. Pay attention to Detail and word will travel, I did it and I know ! Blessings to your friends, and Prayers, hope they get where they want to be. D-mail me, for more advice, but I don't think you'll have to do this, Tell them to be honest, and do there very best when cleaning for someone, and they will build clients faster than they can do the work. Hope to hear more on this subject from others who have cleaned for someone, or who are cleaning or are looking to clean. and defoecat, thanks so much for the hugs, :):):) I feel them. Ciao, Jami
I wish I could find good cleaning help in my area. I am young, in great shape, have two young children and paint my nails myself (giggle). But, I have degenerative disc disease. I had surgery almost three years ago and my problems have simply moved to the next disc. I have difficulty vacuuming, dusting up high & bending. I can put things in the washer & drier, but can't get them out. I also am not good at cleaning. I do my best though.
I find it best to switch cleaners about every two months. Before they become complacent. I wish I could find one great person who was fabulous, but I haven't found them yet! I had one woman & her mother who cleaned for me over a year & must have been begging to be fired. The last straw was when I was on my hands and knees in the shower picking something up and looked over at the stool. She was only cleaning HALF of it - the side you saw when you walked in the room!!!! The other side, below the rim was black! She knew I couldn't check on her. The latest ones won't wipe the baseboards. They have been with me for three months and supposed to be dusting the baseboards each week. There is so much dust on them it won't come off with a duster now. I always discuss up front what things are important to me & not. I ask them to give me the same feedback. Don't waste time making roses out of my tissue boxes. I don't want someone touching all the tissues so they end up in the trash.
The going rate in our area is $80 for 2 people for 2 1/2 hrs. So $16/hr. We have no pets & don't smoke.
Do you have Angie's List in your area? That's a good place to get reviews of various types of contractors, services, etc and I bet they have a category for cleaning services.
I have had a cleaning lady for 30+ years because I had a very stressful job before I retired. even now that I am retired i still have one. We have a 4 BR 2.5 baths and it is impossible for someone to dust every room so i like the bathrooms clean, kitchen and floors clean on 3 rooms. I had then converted the 4th BR in to a closet and so she does not go there. I have friends who does not let anyone go inside there house to clean but i trusted the first lady who was with me for 10 yerrs till she retired. She is a christian in fact she is a college Grad but she stopped working to raise a family. I gave her a key to the house.It was nice to come home with a super clean house. I paid her $75.00 per cleaning and she came twice a month.My present lady gets $80.00 , pay extra to straighten closets or bring in plants. I am also very kind to these ladies and give gifts and extras . She also now fold laundry when she hears the drier buzz so I do not have to iron. LOL!!! In other words help stays if you treat them right!! some of my friends help does not stay long and wonder why?? Belle
I got them through word of mouth jsu talking to friends who had used cleaning ladies. i had heard horror stories on some hired help. One was washing and drying her clothes while cleaning, or helping themselves with household items.
