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    Harper's Avatar
    Harper Posts: 8, Reputation: 1
    New Member
     
    #1

    Aug 15, 2006, 10:46 AM
    Starting a Cleaning Service. Advice?
    I'm thinking about starting a cleaning service in my area, where I would specialize in cleaning rentals and brand new houses. I am currently out in my area talking to people to see if they think it would be a service they would use. So I really am just in the beginning stages.

    I'm wondering if anybody here has ever started such a business and if so, do you have any good advice you can offer? I'm open to hear anything.

    Does anybody know if there are any good books on the subject of starting a cleaning business. And also a good book on how to clean certain types of messes, with out damageing floors, walls etc.

    I'm thinking of charging $15.00 and hour. The area in California ,where I live isn't a rich area but it's not totally down and out either. The cost of living here is also fairly high. Do you think $15.00 sound like a good fee to charge? Or is it to high? Two low?

    Any advice is good advice?
    JuLee's Avatar
    JuLee Posts: 47, Reputation: 1
    Junior Member
     
    #2

    Aug 15, 2006, 01:57 PM
    My mom owns an office cleaning business. We've cleaned houses for people before and it really isn't worth it. It's a lot of hard work, need I say disgusting at times when it comes to cleaning someone's personal space. I would consider doing office cleaning better than a home cleaning business. Im not sure what the square feet is on the building but for one person cleaning, it takes about 3-4 hours and she gets a monthly check for $2000 net. The good thing is that she can also hold her full time job and do the cleaning business aside.
    If you're really thinking about doing home cleaning instead, I would consider charging a higher 1st hour fee like $25-30 the first hour and $10-15 for additional or something like that otherwise you'll burn yourself out. Cleaning homes is no joke!
    jimfun71's Avatar
    jimfun71 Posts: 22, Reputation: 4
    New Member
     
    #3

    Aug 22, 2006, 08:16 PM
    Never charge by the hour, charge by the job. If they feel your dragging your butt one day they get upset. It doesn't matter that they had a party and it took you an extra hour to clean. They can't figure why it took you longer than the last 5 weeks you cleaned. Every thing you do is flat rate. A load of cloths washed and folded $6.00 Load the dish washer and put them away $5.00 Clean the kitchen, all counter tops, dishes, mop the floor $20.00 You get the idea. This way there's no argument. Set your prices high enough, your time is valuable. Make sure you do good work, never, never do second rate work. Remember you should get at least $30.00 per hour to make up for your travel time. Some customers will want you to provide the cleaners too, that's another cost to you. When you estimate a job be confident about the price. If you have to move a little on the price say 10% so be it. If they want you to do it for nothing then it's a wast of your time. Just say that they would not be a good fit for your service, shake there hand and walk away from it. You provide top quality work and expect to be compensated accordingly. You know how to clean don't you? It's not about cleaning it's about selling a quality service for fair compensation. Is it your goal to be a professional cleaner or a successful business person?
    Gwen's Avatar
    Gwen Posts: 4, Reputation: 4
    New Member
     
    #4

    Aug 25, 2006, 11:08 AM
    You're taking the right steps! Research the industry and know what you are getting into before you invest in starting your own cleaning business.

    I'd visit http://www.startacleaningbusiness.net for free information on how to start a cleaning business, and to post questions to cleaning business owners and start-up entrepreneurs. Then read all the free articles at http://www.maiddocs.com, hours upon hours of research have been completed for you, and there are links to other sites with free information and start-up tools.

    Here's some free professional advice that will help you start your own cleaning business with minimal investment and maximum return:

    Decide what you will charge for your services. Research the local market to determine what your competitors charge. You must remain within the local standards, and you can undercut your competition slightly; however, if you charge significantly less than the competition, you may end up with less money and more work than you care for. Your growth must be contained so that you can add employees as you need them without raising prices and thereby losing customers. Also, if you have more jobs than you can handle you may not be servicing the homes well, and this is certainly not good for business.

