How to price a cleaning job without guessing the margin.
Start with what this particular clean will cost your business. Then decide the margin you need. A competitor’s hourly rate cannot tell you either of those things.
Worked figures are examples, not market rates or wage recommendations. Use your own costs and assess the property before giving a firm price.
1. Count labour hours, not just the appointment.
Two cleaners working for three hours use six labour hours. Include setup, pack-down and any travel time you pay for. If you do the work yourself, include a cost for your own time so the quote is not built on free labour.
Use a fully loaded hourly labour cost. Depending on your business, wages alone may leave out holiday costs, employer costs or paid non-cleaning time. Calculate your actual figures with your accountant where needed.
2. Allocate the less visible costs.
Cleaning products, cloths and equipment wear still cost money when bought in bulk. So do travel, insurance, admin and other business overheads. Allocate a sensible share to the job; do not count the same cost twice.
| Input | Example cost |
|---|---|
| 6 labour hours × £16 | £96 |
| Travel allowance | £8 |
| Supplies & equipment | £6 |
| Overhead allowance | £10 |
| Total entered cost | £120 |
3. Use the right margin calculation.
Margin is the money left after the included costs, expressed as a share of the selling price. Markup is an amount added to the cost. They are different.
Add VAT separately only where it applies to your business and the transaction. The free calculator shows the price before VAT. The paid kit lets you enter your own VAT rate; it does not decide your tax treatment.
4. Put the scope next to the price.
A useful cleaning quote tells the customer what work is included, the property or area it covers, the visit frequency, your price and how to accept it. List exclusions that could otherwise cause confusion: for example, carpet extraction, oven interiors, external windows or moving heavy furniture, if you have not included those.
Be clear about access, water and power requirements, waste removal, payment timing, quote expiry and what happens if the property condition differs from the description. Choose terms you can deliver; do not copy terms you have not checked.
5. Compare the quote with the finished job.
If the example clean takes eight labour hours instead of six, labour cost becomes £128. With the other £24 of costs unchanged, the total is £152. At a £160 selling price, only £8 remains: a 5% margin. That is a reason to record actual time and review the next quote.
A respectful follow-up also helps you understand whether a customer is deciding, needs a clearer scope or has chosen another option. Avoid pressure and stop when asked.