Did you know that the typical American is working nearly 47 hours per week? That doesn’t leave a lot of time to tackle household chores and maintenance. But if you’re considering outsourcing the cleaning tasks to a house cleaner, you may be wondering how much you’ll need to budget.
Fortunately, we have the answers you’re looking for. Read on to learn how much a professional house cleaner will cost!
What Type of Cleaning Do You Need?
Do you need a thorough scrub down of your home, or are you looking for a light weekly dusting? The level of cleaning you desire will help determine the price your pay for it. You could pay as little as $20 for an hour of light cleaning or as much as a few hundred dollars for something more thorough.
A deep clean of an apartment between tenants, for instance, will cost more than a light weekly clean of a property. Professional cleaners will need to scrub away 6 months or a year’s worth of grime. How messy you are may impact your bottom line, too.
If you’ve not been diligent about regular cleaning, there may be lots of dust and grime built up on surfaces. And if you have pets or kids, that can contribute to the mess. Dirtier surfaces will require more products and elbow grease to clean, translating to a higher price.
Frequency Impacts Cost
How often you schedule a professional service will affect the house cleaning cost, as well. For example, you may have a house cleaner who comes to your house each week for 2 hours. This may cost $100 or more, depending on the service.
Loyal customers may be able to get discounts for referrals and ongoing patronage. But do the math to determine how a weekly cleaning aligns with your other expenses and monthly income. A good cleaning company will work with you to determine a manageable schedule that covers all the cleaning tasks you need.
You may find it worthwhile to go with less frequent deep cleans. Or you might want to choose specific items or zones for a house cleaner professional to tackle. For instance, you could focus on a kitchen cleaning that covers your refrigerator, overhead fans, and windows.
Consider Square Footage
How big is the area that you need to be cleaned? If you live in a 3,000-square-foot house, you should expect that it will cost more to clean it versus a house that is half the size. In other words, you could spend over $500 for an average cleaning if your home is larger.
Some professional house cleaning services will charge a rate per square foot. In other words, a service might charge $0.10 for a square foot. This method makes it easy to determine how much a typical cleaning will cost.
Just remember that the investment in a professional house cleaner is worth it. A large house can consume hours of your weekend to clean — and you probably won’t hit the baseboards or windows. Professional cleaners will have the highest quality products and equipment to do the job well and save you time.
Location Matters
Do you need a house cleaner in a rural town or New York City? Since the cost of living varies, so, too, can the cost of a house cleaner professional. Urban areas or cities where there’s a lot of demand for house cleaners may mean you pay a steep price to get the best one.
House cleaning professionals who work as part of a larger service may cost more, as well. This is because some of the rates they charge will go toward covering overhead. This could include equipment purchases, lease costs, and other fees.
By contrast, a house cleaner working independently in a smaller town could be more affordable. Be sure you’re hiring someone with experience and insurance coverage, though, before you get too excited about a low price. Shop around and look at referrals as you weigh costs and determine a budget.
Look at Pricing Plans
Not all house cleaning professionals operate according to the same fee structure. That’s why it’s wise to ask how the cleaning plan you have in mind would translate into costs. You want to get a contract, too, that breaks down the costs and outlines the services to be provided.
Does a professional house cleaning service charge by the hour? If so, you should ask for an estimate on how long a weekly cleaning would take for your home, and then multiply that number by the hourly rate. Many cleaners charge anywhere from $20 to $100 per hour.
Keep in mind that house cleaners without as much experience won’t be as efficient. And if you’re paying by the hour, you could end up paying for an extra hour’s worth of work. On the other hand, you may be able to pay a lower rate, such as $30 an hour, for a cleaner who is less established.
You may be able to score a discount for recurring weekly cleanings. But you may need to pay a fuel surcharge if you live beyond a certain mileage radius. And some tasks, like window cleaning, might come at an extra cost.
Hire a Professional House Cleaner
Several factors impact the cost to hire a professional house cleaner. Consider where you live and how large your property is. You’ll also need to factor in the frequency and intensity of cleaning to arrive at an accurate estimate.
Ready to hire the right house cleaner? Contact us and we can help!