    A professionally designed logo will help to brand your company in the public's mind. Your logo will be printed on business cards, door knockers, letterhead, car signs, etc. so carefully consider the image you want to present, and then choose artwork which will best reflect that image. Visit LogoYes.com to create your own logo for only $99.

    Advertise in the "services" section of the classified in your local newspapers. Keep it short, and ad your logo if you can afford to. Your ad might read “Quality housecleaning with integrity. Call ###-#### for a free estimate.”

    Place an ad in the house cleaning section of your local yellow pages. Research all of your local phone books and notice which ads catch your eye. A good bet is a “knock-out” ad with at least 2 colors. A “knock-out” removes the yellow background and leaves a crisp, attention grabbing white field among all the yellow ads. For a lesser cost you may list your company in the yellow pages free listing column with a knock-out and color. Make this ad a minimum of four 4 lines, with color. In addition to the yellow pages books, consider pay-per-click advertising with YellowPages.com. This will assure that your business listing is shown before all of the alphabetized free listings.

    If you have lots of time but little money, then hand delivering a marketing piece is your most economical option. Your choices are door hangers, brochures or postcards. I suggest that you use either brochures or postcards rather than door hangers, because you can use them as handouts and also as mailing pieces and not have boxes of door hangers which in two months you may not have time to hand deliver. You can develop your own brochure or postcard using Microsoft Publisher, or you can purchase a pre-designed template to print as needed. You can print the pieces on your printer, or have them printed at a local print shop or copy center.

    When your business starts growing and hand delivery is no longer an option, then direct mail postcards are the most economical advertising tool. You’ll need to purchase a mailing list unless you plan to create your own. We have found that DirectoryStore.com has the best prices on Hill Donnelly directories, the most up-to-date and accurate lists available. You can use labels or merge the postcards with your mailing list and have them copied at a local office store or printer with a high speed/high quality copier. Insist on seeing a sample from the copier before you have the job completed. You MUST deliver high quality postcards in order to make the best impression on your prospects. Flimsy paper with lopsided print, ink rubbing off and jagged edges is not the quality which will get you noticed.

    Be prepared for business with a sales script you have memorized to perfection; professional fee estimate letters; follow-up letters for quotes not booked; new customer letters stating hourly fees and payment policies; customer information sheets for the maids to follow; maid service checklists to leave with customers after each service; and customer survey forms for every new customer.

    Magnetic car signs are a great advertising tool which can be made by a local sign maker for about $25 a set, plus an initial set-up fee. Be certain that your signs fit on both compact and full size cars, and that you use no more than three colors. When designing your signs keep in mind that bold lettering and brief wording works best.

    Purchase cleaning supplies at your local discount center, grocery and dollar stores. Either store or brand name household cleaning products will work, however, compare percentage of the active cleaning ingredients. Consider paying a few cents more for the better brand in order to lessen time spent scrubbing. Avoid products containing bleach as it can cause damage to carpets and counters.

    Commercial grade vacuums will last much longer than home quality. We have found that Royal brand commercial vacuums, crafted with die-cast aluminum, are the lightest and longest lasting available anywhere, and they out clean the competition. Available in several models, Royal Commercial Vacuums come with a lifetime warranty on the motor housing, fan casing and nozzle. Visit VacLand.com for the best prices, reputable salespeople and 2 - 5 day nationwide shipping.

    Your own website is a luxury that is worth the expense when you can afford it. Be certain to add your website address to all business documents, and to all of your advertising. The website should have an online estimate form and customer testimonials.

    When you’re ready to hire employees be certain you have your employment application, employee policies handbook, cleaning procedures manual, warning certificates and all of the appropriate human resources paperwork. With strict policies and procedures to follow, your employees will know that they are working for a professionally run company, and therefore will be less likely to take advantage of you. Also, you will need to keep employee files containing tax paperwork and employment history including a record of verbal and written warnings. If you are not working with an accountant, then contact your local state employment office to obtain the appropriate tax documents for each employee to complete.

