Deep-Clean Pricing Guide

A deep clean takes more work than a standard clean. So it should not have the same price. The hard part is knowing how much more to charge. There is no one deep-clean price that works for every home. A small home with light buildup may be easy. A larger home with heavy buildup may take much longer. The safest way to set your price is to start with the work. Estimate the labor. Add your other costs. Then make sure the price leaves room for profit.

Here is how to do it. What Is a Deep Clean? A deep clean is a more detailed cleaning service. It goes beyond the tasks in your normal clean. Your exact service may be different from another company's service. That is fine. What matters is that you define it. A deep clean may include: Detailed dusting Baseboards Doors Door frames Window sills Light fixtures Cabinet fronts More detailed kitchen cleaning More detailed bathroom cleaning Heavy buildup removal Extra floor work Some companies include more. Some include less. Your client should know what your deep clean includes before the job begins. Deep Cleaning vs. Standard Cleaning A standard clean is often used to maintain a home. A deep clean is more detailed. For example: Standard Cleaning Deep Cleaning Routine dusting More detailed dusting Normal bathroom clean More detailed bathroom work

Standard Cleaning

Deep Cleaning Kitchen surfaces More detailed kitchen work Vacuuming Vacuuming plus added detail Mopping Mopping plus added floor work General surfaces Baseboards, doors, and other detail areas Routine buildup Heavier buildup may be addressed Your own service list should define the difference. Do not rely on the words “standard” and “deep” alone. Why Deep Cleaning Costs More The main reason is simple. It takes more labor. Suppose a standard clean needs: 4 labor hours The deep clean needs: 7 labor hours That is: 3 extra labor hours If your full labor cost is: $25 per hour The added labor alone costs: 3 × $25 = $75 And that is before you account for other costs and profit. The price should reflect the extra work. Start With the Standard Cleaning Time

If you already know how long the home takes to clean, use that as your base. For example: Standard cleaning: 4 labor hours Then estimate the extra deep-clean work. Baseboards: +1 hour Doors and frames: +0.5 hour Extra kitchen work: +0.75 hour Extra bathroom work: +0.75 hour Total: 7 labor hours These numbers are only examples. Your team may work faster or slower. Track your real jobs and build your own averages. What If It Is a New Client? You may not know the normal cleaning time yet. In that case, gather more details. Ask about: Square feet Bedrooms Bathrooms Pets

Last professional cleaning

Home condition Special requests Areas with heavy buildup You may also ask for photos. For larger or harder jobs, you may want to see the property before giving a firm price. The goal is to understand the work before you promise a price. How to Calculate a Deep-Clean Price A simple method has four steps. Step 1: Estimate Labor Hours How many total labor hours will the job need? Example: 7 labor hours Step 2: Calculate Labor Cost Suppose your full labor cost is: $25 per hour Calculate: 7 × $25 = $175 Labor cost: $175 Step 3: Add Other Job Costs Suppose you expect: Supplies: $15 Travel: $10 Other direct costs: $25 Total estimated job cost:

$175 + $25 = $200 Step 4: Add Your Target Margin Suppose your target margin is: 25% Use: Price = Job Cost ÷ (1 - Target Margin) So: $200 ÷ 0.75 = $266.67 You may choose a final price such as: $269 or: $275 depending on your pricing system. Now the price has a reason behind it. Deep-Clean Pricing Example Let's look at a full example. Property 2,200 square feet 3 bedrooms 2.5 bathrooms 1 dog Service One-time deep cleaning Expected Labor 7 labor hours

Full Labor Cost

$24 per hour Calculate: 7 × $24 = $168 Other Direct Costs Supplies: $15 Travel: $12 Total direct cost: $195 Target Margin 25% Calculate: $195 ÷ 0.75 = $260 Suggested Price $260 This is an example. It is not a suggested market rate. Your price should come from your own labor, costs, property, service, and market. Do Not Use a Simple Deep-Clean Multiplier Without Testing It Some companies price a deep clean by multiplying their standard rate. For example: Standard clean: $180

Deep-clean multiplier:

1.5 Deep-clean price: $180 × 1.5 = $270 That is easy. But is it right? Maybe. The answer depends on the labor. Suppose your standard clean needs four labor hours. The deep clean needs eight. The labor doubled. A 1.5× price may not be enough. A multiplier can make quoting faster. But first test it against your real labor and costs. You Can Build Your Own Deep-Clean Multiplier Once you have enough job data, look at the difference between standard and deep cleaning. Suppose your standard jobs average: 4 labor hours Similar deep cleans average: 6 hours That is: 6 ÷ 4 = 1.5 Your deep cleans use about: 1.5× the labor

