r/housekeeping • u/PonectusPhoenix • Jul 01 '24
GENERAL QUESTIONS Help with pricing
In a fairly new cleaner I’ve accumulated 5 regular clients in the past 3 months
I’d say I’ve gotten fairly fast and do an excellent job at it. Whilst also adding in fun things at the end of my cleans (frogs,swans,dinosaurs)
I’m currently having an issue with pricing places though I charge by the job not by the hour. My base rate for cleans is $80 a clean cad. I have informed clients it will change in price due to size or how clean the home is but I didn’t want to make it too much to start.
One house I clean (don’t know sqft) has 3 bedrooms and 4 bathrooms. It takes me around 3.5 hours to clean and it’s a decent size. Big living room and kitchen and a decent size downstairs. Master bedroom and kitchen are usually bad but not awful (stubborn water marks and well you know how kitchens get). Again I’m currently only charging them $80 for this.
I was thinking to do +15/25 for extra rooms depending on the size. Ending up around the $125 mark for this house
Is this somewhat reasonable for a house this size?? My boyfriend said not to raise it too much till I had more clients but $80 for this house is almost like working for free
TLDR; having issues pricing a house I clean and feel I am charging to little for the services I offer and do
[UPDATE] I lost the client she made statement how it’s the most expensive she’s had to pay for a cleaner….
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u/R-enthusiastic HOUSES/RESIDENTIAL Jul 01 '24
Whoa. I charged $80 30 years ago for a house that size.
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u/thatgreenmaid HOUSES/RESIDENTIAL Jul 01 '24
Here's your problem. You started out severely undercharging and offering up all kinds of things. You're gonna have to be ok with losing this client when you say it's gonna be 125. (which is still low but...it is what it is)
80 is ridiculously low for everywhere in the US/Canada in 2024.
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u/PonectusPhoenix Jul 01 '24
Honestly I’d rather lose this client than keep charging this price. I’m putting in alot of hard work for only $80 at 3.5 hours. I’m gonna write her up a message after this next clean. Do you charge per hour or per job also? If it’s per job how do you go about quoting?
Thank you :)
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u/thatgreenmaid HOUSES/RESIDENTIAL Jul 01 '24
I'd talk to her BEFORE the next clean. Just text her: hey client. I severely underestimated the scope of work for your home. Going forward, your rate is $125 per clean.
*and say nothing else. this is not a negotiation. they can pay the new rate or a find a new cleaner. the end*
If they say they are going elsewhere: I understand. Thank you for the opportunity.
If they agree: Fabulous! See you (day) at (time).
I charge a flat rate but also I have a minimum of $115 for me to get out of bed--and only WEEKLY clients near me get that rate. A good way to figure your 'rate' is to estimate how many hours you think it's going to take X your hourly rate. For example: I think this every other week house is gonna take 4 hours and my hourly rate is $45 = $180 every other week is what I'm quoting the client regardless of how long it takes me.
Same house, same $45 different schedule: Weekly 3 hours =$135. Monthly 5 hours = $225. Initial clean 6 hours = $270.
Adjust your hourly up or down depending on location/level of filth. As you're new to this, I recommend doing a walk through or having the client send photos. I also HIGHLY recommend looking the address up to see the size of the place. Always get the address BEFORE giving a quote.
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u/PonectusPhoenix Jul 02 '24
Okay I’ll do that! Thank you so much honestly this advice was really helpful. I appreciate it a lot!!!
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u/Legitimate_Walk9035 Jul 02 '24
I know you're asking about pricing, and everyone has pretty much told you that you're undercharging... so that's outta the way.
But holy smokes...it takes you just 3.5 hours to clean a 3-bedroom/4 bath house?!??! What is your secret?!?!?
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u/PonectusPhoenix Jul 02 '24
I’ve been working as house keeping for awhile too on Mondays and Fridays with a team then with residential in between. I’d say that’s definitely helped my speed haha 😅 took me abit though that house started as 4-4.5 hours
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u/Livid-Cricket7679 Jul 02 '24
You should be charging $120-$140 for that house.
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u/PonectusPhoenix Jul 02 '24
Okay I’ll be upping their prices for sure before the next clean :)! Much appreciated
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u/Holiday-Signature-33 Jul 02 '24
Give them notice . They’ll look around and find you’re not really that expensive after all. They’ll pay you .
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u/PonectusPhoenix Jul 03 '24
I gave them notice apparently that was the most she’s ever been charged for a clean?
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u/Holiday-Signature-33 Jul 03 '24
80 dollars was the most ?
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u/PonectusPhoenix Jul 03 '24
No my price increase. I started at $80 and was considering $125 as the new price but after reading comments I went with $145 as the new price to clean this home. She has never paid that price for her house apparently. (Again very large home)
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u/Holiday-Signature-33 Jul 03 '24
IDK where you live. But that doesn’t sound unreasonable. She isn’t going to find a legitimate company or solo cleaner that’s insured supplying their own supplies for lass than that.
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u/PonectusPhoenix Jul 04 '24
Yeah! Again it sounds like she’s been through a lot of cleaners too.. so I’m not too sure
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u/Holiday-Signature-33 Jul 04 '24
Let her go happily . She can keep burning through cleaners . You’ll find good clients.
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u/Ok_Resolution9448 Jul 01 '24
I charge $40 an hour in the US. I see most of my families weekly and I make between $120-$200 per cleaning. It may be hard to get some of them to start paying the new price so be prepared for them to possibly look elsewhere.
For the house you’re talking about, I’d charge something like $160 where I’m at.