Cleaning Business Pricing Calculator (What to Charge)
Build a per-visit (or monthly contract) price from production speed, loaded cleaner wage, supplies, travel, overhead, frequency discounts, and target margin — so recurring books stay profitable when the crew gets faster. For maid-service and light commercial operators — not homeowners shopping maid cost.
Price this cleaning visit
Starting inputs you can edit — not a recommended price.
Self-serve math for cleaning business owners. Production rates and presets are editable examples, not recommended market prices or ISSA advice. No consulting or “we’ll bid your accounts.”
Methodology (P2 engine + cleaning helpers)
base_hours = sqft / production_rate- Apply type multiplier + bathroom adder →
labor_hours - Feed hours, loaded $/hr, supplies, travel into shared P2 job pricing (cost-up + contingency + OH% + margin-on-price)
- Apply frequency discount to the P2 base price only
- Add flat add-ons (never discounted)
No second profit formula — helpers only map trade inputs into the existing job-pricing API.
Worked example (fictional 2,000 sq ft biweekly)
Hours = 2000/500 = 4.0 → loaded $22.50 × 4 = $90 → travel $16.25 → supplies $8 → direct $114.25 → +5% contingency +15% OH → total cost ≈ $137.96 → 20% margin base ≈ $172.45 → biweekly 10% off ≈ $155/visit. Illustrative only — not a market recommendation.
Assumptions
- Production rates and type multipliers are editable defaults, not certified time studies or advice.
- Frequency discount never applies to add-ons.
- Default overhead mode is % of direct cost (P2 percent mode).
- Monthly view uses visits/week × 4.33 when provided.
Common cleaning pricing mistakes
- Pricing from sq-ft “market rates” with no labor cost stack.
- Discounting oven/fridge/window add-ons with the recurring %
- Using raw wage instead of loaded labor.
- Ignoring drive time between clustered homes.
- Speeding up production but never rechecking margin on old flat rates.
FAQ
How much should a cleaning business charge?
We don’t publish a “should charge $X.” Build from your production speed, loaded wage, supplies, overhead, and target margin — then adjust for your market.
Hourly vs flat-rate for customers?
Many owners quote a flat visit price derived from hourly economics (this tool). Customers see the flat; you still know the cost stack behind it.
How to handle deep cleans vs recurring?
Use a lower production rate or a type multiplier so hours rise, and skip frequency discount on one-time deep/move-out jobs.
Commercial vs residential production?
Open-floor commercial often cleans faster per sq ft; enter your own production rate. Presets are exploration defaults only.
Where does burden / billable rate fit?
Build loaded $/hr on the labor burden or hourly rate tools, then paste into this calculator’s labor cost field.
Is this for homeowners checking maid prices?
No — it is for cleaning business owners deciding what to charge.