amy g. Posted February 13, 2009 Share Posted February 13, 2009 I have always been resistant to having someone come in and clean. I want to teach my children that we can clean up our own messes without paying someone else to do it. However, I an beginning to think that I need to just get over it. I'm dealing with a special needs teenager, a toddler, a dad with very advanced cancer, farm animals and homeschooling. I just can not get it all done. What would you pay to have someone clean a 3,500 sq ft home once a week? What would you pay for by the hour for organizing help? Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tap Posted February 13, 2009 Share Posted February 13, 2009 My friend who cleans charges $25 per hour and $10 drive/supply fee. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harriet Vane Posted February 13, 2009 Share Posted February 13, 2009 Yes, I have been paying for cleaning help for years, and am very thankful to have the resources to do so. Right now I have a slow, young cleaning helper whom I pay $8 an hour. In three hours she can do one floor of my house. (I have a big old Victorian.) The best cleaning service I have ever had charged $75 for 6 hours of work. These Polish immigrant ladies are amazing--in six hours one Polish lady can deep-clean both of our main living floors, even if the kitchen is in bad shape. Comparable to the cleaning service, I have paid $11 per hour to a speedy, highly competent cleaning lady. My understanding is that a service like Merry Maids is more expensive. Having cleaning help or not is NOT a moral issue. You've got a lot of work on your plate--it is perfectly acceptable to delegate pieces of that work to others. It's not like you're sitting on the sofa reading romance novels and eating bon bons. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Becca Posted February 13, 2009 Share Posted February 13, 2009 I have someone come every other week and pay her $50.00 for 2 hours. It's a great set-up b/c it is so nice to have a totally clean house for a couple of days, but it gets messy enough in between times for my kids to help clean! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris in VA Posted February 13, 2009 Share Posted February 13, 2009 I can't imagine 2 hours being enough, frankly, and I feel I could find 2 hours during the weekend or sometime at night, if that's all it took. Many hands... That said, I'd pay someone to come in once a week to do the jobs I don't like--for two hours, I'd expect someone to be able to clean 3 bathrooms thoroughly, sweep and mop the kitchen floor, vacuum the living room, and maybe do one or two small jobs. What I'd really pay for would be the mopping, the bathrooms, and sweeping all the floors. Our house is quite large, but that would help a lot. BTW,I just read Nickel and Dimed, also, and I would NEVER hire Merry Maids, if their policies are still the same--only using .5 bucket of water; just spraying their cleaning cloths, not the surfaces, etc. We used to take about 2 hours on Saturdays, put on The Beatles, and clean like dervishes--the kids had jobs they could actually do, like emptying the trash and putting bags in, folding and putting away towels, stripping their beds and bringing the results down to the laundry, sweeping the stairs and the wood floor, "doing our bidding" :D, etc. It helped a lot to dejunk the house the night before , but it still took more than two hours to wash all the floors, clean the kitchen, do the bathrooms, vacuum, wipe the glass doors, remake the beds, etc. And our house was only 1500sq ft. Of course, the upkeep was easier--it's just when it gets out of control that it's so hard. So maybe you could pay someone to come the first few times and stay for a good long time, and then try to maintain that, throwing in another "long clean" about once every 6 weeks or so. I'd pay $10hr for that, and that breaks down to only about $7 an hour after taxes for that cleaner. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brilliant Posted February 13, 2009 Share Posted February 13, 2009 I don't think 2 hours will make a dent in a 3500 sq ft house. When we lived in a 3100 sq ft house, I paid someone to come in for 6 hours. It was usually 2 ladies for 3 hours, or sometimes 3 for 2 hours. They got the house very clean during that time. I guess it would be nice to have someone for 2 hours if that's all you want to pay for...but I wouldn't expect the house to be "clean" when she leaves. I paid $75 when I first started...then 2 years later I was paying $90. So it went from about $12/hr to $15. The lady I hired was a legal immigrant. I don't know the status of her helpers who usually did not speak English. So I would say that the cost will depend on the supply of labor in your area. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SherryTX Posted February 13, 2009 Share Posted February 13, 2009 I just would love to bring someone in just 4 times a year for seasonal mad insane cleaning. Hard core stuff like cleaning out the garage, washing walls, cleaning out vents, etc. And washing the outside of windows. We don't do that very often - just kind of forget about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom-ninja. Posted February 13, 2009 Share Posted February 13, 2009 I wish wish I had the money too. Just the big stuff I can never get to like mopping, dusting, cleaning the front of the cabinets, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amy g. Posted February 14, 2009 Author Share Posted February 14, 2009 I agree that no one could clean the house in 2 hours. I was really thinking about setting aside 2 hours a week for the kids to make sure all of their house cleaning chores were done. I could hire one or two women to help me get things organized during that time period. For example, in 2 hours, three people could clean my porch and laundry room. The next week, we could clean my closet. After a few months of this, my house might be in a state where someone could come in and quickly clean. We have manged to maintain the rooms I decluttered over Thanksgiving. Does that make more sense? I have hope. Dh is busy taking down the Christmas tree because I said there would be no Valentine's Day celebrating until the very last bit of Christmas was locked safely in the attic. I'm feeling better already! