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How to Price House Cleaning Jobs in 2026 (Flat Rate, Hourly, and Per-Room)

Updated April 02, 2026

House cleaning has three common pricing models and most new cleaners pick the wrong one. Hourly sounds safe but caps your income forever. Per-room is fair but tough to quote over the phone. Flat-rate by home size is the most profitable once you know your speed.

Below are real market rates for all three models, how to build a repeatable quoting process, and the exact text you can use when sending a quote to a new client.


What to Charge

Starting Out

Start at the lower end of market rate to build your client base:
- Standard cleaning (2-bed/2-bath): $100 - $130
- Standard cleaning (3-bed/2-bath): $130 - $170
- Standard cleaning (4-bed/3-bath): $170 - $220
- Deep clean: 1.5x standard rate
- Move-out clean: $200 - $350

Market Rate

Standard rates with established reviews and reputation:
- Standard cleaning (2-bed/2-bath): $130 - $180
- Standard cleaning (3-bed/2-bath): $170 - $250
- Standard cleaning (4-bed/3-bath): $220 - $320
- Deep clean: $250 - $450
- Move-in/move-out: $300 - $600
- Airbnb turnover: $80 - $150 (smaller units, faster turnaround)
- Per square foot: $0.06 - $0.16

Commercial

Small commercial spaces (offices, retail):
- Small office (under 2,000 sq ft): $100 - $200 per visit
- Weekly office cleaning contract: $400 - $800/month
- Post-construction cleanup: $0.15 - $0.30 per sq ft

Pricing model: Flat rate per home based on bedrooms, bathrooms, and condition. Never charge by the hour because it punishes you for working faster. Quote after a walkthrough or detailed phone/text conversation about the home. Recurring clients get 10-15% less than one-time rate.

When to raise: Raise prices annually (January is natural) by 5-10%. Raise sooner if you're fully booked 2+ weeks out. Give existing recurring clients 30 days notice before a rate increase.

How to Quote a Job

1. Get the home details

Ask for bedrooms, bathrooms, square footage, and whether they have pets. Photos help a lot. Don't quote blind.

2. First clean or recurring?

First cleans take longer because the home hasn't been professionally maintained. Charge 1.5-2x your recurring rate for the first visit.

3. Calculate by bedrooms/bathrooms

Base rate: $100-$130 for 2-bed/2-bath. Add $30-$50 per additional bedroom/bathroom. Adjust for size and condition.

4. Offer recurring at a discount

Quote both one-time and recurring prices. 'First deep clean is $220. After that, biweekly is $160.' The discount incentivizes recurring and you get steady income.

5. Send it within an hour

Text or email your quote as fast as you can. The first person to respond almost always wins the job. If you wait until tomorrow, someone else already got it.

Example quote text:
"Hi [name], thanks for reaching out! For your 3-bed/2-bath home, the first deep clean would be $220. After that, biweekly service is $160 per visit. I can come out [day] for the first one. Let me know!"
Send your quote fast. The first person to respond usually wins the job. Text or email your quote within an hour of the inquiry. If you wait until tomorrow, someone else already got it.

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