Resources for cleaning businesses

How to Write a Cleaning Quote: 9 Things Every Quote Should Include

By Constance Beebe, former hotel general manager with more than 20 years in hospitality

A clear cleaning quote does two jobs at once. It tells the client exactly what they are paying for, and it protects you from extra work you never priced. Whether you clean homes or small offices, these are the nine things to include every time you write a cleaning quote.

From my experience

I’ve cleaned rooms myself when we were short on housekeepers, so I know a space can look simple on paper and take far longer in person. That’s why I always recommend seeing the space before you put a price on it. A clear scope of work protects you and your client.

Start with a walk-through

Before you write anything, see the space in person or by video. Ask how many rooms and bathrooms there are, what kinds of floors and counters you’ll be cleaning, whether there are pets, how often they want service, and what matters most to them. Notes from the walk-through become the scope of work in your quote.

9 things every cleaning quote should include

1. Your business name and contact information. Include your phone, email, and website so the client can reach you easily.
2. The client’s name and service address. One quote per location keeps things clear.
3. The quote date and an expiration date. A quote that is valid for 30 days protects you if costs change.
4. The scope of work, room by room. List exactly what you will clean in each area, such as kitchen counters, appliance fronts, bathrooms, dusting, and floors.
5. What is not included. Name extras like inside the oven, inside the refrigerator, windows, or laundry, and offer them as add-ons.
6. Frequency and estimated time. Weekly, every other week, monthly, or one time, and about how long each visit will take.
7. The price and how it is figured. Per visit, per hour, or a flat rate, plus the price of any add-ons.
8. Supplies and equipment. State whether you bring everything or use any of the client’s products.
9. Your terms. Payment due date and methods, cancellation policy, how you’ll get into the home, and how the client accepts the quote.

Price the quote before you write it

The price on your quote should cover every cost of doing the work, not just your time. Add up products, equipment wear, travel, insurance, admin time, and overhead, then add profit. Our guide to pricing a cleaning job without forgetting your overhead lists all nine costs to include.

Quote or estimate?

A quote is usually a set price for a defined scope of work. An estimate is an approximate price that may change once the work begins. For recurring cleaning, a quote with a clear scope builds trust. For a first deep clean or a move-out clean, you might give an estimate with a range and explain what could change it.

Send it quickly and follow up

Send your cleaning quote within a day of the walk-through while the visit is fresh in the client’s mind. If you don’t hear back in a few days, a short, friendly follow-up message is all it takes.

Questions cleaners ask

How long should a cleaning quote be valid?

Thirty days is common. An expiration date protects you if your costs rise and gives the client a gentle reason to decide.

Should I give a cleaning quote over the phone?

It’s better to see the space first, in person or by video. Homes of the same size can take very different amounts of time to clean.

What if the job takes longer than I quoted?

Note the reason, finish the agreed work, and talk with the client before the next visit about adjusting the scope or the price.

Keep reading

• How to Price a Cleaning Job Without Forgetting Your Overhead
• How to Raise Your Cleaning Prices Without Losing Good Clients

About the author

Constance Beebe spent more than 20 years in hotel operations. She started as a night auditor and worked her way up to executive housekeeper, front office manager, assistant general manager, and general manager, later managing 4- and 5-star hotels. She was Front Office Manager at the Best Western King Charles in Charleston during Hurricane Hugo, and a London newspaper wrote about her team. She never asked her staff to do anything she wasn’t willing to do herself, from cooking when cooks didn’t show up to cleaning rooms when housekeeping was short.