How to price a cleaning job using costs and margin

A useful cleaning estimate starts with the work you promise and the costs you expect. Copying a competitor's rate can miss differences in scope, travel, labor and overhead.

1. Count person-hours, including your own

Two cleaners working three hours means six person-hours. Multiply that total by your actual labor cost per person-hour. Include the value of your own work if you operate solo. Estimate additional employer costs separately when applicable, without counting them twice.

2. Add the costs beyond labor

Include supplies, travel and a reasonable share of overhead such as insurance and administration. Check that the estimate matches the agreed tasks, access conditions and exclusions.

3. Separate margin from markup

If estimated cost is $100, adding a 30% markup gives a $130 price. That leaves $30 before other fees: about 23.1% of the price. To target a 30% margin before processing fees, divide $100 by 0.70 to get approximately $142.86. These figures demonstrate the math; they are not suggested cleaning rates.

4. Account for payment fees

With zero sales tax, a simple cost-based price is (job cost + fixed payment fee) divided by (1 − target margin − percentage payment fee). If margin plus percentage fees reaches 100%, this formula cannot produce a valid price. Confirm your actual fee arrangement and any tax that applies.

5. Learn from the completed job

Record actual person-hours and costs. Compare them with your estimate, clarify scope where needed, and adjust the next estimate. Outputs depend on complete and accurate inputs; an estimate cannot guarantee profit.

CleanQuote Studio is preparing a downloadable toolkit for this workflow. The kit is not yet available to buy. Read about files and support.