How much should I pay a housekeeper?

[elemusing]

Who works as a housekeeper here? Who has a housekeeper? I made the executive decision yesterday to hire one for at least once per month or twice per month just to do the heavy cleaning that takes me all day on my only day off.

What is a good price? I know most will have set prices - I want to make sure it is reasonable.

TIA,
Angie

 

[jjcollins]

Well Angie - what do you think the job is worth - after all you've been doing it.



jj.......

 

[wovenwonder]

I pay $50 bi-weekly. She works about 5 hours and vacuums all rooms -- washes kitchen, bathroom, and laudry floor and once a month the basement floor. Does the bathroom, etc.

 

[elemusing]

I couldn't afford to pay what I think it is worth. hee hee

By the way - we have a small house - about 1500 feet - (and that includes the garage.) It is two bath - 3 bedrooms, but all the rooms are very small.

I think 50 dollars is a bargain! Is that about the going rate? Anyone else care to comment?

 

[jjcollins]

See now theres what i mean -- you think $50 is a bargain - but do you think thats fair -- what do you think is a right price - you must have some idea.



jj........

 

[jel0511]

My house is a little over 4000 sq ft, and I pay $65 per week. She cleans everything each week, the bathrooms, kitchen, mops and vacuums all floors, dusts all furniture, etc.

 

[Keli]

A lot of times in these cases you get what you pay for. The best, most efficent housekeepers will not work for someone that doesn't pay them well. The housekeepers that don't do a top job are more likely to work for someone that isn't paying them as well because other employers have let them go for doing a less than sterling job. Very good housekeepers are in high demand around here. They will work for the same families for years, only occasionally taking on new clients.

 

[jel0511]

Originally posted by Keli
A lot of times in these cases you get what you pay for. The best, most efficent housekeepers will not work for someone that doesn't pay them well. The housekeepers that don't do a top job are more likely to work for someone that isn't paying them as well because other employers have let them go for doing a less than sterling job. Very good housekeepers are in high demand around here. They will work for the same families for years, only occasionally taking on new clients.

I have to agree with you Keli. We've had the same housekeeper for 3 years now, and she's been doing other people's houses in my neighborhood longer than that. I had fired my previous housekeeper and it took a little prodding to be taken on by my current one, but she is great and no one in my neighborhood (she does like 20 houses here) has EVER complained about her. She is VERY hard working, and I admire her for doing it. She came over from Poland 6 years ago, and is making a living cleaning people's houses. She is so nice, and trustworthy, that I hope she'll be doing this for a long time. She has a 14 year old son who she is putting through private school also, so she makes a pretty good living!