Although each cleaning job is unique in so far as the size of the home or office, there are rules of thumb that a customer can use to guestimate about how much time a cleaning job will take, and therefore, how much money a cleaning job will be.

Pricing can depend on the current cleanliness (or not) of the home or office, the type of flooring (carpeting vs. tile/laminate), how much cabinetry or the number of nicknacks, etc.

Here are some suggestions for an average home or office.

1. • Move-In / Move-Out – This job can take two to three people all day; perhaps even a second day depending on how the home or office was left by the previous occupants. Fourteen to 24 hours is not uncommon, although that can fluctuate greatly depending on how the house has been maintained.
   • First Time In / Semi-Monthly Contract – Although less time than a Move-In/Move-Out, most of the home will be cleaned, except where large furniture remains in place. Ten to 16 hours (two people, five to eight hours) is realistic. Whatever is not fully completed can be done on a second visit, but by the third visit, the home should be spanking new.
   • Regular Weekly / Bi-Weekly Cleaning – Once a home is up to snuff, two people should be able to maintain a home or office to a high standard in two or three hours (four to six total hours). Special occasions such as parties or Christmas season can add time, but on a regular basis, with regular cleaning, this is a good guideline.

In all cases, communication between the customer and the cleaning service is vital. Sometimes a customer expects perfection, although their home has not been maintained to that level. Sometimes the customer does not realistically access the amount of time it will take to complete a job to their satisfaction. Sometimes a cleaning service has its routines and is not flexible to special requests. All these factors can lead to dissatisfaction on both sides.

Rotating help from large cleaning services complicates matters and does not bring consistency or familiarity with your home.

Discuss expectations, point out where potential problems may arise, but most of all, be realistic in what you want from your service. Let the service know when expectations were not met. Future problems and stress can be avoided, and it can be a ‘win-win’ for all involved.

Unmet and unrealistic expectations can lead to letting a service go with the attendant headache of time involved in hiring a new service. And who wants to go through that again when communication between customer and client could have avoided these headaches?

Save yourself time and stress; hire Job Well Done Cleaning. 🙂