How to Create a House Cleaning Estimate That’s Clear, Fair, and Professional (Room-by-Room)
- Jan 19
- 8 min read
Let’s be real: house cleaning estimates can mess you up if you don’t have a system. You’ll either undercharge and feel drained… or over-guess and lose the job. And if English isn’t your first language, estimates can feel even more stressful—because you’re not just pricing a cleaning… you’re also trying to explain it in a way clients understand.
So in this post, I’m going to show you exactly how to use my House Cleaning Estimate Planner the right way—to price your jobs fairly and communicate clearly with clients.
I built this planner after 18+ years of offering deep house cleaning in my area, because I wanted something that makes your business look more professional, more organized, and way easier to manage.
This planner breaks down each room so you can estimate:
time
labor cost
add-ons
and a clean, clear breakdown your client can understand
Let’s get into building solid business skills, so we can grow and boss up with confidence!
What This House Cleaning Estimate Planner Does (In One Sentence)
It gives you a room-by-room system to estimate time + price, so you stop guessing and start quoting like a pro.
Page #1: Planner Description (English & Spanish)
This first page explains how the planner benefits you and your clients. It’s written in English and
Spanish because I want to support as many business-minded people in the cleaning community as possible. 💪
When your client can clearly understand what they’re paying for, the estimate feels professional—not confusing.
Right away, you’ll see the planner is fully bilingual and includes space for:
Client name
Address
Phone number
Date of estimate
Where the room times come from
The estimated cleaning times in this planner are based on my 18+ years of deep house cleaning experience.
But let me say this clearly:
Pro Tip: If you’re new, do your estimates in person
Trust me—it’s best to do your house cleaning estimates in person, at least for your first 10 to 15 walkthroughs. That’s where you build real experience: you start recognizing how square footage, different flooring types, and the way a home is laid out affects your timing and price. You’ll also catch things you can’t always hear over the phone—like two living rooms, an extra den, or bonus spaces that mean you need to add time. Then later, as your business grows, if you decide to do estimates by phone, you’ll be prepared—because you’ll already know what details change the job and how to price them confidently.
The actual cleaning time can change depending on:
the home’s condition
special requests
clutter
pets
how “lived in” the home is
Because if you walk in and see piles of dishes, toys, shoes, or trash that needs to be picked up before you can even clean… that takes time.
You’re not just there to tidy—you’re there to deep clean.
So if the planner says 2 hours, but the house is heavy… you may need to change it to 3 hours. If it says 30 minutes, but the room is chaotic… you may need to change it to 1 hour.
Just scratch out the default time and write your real estimate.
That’s how you protect your money.
Room-by-Room Assessment Checklist (What to Look For)
As you walk through the home, pay attention like a business owner—not like a rushed cleaner.
Look at things like:
Baseboards (dusty or stained?)
Ceiling fans (buildup?)
Cabinets (sticky, messy, dripping?)
Fingerprints on refrigerator, doors, switches
Stove top condition
Floors (sticky, dusty, pet hair?)
Number of pets (hair, dander, odor)
These details help you decide if the job will take longer than the “ideal” times listed.
Some clients pick up before you arrive, and that means you can focus on real cleaning—dusting, mopping, detailing.
Other clients need more prep (tidying) first—and that’s fine. Just add that extra time into your estimate so you don’t end up working for free.
Example: Single-Family House Cleaning Estimate (Room-by-Room)
Now let’s calculate an example estimate using the planner.
Note: This house is a single-family home.
No stairs
The owner does not want the office cleaned
So right away, we cross those areas out on the planner.
Now we add up the time for the rooms we are cleaning.
Example Breakdown
Kitchen: 2 hours
1 Regular Bathroom: 1.5 hours
Master Bathroom: 2 hours
Living Room: 30 minutes
3 Bedrooms (including master bedroom): 1.5 hours (30 minutes each)
Dining Room: 30 minutes
Laundry Room: 30 minutes
✅ Total Time: 8.5 hours to deep clean this house.
Big Job? Bring Backup (Smart Business Move)
As you can see, some homes are big jobs.
When the estimate comes out like this, it may be smart to bring help—like hiring a part-time independent contractor for long, demanding days.
Pricing Example (Labor + Supplies + Travel)
Let’s say as a new solo cleaner you charge $20 per hour.
My Operating Costs (Click Here To Understand Operating Cost)
Labor: 8.5 hours × $20 = $170.00
Cleaning supplies: 15 items × $1.00 = $15.00 (You’re using products—so it’s fair to account for them. Not including microfiber cloths.)
Travel (gas): $12.00 (This is what I normally spend daily on gas for business travel.)
Subtotal: $170 + $15 + $12 Total: $197.00Rounded: $200.00 (I round to the nearest $5)
Taxes, Insurance, Licenses (Quick Clarity)
Sales Tax: In California, you generally do not charge sales tax for house cleaning services, but always confirm with a tax professional for your location and situation.
Insurance & Licenses: As your business grows, you can choose whether to include these costs in your operating cost.
Finalizing the Estimate Like a Pro
After walking through the home and observing everything, I tell the homeowner:
“I’ll need a few minutes to calculate your estimate.”
Then I step outside (or somewhere private) and:
add up the hours
apply my rates
prepare the client pages (cut and ready)
That pause shows professionalism and builds trust.
Page #5: Extra Services + How to Add Them
This page is for optional add-ons and how to price them clearly.
In my 18+ years cleaning, clients have paid extra for things like:
refrigerator clean-outs
oven detailing
window washing
laundry
and more
This page helps you present add-ons so the client understands: extra services = extra cost (done properly).