That does not mean your price must always be exactly 1.5×. But now your multiplier is based on real work. That is much better than copying a number online. How Home Size Affects Deep-Clean Pricing Larger homes often take more time. But square feet are only one factor. A large home with open rooms may be easier than a smaller home with: More bathrooms More furniture More detail Heavy buildup Several pets Use home size as a starting point. Then look at the rest of the property. Bathrooms Can Add a Lot of Work Bathrooms often need more detail during a deep clean. You may need extra time for: Showers Tubs Toilets Tile Fixtures Buildup Baseboards Floors Ask how many full and half bathrooms the home has. Do not assume two homes of the same size need the same cleaning time. Kitchens Can Change the Price Kitchens can also add a lot of work. Look for:

Grease

Food buildup Cabinet fronts Appliance surfaces Backsplashes Sinks Floors Make sure your service list says what is included. For example, does deep cleaning include the inside of the oven? What about the refrigerator? What about cabinets? There is no universal answer. Define your own service. Should the Oven Be Included? You can include oven cleaning in your deep clean. Or you can make it an add-on. Either approach can work. The important part is to be clear. For example: Deep Cleaning — $275 Inside Oven — $40 If oven cleaning takes more labor, make sure the price accounts for it. Should the Refrigerator Be Included? The same rule applies. Cleaning the outside of a refrigerator may be part of your normal service. Cleaning the inside is more work. You can:

Include it in the deep clean

or: Offer it as an add-on Just tell the client before the job. What About Inside Cabinets? Inside cabinets can take a lot of time. They may also need to be empty before your team can clean them. This is often more common in: Move-in cleaning and: Move-out cleaning If you offer it with a deep clean, define the rules. For example: Clear rules save time on the day of the job. Price Heavy Buildup Carefully “Heavy buildup” can mean many things. Do not promise unlimited cleaning for one flat price. A home with years of buildup can take far more time than a normal deep clean. You may need: More labor More supplies Special products More than one visit If the condition is unclear, you can give an estimate first. Then confirm the final scope before the work begins. Inside cabinets must be empty before service.

Know What Your Deep Clean Does Not Cover

A deep clean does not have to mean: Everything imaginable. Your company may not offer: Mold removal Biohazard cleanup Pest cleanup Hoarding cleanup High exterior windows Carpet extraction Restoration work Hazardous waste cleanup Some work may need special training, tools, insurance, or licensing. Do not take on work your company is not set up to do. First-Time Clean vs. Deep Clean Some companies require a deep clean for every new recurring client. Others do not. You may decide based on the home. A well-kept home may not need a full deep clean. A home with more buildup may. Another option is a separate: First-Time Cleaning This can sit between your standard and deep services. Choose a model that works for your company. Then explain it clearly. Deep Clean Before Recurring Service A deep clean can be a useful starting point for recurring service. The first visit gets the home to a good base.

Then repeat visits help maintain it. For example: First Deep Clean: $275 Then: Biweekly Standard Cleaning: $165 per visit This gives the client a clear path. It can also make future visits easier to plan. Should You Charge by the Hour? Hourly pricing can work well when the amount of work is hard to predict. For example: $X per labor hour The client pays for the time used. This can reduce your risk on an unknown job. But the client may want to know the total cost first. You could give a range. For example: Estimated 6–8 labor hours Then explain what happens if more time is needed. Be clear before the work begins. Should You Charge a Flat Rate? Flat pricing can be easier for the client. For example: Deep Cleaning: $295 The client knows the price before the job. But your company takes on more risk if the job takes longer than expected.

Flat pricing works best when you have enough information to estimate the labor well. Should You Price Deep Cleaning by Square Foot? You can use square feet as part of your pricing model. For example: Square feet + Bathrooms + Condition + Service Scope That is safer than using square feet alone. A 2,000-square-foot deep clean can take very different amounts of time from another 2,000- square-foot deep clean. Price the work, not only the size. Set a Minimum Deep-Clean Price Small deep cleans still have fixed costs. Your team still has to: Travel Park Unload Set up Clean Pack up Handle payment and notes A minimum service price can help cover those costs. Set the minimum from your own business numbers. Do not choose it just because another company has one. Add-Ons Can Keep Your Base Service Clear Instead of putting every possible task into one deep-clean package, use add-ons. These may include: Inside oven Inside refrigerator Inside cabinets

