We regularly get calls about the pricing for house cleaning service. At The Maids Boston, we either give home cleaning quotes over the phone or in person depending on what the customer wants and the complexity of the cleaning requirement.
flickr credit: cell105
There are a few different ways that the residential cleaning industry gives estimates:
flickr credit: Big C Harvey
- Many companies will initially quote an hourly rate for the first time that they clean a home. The reason for an hourly fee is that it is very difficult to predict the exact amount of effort required to deep clean a person’s home to the point where it can be maintained. The company should be able to provide a price range so that the customer has an idea of how much the first time might cost.
- Most companies can usually give an idea as to how much regular cleaning services will cost for the home. This usually depends on a combination of the size of the home and the frequency of cleaning. Larger homes and less frequent cleanings simply require more effort, so the per visit cost can be higher.
- Some of our Boston competitors quote a flat rate based on a range of square feet or bedrooms for the home. Honestly, this has always confused me as there are some major assumptions being made regarding the level of cleanliness and the true size/detail of the home. The only way for a cleaning company to stay profitable in this price model is to trade off on effort or quality.
A wide range of pricing can be found in this industry as you may have read in my other posts. At the end of the day, the trade offs are between the size/complexity of the home, the frequency of the house cleaning, and the underlying costs of the maid service.
Let me know what you think about the pricing you have seen!