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tree House Academy Posted February 14, 2009 Share Posted February 14, 2009 I wouldn't, personally, pay her over $50. That translates to $25 an hour and that is a very good price for the service (unless you are a total slob and she has to clean human poo off of things. In that case, maybe there isn't enough money....LOL) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MamaT Posted February 14, 2009 Share Posted February 14, 2009 It must be more expensive where I live. I really checked around for a while and the least expensive price was $25.00 an hour. My house is about the same size as yours and it takes 5-6 hours to clean. I don't know if two hours of just organizing would be enough. It seems like you would just get started (maybe everything pulled out - even worse) and it would be time to quit. Maybe you should consider four hours every other week in order to actually get a big job finished. Just a thought. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starr Posted February 14, 2009 Share Posted February 14, 2009 If I could, I would. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mamasteff Posted February 14, 2009 Share Posted February 14, 2009 After one day of cleaning, I am SO happy. I am in So Cal and paid $80 for 6 hours of cleaning ($13+ per hour). I have given up some of my other personal comforts for this personal comfort. (Including pedicures and getting my legs waxed... and going out for coffee). Consider that if you are homeschooling, you are working full time - teaching. Our new friend will be coming in every other week for 6 hours. She worked HARD and WELL. My 40 year old stovetop looks brand new!!! I was NEVER able to clean it as well as she did. My toaster oven looks new - again, I have wiped it down, etc. She DEEP cleaned it. If it will make it easier for you to focus on schooling, I will say it is WORTH it. And, it doesn't have to be every week - 4 hours every other week might be more useful to you. And your kids will still need to clean up their own messes! (It's also a good idea to teach our kids that, yes, while we need to clean up our own messes... it is also a good idea to ask for help when we need it!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pretty in Pink Posted February 14, 2009 Share Posted February 14, 2009 I would expect to pay up to 25.00/hr but your house is huge. I doubt 2 hours would do it. Two hours would barely work in my home and it's less than half that size. Maybe after it's all organized you could cut back to 2 hours every other week though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ma23peas Posted February 14, 2009 Share Posted February 14, 2009 Amy...we are sisters for sure..I've got a chronically ill child right now..no one has answers, 2 horses that need my training..one is an abuse case...who is doing rather nicely! and I'm behind on school dealing with our daughter's health issues..did I mention that we have a debate tournament next week, Father/Daughter dance I have to plan in 2 weeks and a campout for 12 girls?? AAGH! I pay someone to come EVERY OTHER week...2x a month..it takes us 3 hours just to pick up the house so they can clean (she usually has atleast one helper and sometimes 2) If it's just the two of them they can get my house clean in under 3 hours (4000 sq. feet) I pay $100 and they bring their own cleaning supplies but use my vacuum. It's the best $200 I've spent! I don't buy nice clothes, only own 5 pairs of shoes (2 are barn shoes!) and ride my horses bareback b/c I'd rather have someone help me clean than get that saddle yet! :) Go for it! Tara Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MountainViewMama Posted February 14, 2009 Share Posted February 14, 2009 I would love to have someone clean my house! I wouldn't pay more than 15.00 an hour though but that's because I'm cheap.:) If I had to pay more than that, I would just do it myself. My house is pretty well maintained, I just hate doing all the little things like dusting and wiping cabinets and the floors. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melissa in Australia Posted February 14, 2009 Share Posted February 14, 2009 I have done cleaning in the past. I was paid $15 /h and worked for a max of 2 hours. I only did bathrooms, vacuumed floors, moped floors, hang out washing and change bed linen, and maybe some light dusting. I always got this done with time to spare. