Question 1

What profit margin should I charge for house cleaning?

Accepted Answer

A healthy residential cleaning margin is 40–55% gross. Solo cleaners often achieve 25–40%, while established businesses with recurring clients and small teams hit 45–60%. Anything below 25% is thin and leaves no buffer for cancellations or supply cost spikes.

Question 2

How do I calculate breakeven price for a house cleaning job?

Accepted Answer

Add up all your direct costs per visit: labor (cleaners × hours × rate), supplies, drive time labor, vehicle costs, and overhead allocation. That total is your breakeven — charge below it and you lose money on every visit.

Question 3

Should I include drive time in my house cleaning pricing?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Drive time is real labor cost. If you pay cleaners for travel, include it at your full labor rate. Even if you don't pay travel, your vehicle cost, fuel, and opportunity cost make drive time a real expense — especially for spread-out residential routes.

Question 4

What overhead costs should I include in house cleaning pricing?

Accepted Answer

Overhead per visit should include a prorated share of: liability insurance, general business insurance, vehicle insurance, accounting/bookkeeping, phone/software, marketing, and your management time. $5–$15/visit is typical for small residential operations.

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