cleaning 4 bedroom house

[yvonne wilson]

Dont know if this the right place to ask but I have been asked by an estate agent to quote to clean a 4 bedroomed detached house,1 ensuite, downstairs loo and conservatory. The people want the house cleaned before they move in.I havent seen inside but I take it it is not too bad a bit dusty as its been empty for a while.They are changing all the upstairs carpets but there maybe a lounge and dining room carpet to clean downstairs.
This is my first referral from an estate agent to a customer so I may get further work.in the future
I am happy to do general cleaning apart from the oven but I have no idea what sort of price to charge or how long it will take.
Does anyone know what is a reasonable price to charge not including the carpets ?
Thanks again
Yvonne

 

[Steve Porter]

Hi again
What would you be happy with per hour, £12- 15- 18 per hour?

4 bed house, not bad nick with a full dusting might be £160 ish?? (excluding oven as if it were me I'd sub that to an oven cleaner).
Might take you 5 hours, might take 10, all depends on how fast/ thorough you are but hey it's all money!!!

When they're impressed with your cleaning I'm sure that more work will follow!

 

[Cat Stephenson]

Hi Yvonne happy new year.

I work for about 6 estate agents and it all depends on the level of clean required. I would, as it is your first job/quote for the agent, get a viewing. I have cleaned 3 bed semi's that have taken all day because of the severity of clean needed. I charge anywhere between £15 to £25 per hour, you really need to see it to quote. What do they want doing as well, do you have a cleaning checklist that you use... i.e. wall wiped down, skirting boards wiped, window frames dusted and wiped, floors swept, vacuumed and mopped etc. Cleaning a 4 bed house depending on size can take anywhere between 4 to 15 hours. Do they have a checklist that they adhere too? If so then you will know what is required.

I recently did a 3 bedroom cottage in Bramdean and that took 13 hours at £20 per hour, so think carefully before you quote. You don't want to quote a low figure just to get the job, as next time they will expect the same. A typical 4 bed house down near Winchester is normally fairly large in comparison to some, so I would be charging at least £180 to make it work out for you. If you want a chat about it, give me a PM.

Good luck

Cat

 

[Richard Cole]

Hi Cat

I'm looking to offer a complete package to Letting Agents soon including oven cleaning, does your price for £180 for 4 bed house include carpet cleaning or just for a general clean?

I'm thinking of offering a menu price with fixed prices for oven cleans and guideline prices for general and carpet cleans to give them an idea of my costs of cleaning so they can pick and mix with a discount if they have all three services.

What sort of prices on average would you charge for average 1, 2 3 & 4 bed houses in reasonable condition for general clean? And would you charge your normal price for carpets?

Not had much luck with letting agents to date but in speaking to serveral and looking at some of the threads on here it would seem that they would prefer a one stop shop for carpets, ovens and general cleans.

 

[Cat Stephenson]

Hi Richard

The £180 was for general clean only. I don't normally discount my carpet prices to the estate agents so they remain at domestic prices (they are getting the same thorough professional clean so no need to discount). Take a look at my friends site (google ovenglo) I sub all my oven cleans out to him. This may give you an indication of pricing structure. The only discounts I give are for early payment, as sometimes it is a nightmare to get the money from them. I build this into the original quote so if they do not pay within the 7 days they do not receive the discount. I give them 30 days from invoice date and then start charging interest if they fail to pay.

You are right to be able to offer the full service for an EOT does help, but all I do is sub it out and get a commission from both the oven guy and the window cleaner. Sometimes before I start work on the clean I have made £30-£50 already. I don't charge less for carpet cleans, because I don't compromise on my high standard of service to them. The pricing is normally done on a quotation basis as it is very difficult to pigeon hole a 1, 2 3 or 4 bed house as they all normally require a different level of clean. Also, this portrays a professional image to the agent, and reassures them that you will do the best job possible. It also gives you an insight to pass onto the subs( oven and window) so they know what condition the property is in.