Example Add-On: Inside the Refrigerator
Client agrees to pay $35 extra.
Original estimate: $200 Refrigerator add-on: $35
✅ New total: $235
How to say it to the client:
“Your total for this job, including the extra refrigerator cleaning, will be $235.00.”
Simple. Clear. With Confidence.
Personalized Room-by-Room Cleaning Breakdown (For Your Clients)
These pages are designed for you to cut out and hand to clients.
You write:
client name
date
Then cut along the dotted line.
These pages are especially helpful during in-person estimates—especially if English is not your first language—because the client can see what each room includes.
That clarity builds trust fast.
How to Use These Pages with Clients
Circle/check any add-ons they requested
Cross out rooms they do NOT want cleaned
Example
If they don’t want the office cleaned:
Put an “X” through the office section on both pages on your estimate page and the client’s “Personalized Room-By-Room Cleaning” page.
And when calculating time, don’t include that 30 minutes or time for that room.
Final Estimate + Thank You Page
Fill in:
Total house cleaning estimate: $200
Extra service: $35
This page also includes:
a thank you note to your future client
space for your business name, phone, website/social (if you have it)
Business Advice (Real Talk Encouragement)
The estimated rough draft pages are just for you.
The client “personalized room-by-room cleaning breakdown pages” are for your future clients.
And listen—don’t feel pressured to have a website or social media to succeed.
Even after 18+ years, I built a successful business without social media. I even built a website in my first year… and later took it down because I didn’t need it.
I used old-school door-to-door advertising: I walked 1–2 hours on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays placing business cards on doors in neighborhoods I wanted to work in. (Yes! Years ago.)
Then referrals took over—because quality work advertises itself. One client tells others. Others tell others.
That can happen for you too.
Now, with today’s technology, I do recommend using free tools like Facebook Groups or Nextdoor app, set up a free google business profile—especially if you already use them.
Do not go spending $100–$500 on a website when you don’t need that yet.
Start simple. Build referrals.
Focus on What Really Matters
You don’t need the most “professional looking” website.
What matters most is:
professional, detailed, no-cutting-corners cleaning
honest estimating
clear communication
consistency
If you have experience, say how long you’ve been doing it.If you’re new, be honest—new to business doesn’t mean lazy. Tell them you’re detail-focused and your goal is to leave the home fresh and professionally cared for.
Independent Contractor Checklist + Agreement (English & Spanish)
I included a page called: Independent Contractor Hiring Checklist & Agreement
Because if communication matters with clients… it matters even more with a contractor—especially if it’s family or a close friend.
Inside the planner, you get:
Your copy (business copy)
Worker’s copy (contractor copy) Both in English & Spanish.
Why this matters
This protects both sides and keeps things professional, clear, and respectful.
Example: How to Fill It Out
Agreement Date Example: Jan. 1, 2026 between AV Sparkles and Anna Rose.
Key sections (simple explanation)
Service Provided – contractor performs cleaning services as assigned
Term – stays active until ended with 14 days notice
Payment – example: $17/hr, paid weekly Fridays
Independent Status – contractor handles their own taxes/insurance/tools
Tools & Equipment – example: contractor provides their supplies
Confidentiality + Non-Solicitation – no client info sharing; no approaching clients for 6 months
Termination Clause – end in writing with 14 days notice
📌 Very important: both parties sign and date everything (agreement + termination notice).
About the House Cleaning Estimate Planner (Where to Get It)
You can purchase this House Cleaning Estimate Planner on Amazon.
It helps you:
calculate cleaning time and cost clearly
communicate what services will be provided
avoid misunderstandings
especially if English is not your first language
I also have a digital package in my Skool community called: Cleaning Biz Command Center Kit includes digital copies of both my planners templates - the estimated pages and the bookkeeping page from my Profit Tracker Pro: Daily Business Planner. It also includes a digital calculator to make the math easier.
Join my Skool Community for free—let’s build a space full of service-business minded people where we grow and learn together. More on this in my next coming videos.
FAQ Section:
Q: How do I give a house cleaning estimate without guessing?
A: Use a room-by-room system. Walk the home, adjust the default times based on clutter and condition, total the hours, multiply by your hourly rate, then add supplies and travel. That gives you a clear estimate you can see profit.
Q: Should I do cleaning estimates in person or over the phone?
A: If you’re new, do them in person. The home’s condition, clutter level, pets, and special requests can change the time a lot—and time is money.
Q: What should I look for during an in-person cleaning estimate?
A: Baseboards, ceiling fans, sticky cabinets, fingerprints, stove condition, floors (pet hair/sticky), and number of pets. Those details tell you if the job will take longer than “ideal” times.
Q: How do I handle clutter during a deep cleaning estimate?
A: If you’ll be picking up before you can deep clean, add time. Cross out the default time in the planner and write the real time needed. You’re protecting your pay.
Q: How do I price add-on services like fridge or oven cleaning?
A: Price the add-on separately, then add it to the total estimate so the client sees it clearly. Example: $200 cleaning + $35 fridge = $235 total.
Q: What if a client doesn’t want certain rooms cleaned?
A: Cross those rooms out on both your estimate page and the client breakdown page. Then don’t include that time when you calculate the total.
Q: Is a website required to grow a house cleaning business?
A: No. What grows your business fastest is quality work, clear communication, and consistency. Word-of-mouth referrals can book you out if your cleaning is truly professional.
Q: When should a solo cleaner bring help for a big job?
A: When the hours are high (like 8+ hours deep cleaning) or the home is heavy-conditioned. A part-time independent contractor can help you finish strong without burning out.