Interior windows

Extra rooms Special detail work This keeps your main service easier to explain. The client can choose the extra work they need. Write a Clear Deep-Clean Scope Your quote should show what the deep clean includes. For example: Kitchen Clean counters Clean sink Clean backsplash Wipe cabinet fronts Clean appliance exteriors Clean cooktop Detail reachable surfaces Vacuum and mop floor Bathrooms Clean toilet Clean shower and tub Clean sinks Clean mirrors Clean fixtures Wipe doors and frames Clean baseboards Vacuum and mop floor Living Areas and Bedrooms Detailed dusting Clean reachable surfaces Clean doors and frames Clean baseboards Vacuum floors

Mop hard floors

Empty trash Adjust this list to match your real service. Do not use a checklist that promises work your company does not perform. Put Limits in Writing Suppose your deep clean includes baseboards. Does that include moving heavy furniture to reach every baseboard? Maybe not. Say so. Your terms might explain that your team: Does not move heavy furniture or: Cleans only safe and reachable areas The more clearly you define the service, the less room there is for confusion. Track Deep-Clean Labor Hours After each deep clean, record the real labor. For example: Job Estimated Hours Actual Hours Difference Deep Clean A 6.0 6.5 +0.5 Deep Clean B 7.0 8.5 +1.5 Deep Clean C 5.5 5.3 -0.2 Deep Clean D 8.0 8.2 +0.2 These are sample numbers. Look for patterns. If your seven-hour jobs keep taking nine hours, something needs to change.

It may be:

Your time estimate Your service scope Your team process or: Your price Track Revenue Per Labor Hour Deep cleans may have a higher total price. That does not always mean they are better jobs. Suppose: Deep Clean A Price: $300 Labor: 6 hours Revenue per labor hour: $300 ÷ 6 = $50 Now: Deep Clean B Price: $400 Labor: 10 hours Revenue per labor hour: $400 ÷ 10 = $40 Job B brings in more sales. Job A brings in more sales per labor hour. You need both numbers to understand the job. Track Job Profit

Also compare the price with the job cost. For example: Price: $300 Direct job cost: $210 Difference: $90 Now compare that with other services. Deep cleaning may be a strong service for your company. Or you may discover that your deep cleans take too much labor for the prices you charge. The data will tell you. Do Not Offer Huge Discounts Just to Win the Job A deep clean can use a lot of labor. That makes large discounts risky. Suppose your normal price is: $300 You offer: 30% off New price: $210 But your job cost is: $200 You now have almost no room left. A discount should not turn a good job into a bad job.

Know the cost before you offer the deal. How to Quote a Deep-Cleaning Job Use this simple process. Step 1: Get the Client Details Name, phone, email, and service address. Step 2: Get the Property Details Square feet, bedrooms, bathrooms, pets, and property type. Step 3: Ask About Condition Learn about buildup and areas that need more work. Step 4: Define the Scope Know exactly what the deep clean includes. Step 5: Add Optional Work Oven? Refrigerator? Cabinets? Step 6: Estimate Labor Work out the total labor hours. Step 7: Calculate Your Cost Include labor and other direct costs. Step 8: Set the Price Make room for overhead and profit. Step 9: Send the Quote Show the scope and price clearly. Step 10: Track the Real Job Compare your estimate with what happened. Each completed deep clean can help improve the next quote. Deep Cleaning Pricing Checklist Before you send the price, check:

☐ Property size is known ☐ Bedroom count is known ☐ Bathroom count is known ☐ Pets are known ☐ Home condition is understood ☐ Service scope is clear ☐ Add-ons are listed ☐ Labor hours are estimated ☐ Labor cost is calculated ☐ Other costs are included ☐ Profit is considered ☐ Total price is clear ☐ Quote has an end date ☐ Client knows how to book If several of these are missing, you may not be ready to give a firm price. From Deep-Clean Lead to Completed Job Deep-clean pricing becomes much easier when the information stays connected. The client contacts you. You record the property. You learn what needs to be cleaned. You build the estimate. The client accepts. You schedule the job. You assign the team. That creates the same core flow: Lead → Property → Estimate → Client → Job → Team The property details that helped create the price should not disappear once the quote is accepted. They can also help the team understand the job. TidyOps is built around keeping the core parts of a cleaning operation connected.

People. Jobs. Clients. Profits.

Put this into practice with TidyOps

keep customer records organized to keep this work connected to your day-to-day cleaning operations.