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chiguirre Posted February 14, 2009 Share Posted February 14, 2009 I paid $60 for 2 (sometimes 3, it depends on who's available) to clean a 4400 sq. ft. house. They charge double for the first time when they have to do a deep clean, then the weekly clean is much easier for them. I just switched to a part time housekeeper and I pay her $10 an hour for cleaning, cooking, laundry and helping me keep an eye on my oldest. One thing to consider is that a cleaner won't be able to organize your stuff without a lot of direction from you. They don't know where things go. I always had to do a general pick up before the cleaners came. Now that I have more permanent help, she can slowly learn where stuff goes and slowly change that to suit her needs, too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Storm Bay Posted February 15, 2009 Share Posted February 15, 2009 Two hours is NOT enough to clean a whole house that size. You need 3-4+ hours depending on what you expect to be done. However, 2 hours might be enough to get the bathrooms cleaned and the floor vacuumed (but not necessarily the edges with attachments). That depends, of course, on how messy things are, how dirty, how much furniture there is, etc. But that might be all you need to help you. As for price, that varies with where you live. You can pay by time or pay by the job. If you have someone who is very slow or very fast, but good, paying by the job is good so that you don't get ripped off if they're slow, but so that they don't get penalized just because they're fast. Housecleaners who are very good and very fast have a chance to make a better living--don't we all want that? Since 2 hours is shorter than most cleaning jobs are (usually 3-5 hours) you have to factor that into what you pay since it takes time to get there and it's often time they could be spending at a longer job. The highest I've heard of is $25/hr, but I wouldn't start someone off at that price unless you had a referral from someone you trust and have seen her work (and not when the cleaner knew you were coming to look.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StaceyinLA Posted February 15, 2009 Share Posted February 15, 2009 $20-25 per hour to clean! I have a girl that comes to clean. She is 19 and expects to earn 15-20/hour. I generally pay her about $50-60 to clean for 3 1/2 to 4 hours. Although I will suck it up and do it every 6 weeks or so, I find it absurd. I'm sorry, but I don't think cleaning a house should earn someone more than many professionals earn. I feel like a cleaning person should reasonably expect to earn somewhere around $10-$12/hour. (cleaning only, NOT organizing or anything else) I think that is a fair wage for that type of work and it's what I'd really feel comfortable paying. I only earn $13/hr at my part-time bookkeeping/club manager job. That all being said, if you can afford it, and it is worth it to you, pay for it!! There is nothing like going to work and coming home to a nice, clean house!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Storm Bay Posted February 16, 2009 Share Posted February 16, 2009 $20-25 per hour to clean! I have a girl that comes to clean. She is 19 and expects to earn 15-20/hour. I generally pay her about $50-60 to clean for 3 1/2 to 4 hours. Although I will suck it up and do it every 6 weeks or so, I find it absurd. I'm sorry, but I don't think cleaning a house should earn someone more than many professionals earn. I feel like a cleaning person should reasonably expect to earn somewhere around $10-$12/hour. (cleaning only, NOT organizing or anything else) I think that is a fair wage for that type of work and it's what I'd really feel comfortable paying. I only earn $13/hr at my part-time bookkeeping/club manager job. That all being said, if you can afford it, and it is worth it to you, pay for it!! There is nothing like going to work and coming home to a nice, clean house!! The pay is what the market can bear and they are in a position calling for a lot of trust. Many people have their housecleaners come when they're at work, which means they have a housekey and, sometimes, the security code to get by the alarm. And lots of people get paid that and more who aren't professionals. Eveyone has to buy food, pay bills, etc, and that includes people who clean your house. Good work deserves a living wage, and if you hate housecleaning, it can be a real blessing to have someone come and clean for you (or if you just don't have time.) My mother has been paying someone for decades (not the same someone). Her house is too big for her to do everything as there is a lot more than dusting, vacuuming, washing the floor and cleaning the bathrooms, which is all her housecleaner does. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StaceyinLA Posted February 16, 2009 Share Posted February 16, 2009 I get what you are saying, but we aren't really talking a specialized skill, and that is why this blows my mind. My husband has worked in his field for 20+ years, is state board certified as an electrician, and makes $23/hour. His job is dangerous, as they do commercial work in chemical plants and other businesses. He bids and designs schematics for the jobs (basically an engineering position). I just don't think that dusting furniture should be worth the same. Goodness, I run a business and handle cash (thousands) daily. I do the books and hire/fire employees, etc. and I make $13/hour. Yes, the club is on a tight budget right now and that isn't where I will stay, but come on - DOUBLE that to clean toilets and tubs?!? I just don't get it. And yes, there ARE times when it is worth it to me, but they are few and far between due to the cost. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MJN Posted February 16, 2009 Share Posted February 16, 2009 paid at least $15-20 a hour. I clean eight houses and get paid this. It's hard work when you're cleaning for someone else. I'm a perfectionist so I have to do an excellent job. All of my houses are pretty clean, not nasty. It's worth $15-20 a hour or more, imho. I didn't think that though before I started. My clients are all older, wealthy women and are thankful to have me clean their house. We have a great friend relationship. Just my thoughts - Molly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StaceyinLA Posted February 16, 2009 Share Posted February 16, 2009 In fact, my cleaning girl told me it was the easiest house she ever cleaned. We have ZERO clutter to clean around - I just don't DO clutter. I can understand if you're dealing with filth, and I DO appreciate that if you are doing the job, you'd want to make that money. And there are certainly people who can afford to pay that. However, for all practical purposes, I just don't think general cleaning should be something that demands that high of an income. It would be like saying the janitors at the school should make more than the teachers. I just can't agree with that. I'm not trying to be insulting about it. I cleaned houses when my oldest was little so I could have a flexible job. However, it IS a manual labor-type job. Guys that dig ditches don't make what the electricians make. The electricians don't make what the engineers make. Nurses don't make what doctors make. It's just that in the grand scheme of things, I don't think house cleaning should be a high paying job. Obviously though, many people don't think like me. Guess that's why I'm cleaning my own house most of the time!! :tongue_smilie: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harriet Vane Posted February 16, 2009 Share Posted February 16, 2009 In fact, my cleaning girl told me it was the easiest house she ever cleaned. We have ZERO clutter to clean around - I just don't DO clutter. I can understand if you're dealing with filth, and I DO appreciate that if you are doing the job, you'd want to make that money. And there are certainly people who can afford to pay that. However, for all practical purposes, I just don't think general cleaning should be something that demands that high of an income. It would be like saying the janitors at the school should make more than the teachers. I just can't agree with that. I'm not trying to be insulting about it. I cleaned houses when my oldest was little so I could have a flexible job. However, it IS a manual labor-type job. Guys that dig ditches don't make what the electricians make. The electricians don't make what the engineers make. Nurses don't make what doctors make. It's just that in the grand scheme of things, I don't think house cleaning should be a high paying job. Obviously though, many people don't think like me. Guess that's why I'm cleaning my own house most of the time!! :tongue_smilie: :iagree: I cleaned houses for a couple years to help make ends meet. I was dirt poor at the time and desperately needed the money. It was a flexible job, and I was blessed to have some really nice clients. You're right, though--it's not skilled labor. It doesn't make sense for that labor to earn what a teacher earns. Heck, when I worked in religious publishing, many at the company doing highly skilled, highly specialized work, were earning just $25/hr. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrsMe Posted February 16, 2009 Share Posted February 16, 2009 (edited) I pay someone $60 for 4 hours every other week. Just because somebody cleans your home doesn't mean that your kids don't clean up after themselves. I thought that too, "what am I teaching my kid?" We clean everything up before she comes so I'm not paying her to pick up toys so she can vacuum and dust. It goes faster if the counters are clutter free and the bathrooms are clutter free and the toys are put away! I pay my lady to clean! And by doing it every other week it saves us money, (even though I'd like it weekly), but still keeps things under control and more manageable. Let me add though you can get what you pay for. You don't want someone coming in and cleaning things w/cleaners that'll ruin them. Make sure they have some experience or at least give them the cleaners you want used for what part. Also some don't know there is a top of the fridge. It's all what you're willing to pay for. Edited February 16, 2009 by alilac Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Storm Bay Posted February 16, 2009 Share Posted February 16, 2009 (edited) I get what you are saying, but we aren't really talking a specialized skill, and that is why this blows my mind. My husband has worked in his field for 20+ years, is state board certified as an electrician, and makes $23/hour. His job is dangerous, as they do commercial work in chemical plants and other businesses. He bids and designs schematics for the jobs (basically an engineering position). I just don't think that dusting furniture should be worth the same. Goodness, I run a business and handle cash (thousands) daily. I do the books and hire/fire employees, etc. and I make $13/hour. Yes, the club is on a tight budget right now and that isn't where I will stay, but come on - DOUBLE that to clean toilets and tubs?!? I just don't get it. And yes, there ARE times when it is worth it to me, but they are few and far between due to the cost. I think Molly answered it well. I come from a family riddled with professionals (MDs, Ph.Ds, etc) and we know first hand the problems with this. Dh makes more money as a housepainter than he could as a forester. He has a degree in forestry. But as a painter he not only has a great deal of skill (he even pleases me and I'm very an*l about painting and wallpapering being done to perfection), he has to handle advertising, scheduling, estimates, paperwork, and, when he used to do this, employees. He makes more than a housecleaner, but then he's climbing ladders and paying for liability insurance, about the same as my brother with a Ph.D. who teaches post secondary Physics in a university. Trust me, not everyone has the same skill level in cleaning, nor do people all have the same expectations--I've had friends who did it with various good and bad habits, and that includes dusting (do they pick up things to get the rings, are they careful with your precious china dolls, do they dust your china with