When quoting I break it down for the agent into the clean, oven, windows and carpets. Then apply the discount for the 7 day quick payment. This acts as an incentive to pay as it is normally quite a good kick back for them.

I charge by the hour for the general clean, at £20 per hour.

Hope this helps, any questions give me a PM and we can have a chat on phone.

Cat

 

[Mark Fellows]

... Personally, I would get a per hourly charge out of your head, or at least do not mention to the customer how much you are charging per hour.

For example: 4 bedroom house could be easily cleaned in 4 hours

4 hours x £15 per hour = £60
8 hours x £15 per hour = £120

£60 to clean a house of this size is peanuts, £120 is also very cheap, without seeing the house I would be looking at about £150+

Therefore, if it only takes 4 hours, you still get a good sum. Quote for the whole house clean, not an hourly rate....

Works for me and a friend of mine who only does change over cleaning

 

[yvonne wilson]

Thanks everyone.Some great ideas, lots to think about in this new area.
Yvonne

 

[Joe Hatton]

You must go to see it Yvonne.
Yes, a 4 bed house, 2.5 baths can be cleaned in 4 hours - if regularly cleaned.
A EOT sort of clean can be a completely different matter.
I have done one in 8 hours, and a different one in 23 hours.
Depends on what condition it is in - and I always find they are worse when you get down to the cleaning then they are on the survey, just because when doing you are closer to the work in hand.
Inside of cupboards and wardrobes take time as well.
Sub out the oven clean to Colin Day (he will travel anywhere for an extra fiver).
£15-£20 is a going rate. I was charging £15 ph five years ago when I last did a one off house clean.

 

[yvonne wilson]

Ive been to see the house today and it is clean but dusty. Oven is clean apart from the metal shelves being greasy so I can manage that as well.
The 2 carpets are cleanable as well.
I was going to ask £100 (5hrs x 20) just for the house clean & extra if they want the carpets cleaning.What do you think ?
Yvonne

 

[Joe Hatton]

If it is "just dusty" then £100 is ok (but I would make it something like £106).
Dado rails ok? Skirting boards ok?

 

[Mark Fellows]

... too cheap, IMHO

 

[Mark Fellows]

Forget hourly rate.... 4 bed house, worth £150 of anyone's money!!!

 

[Cat Stephenson]

Hi Yvonne

You will definitely secure it for that price! Just be careful with regards to pricing yourself too low. If you are looking to secure a business contract with them, then what would they expect a 3 bed to be £70 2 bed £50 1 bed £30! I agree with some of our fellow Cleantalkers £150 minimum.

Regards

Cat

 

[yvonne wilson]

I am dealing directly with the client as the estate agent doesn't get involved just passes my name to clients who want their house cleaned before moving in.I'll go in a bit higher see what happens.The people are moving up from Bedfordshire is that an expensive area ?
Cheers
Yvonne

 

[Joe Hatton]

Everywhere has there "expensive" areas, like wise there are not so expensive areas everywhere too.

 

[Joe Hatton]

Forgot to ask....
are "expensive" areas easier to clean, or are they harder to clean?

 

[Paolo Hanson]

Please also remember that most of the time with eastate agents, it is tenants deposits that are paying for the job not the agent or Landlord. They just want the job done right. Price is secondary.

 

[yvonne wilson]

I was think expensive was probably the wrong word I was thinking along the lines that in Bedfordshire they might be used to a higher hourly rate like London.Yvonne

 

[Steve Porter]

Hi Yvonne
Beds is like many other shires varies massivley in the type of housing & people. Also depends upon where abouts in Beds you are, as on the peripheries you have some fantasic villages, large rural communities & lots of open space. Then head inward & it looks pretty much like any other town with its urban & sub-urban sprawl.
On the whole it really is no differant from its neighbours (OXfordshire, Berks, Hants etc).

 

[Trevor Ives]

And then you have Luton.

The only advantage when I lived there was the Downs on one side and London 3/4 hr away on the other- No motorways then! and park where you could find a space.