how much is a housekeeper?

[Mommee]

I have someone (in business for themselves) coming today to give me an estimate for services, but I have no idea what people usually pay. I'm looking for once a week, clean 2.5 baths, floors (1650 sq.ft, carpet/hardwood/ceramic), dusting, kitchen appliances.

Whats a normal cost? Do i provide the cleaners or does she? pay by the hour or a preset rate?

 

[golfgal]

It REALLY varies by area. For what you are describing in my area it would be in the $50-100 range. Generally they will use their own cleaning supplies and you WANT them to do that otherwise they look like domestic staff and you run into tax issues. If they use their own supplies they are self-employed and you don't have to worry about taxes.

 

[MIGrandma]

It might depend on the area where you live. I do the vacuuming and dusting for someone, every other week, and she gives me $20. It takes about an hour and a half. It wouldn't take nearly as long but this woman has a lot of stuff to move to vacuum, and a lot of knick knacks to dust.

If I were you I would prefer to pay the person a set amount for the things you want her to do. And I would pay extra if I wanted her to do something extra as in any spring cleaning (walls, windows, etc.). And if I were the one cleaning your house I would also prefer a set amount. To me if paid by the hour I would feel like I had to hurry, so as not to charge the person so much, but then might not do as good a job so being paid for the job would be easier, so I could do a good and thorough job and not worry about taking too long.

 

[lovesmurfs]

We're in the Chicagoland area. We use a service company because I didn't want to have cleanings missed due to illness, etc., and they're bonded. They provide all cleaning products and their own vacuum. We do tip them $10/cleaning

We have 3 bedrooms, DR, LR, kitchen, 2 baths, and it's $75 every 2 weeks. I started it when DH was deployed to Afghanistan and I was doing my masters. I'll likely never let them go -- it's wonderful! (www.supermaid.com).

 

[Gabes_mommy]

I have someone who just does our first floor (kitchen, floors, family room & dining room) and I pay $25 a week. It probably takes about 2 hours to complete.

 

[Mommee]

we're in mid-Michigan...no companies that I can find come out here. I don't think many people in this area use services like this.

I never thought about any tax implications!

 

[Pinkpony]

I have someone (in business for themselves) coming today to give me an estimate for services, but I have no idea what people usually pay. I'm looking for once a week, clean 2.5 baths, floors (1650 sq.ft, carpet/hardwood/ceramic), dusting, kitchen appliances.

Whats a normal cost? Do i provide the cleaners or does she? pay by the hour or a preset rate?

I have a wife/husband team come once every other week, 8:00 to 12:00, $100, for 3,600 sqft. I provide a few cleaners that I want them to use (I prefer Pine-Sol over their Fabulosa), but they provide the rest. I provide the vacuum and mop and rags.

 

[puffkin]

When I had a cleaner, I paid $100 a visit. She came every other week. I have a 2000 SF (3 bedroom, 2.5 bath house). She brought her own cleaners and only used my vaccuum. I thought she was a tad expensive for a private cleaner in our area, but definitely cheaper than the services.

I had another private cleaner come out for an estimate. She wanted me to supply everything and she charged $20/hour. She estimated it would take her 4-6 hours to do my house. I wasn't comfortable paying an hourly rate and offered to pay $80 a visit, but she wasn't happy with that. I can clean my whole house pretty well in 4 hours (with the distractions of my family running around) so I wasn't comfortable having her get paid hourly. $20/hour did seem on par though for our area, but most charged a flat rate.

 

[lovesmurfs]

I have a wife/husband team come once every other week, 8:00 to 12:00, $100, for 3,600 sqft. I provide a few cleaners that I want them to use (I prefer Pine-Sol over their Fabulosa), but they provide the rest. I provide the vacuum and mop and rags.

Pine-Sol just makes everything feel cleaner, doesn't it?

 

[Pinkpony]

Pine-Sol just makes everything feel cleaner, doesn't it?

Yes, it does! I've been guilty of pouring a little Pine-Sol in the sink and swishing it around to make the kitchen smell clean... who cares if there's peanut butter smeared on the counter and crumbs on the floor, if you can smell the aroma of Pine-Sol, it's clean, by golly!

 

[BriarfoxinWA]

I pay $60 per week for about 2,600 sq ft house. 3 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms. We don't havea service company available here. I've been using the same lady for about 6 or 7 years now. She is WONDERFUL! She rarely misses a day and always tells me in advance if she is planning to be gone. Oh and I provide all of the cleaning supplies.

 

[Mrs. Charming]

OMG if I could find someone to clean for $25 I would definitely have someone do it! I'd be in heaven!

MIL used to clean houses, I think she got $75/hr. She was inexpensive too!

 

[trip]

Pine-Sol just makes everything feel cleaner, doesn't it?

Pine-Sol reminds me of my late MIL. Friday was the day she cleaned and if you entered her house that day, you were assaulted with that powerful smell.

 

[luvsmickeymouse]

I have a wife/husband team come once every other week, 8:00 to 12:00, $100, for 3,600 sqft. I provide a few cleaners that I want them to use (I prefer Pine-Sol over their Fabulosa), but they provide the rest. I provide the vacuum and mop and rags.

This sounds good to me! This works out to $25 dollars an hour.

 

[RadioNate]

I paid $125 for 2 girls for 4 hours to do everything from a licensed and bonded agency. They provided all supplies including mops, rags and vacuums. House was about 3000 sqft.

I only had mine once a month when I was pregnant and selling our house. We are selling again (not pregnant, thankfully!) and I really should get someone in here.

I think my friend who had a regular service paid an initial 'deep clean' fee of like $200 and then it was $50 weekly.

 

[mjkacmom]

I payed $75 a week to 2 Mexican ladies, I provided the supplies, and they were here 2 hours (and didn't go a good job). It is much more expensive to hire a company - I'd probably have to pay $125, but they'd bring supplies.