the the furniture polishing cloth that still has polish on it or a clean cloth, etc). But there is a lot of physical work, too, such as lugging vacuum cleaners up and down stairs, mopping floors, cleaning other people's icky bathroom messes. Then there's juggling schedules, paying for transportation to and from your house, advertising (if they're doing that), honesty and integrity. What it boils down to, really, is what it's worth to the customer. To you, it's just not worth it. My mother would never spend $25/hour, but she pays well for her area. She's neither messy nor lazy, but has a busy life and a large house. When I was a student, I cleaned houses for a couple of years, and I can tell you that it was hard work and I did a good job, especially when people were messy, I had a number of housekeys, a couple of alarm codes, and I was working alone in rooms where people kept their valuables such as expensive jewelry, antique silver and ornaments, etc. It may not seem much to you, but it does to many, to have someone they know is completely trustworthy and worth the money. The job was not prestigious and didn't pay as much as my later piano teaching did, but it certainly paid better than working in a store, had better hours, etc. I refused to work for people who wanted to pay me less than my going rate and never had trouble getting enough work because I had great references. I didn't do it long enough to get the really high rates, but I wasn't supporting a family, just getting through school (not my first degree--my parents helped pay for that). Edited February 16, 2009 by Karin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
myfunnybunch Posted February 16, 2009 Share Posted February 16, 2009 We pay $18/hr. for an individual to come clean. It takes four hours (two when she brings another person with her) to clean our almost 3000 sq. ft. home. We do the daily cleaning, and she deep-cleans the four bathrooms and kitchen, and cleans the floors, then dusts and spot cleans until it's time for her to leave. It's wonderful. We're often home, schooling, while she's here. We just move to the upstairs bedroom once she's ready to clean the dining and living room areas. A cleaning service typically charges more than a private house cleaner, but if your regular cleaner is ill or has an emergency you'll usually still get someone out to clean on your regular day/time. If you look on Craigslist you should be able to find several people working on their own. Our cleaner came to do a trial cleaning (not for free), offered references and she's trying to start her own business so she's got someone to cover for her when she can't make it. And I l-o-v-e having someone come once a week to deep clean. Cat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StaceyinLA Posted February 16, 2009 Share Posted February 16, 2009 it IS worth it to me when I do break down and pay it. I just don't think it really requires specialized skills. The trust thing is certainly an issue, but there are plenty of jobs where trust and integrity are an issue (aren't they at MOST jobs?) that pay minimum wage. All I am saying is that I don't think cleaning is a specialized skill that should demand that type of pay. MOST people can clean a tub or mop a floor. And honesty is honesty, no matter how much you get paid. There are people making millions that steal every day. And there are those that work for $6 an hour that wouldn't take a dime! That said, yes, many people will pay it obviously, because they can afford to, and they don't want to or have time to do the work themselves. If I could pay someone $10/hour (which, to me, is a reasonable wage for cleaning, dusting, etc.), I'd have them at my house every week. Since I have to pay nearly double that, I have to be more desperate to have them come. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Storm Bay Posted February 16, 2009 Share Posted February 16, 2009 (edited) it IS worth it to me when I do break down and pay it. I just don't think it really requires specialized skills. The trust thing is certainly an issue, but there are plenty of jobs where trust and integrity are an issue (aren't they at MOST jobs?) that pay minimum wage. All I am saying is that I don't think cleaning is a specialized skill that should demand that type of pay. MOST people can clean a tub or mop a floor. And honesty is honesty, no matter how much you get paid. There are people making millions that steal every day. And there are those that work for $6 an hour that wouldn't take a dime! That said, yes, many people will pay it obviously, because they can afford to, and they don't want to or have time to do the work themselves. If I could pay someone $10/hour (which, to me, is a reasonable wage for cleaning, dusting, etc.), I'd have them at my house every week. Since I have to pay nearly double that, I have to be more desperate to have them come. All correct. I was throwing out a certain POV on this and wasn't arguing the specialized skill part ;). One of the beautiful things about Canada & the US, and a number of other countries, is that we have the choice to charge and pay what we think fit in situations like this. For some people it's going to be worth it and for others not. But I also think that $6 per hour is not a decent wage for those who have to support themselves and especially a family, and that many jobs underpay--it's a tough call, because higher wages mean higher prices. fwiw, my mother has had many cleaning ladies over the years, and there has been quite a difference in skill levels! And some people scratch that fibreglass tub to shreds... Edited February 16, 2009 by Karin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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