    Before You Start Cleaning:

    Get your federal tax ID; local & state business licenses; bonding insurance, and liability insurance. When you hire employees you'll need worker's compensation insurance. The Small Business Administration is a great source of information for start-up paperwork and links to informative websites. http://sba.gov/starting_business/startup/guide.html

    The IRS website offers a wealth of information for small businesses. You'll find start-up guides, information on tax credits and business deductions, advice on record keeping and choosing an accounting method, employee tax issues, and more. The most up-to-date tax information is available through the site, as well as forms, publications and instructions for filing taxes. http://www.irs.gov/businesses/small/index.html

    State tax information can be found at http://www.taxadmin.org/fta/link/forms.html , which provides links to the Department of Revenue for every state.

    Here's a few other links you should look at:

    Professional Cleaning Business Forms and More
    : http://www.MaidDocs.com/shop - MaidDocs provides a start up cleaning business package which includes a cleaning fee estimate calculator; lists of resources; a full color tri-fold customizable brochure, and over a dozen customizable forms and customer letters. When you are ready to grow your business there is a complete Employee Package which includes a guide to hiring and managing cleaning business employees, an employee handbook and cleaning procedures manual; performance reviews and warnings. There is also a payroll template and customer database template. With MaidDocs you can start a cleaning business without a franchise, and keep it growing.

    Business Law: http://www.businesslaw.gov - Complying with business laws and regulations can be a burden. To help small businesses overcome this, the Small Business Administration (sba.gov) in cooperation with multiple Federal agencies developed BusinessLaw.gov, an online resource designed to provide legal and regulatory information. Topics covered on this site range from choosing a business structure to hiring an attorney. The site also provides links to federal, state and local agencies.

    Employment Law: http://www.dol.gov/asp/programs/EmpLawGuide - This guide describes the statutes and regulations administered by the Department of Labor (DOL) that affect businesses and workers. The guide is designed mainly for those needing "hands-on" information to develop wage, benefit, safety and health, and nondiscrimination policies for businesses in general industry.

    Compliance Laws: http://www.dol.gov/esa/regs/compliance - Statutes and regulations administered by the Department of Labor (DOL) that affect businesses and workers.

    Copyright © 2004 MaidDocs® ~ All rights reserved.
    mrclean1957's Avatar
    mrclean1957 Posts: 3, Reputation: 1
    New Member
     
    #5

    Sep 6, 2006, 08:29 AM
    Comment on JuLee's post
    Great advise!
    mrclean1957's Avatar
    mrclean1957 Posts: 3, Reputation: 1
    New Member
     
    #6

    Sep 6, 2006, 08:32 AM
    Comment on jimfun71's post
    You right Jim! Right on point!
    halpenhand's Avatar
    halpenhand Posts: 2, Reputation: 1
    New Member
     
    #7

    Oct 15, 2006, 05:38 AM
    Remember that this is from your own experiences. Don't assume all experiences are going to be the same. It sounds like you both did all the work. Well, at first it will be a little strenuous, but have goals. Like Eventually hire employees. And lead with your spirit and I assure you much happiness and success!

    GH

    Quote Originally Posted by jimfun71
    Never charge by the hour, charge by the job. If they feel your dragging your butt one day they get upset. It doesn't matter that they had a party and it took you an extra hour to clean. They can't figure why it took you longer than the last 5 weeks you cleaned. Every thing you do is flat rate. A load of cloths washed and folded $6.00 Load the dish washer and and put them away $5.00 Clean the kitchen, all counter tops, dishes, mop the floor $20.00 You get the idea. This way theres no argument. Set your prices high enough, your time is valuable. Make sure you do good work, never, never do second rate work. Remember you should get at least $30.00 per hour to make up for your travel time. Some customers will want you to provide the cleaners too, that's another cost to you. When you estimate a job be confident about the price. If you have to move a little on the price say 10% so be it. If they want you to do it for nothing then it's a wast of your time. Just say that they would not be a good fit for your service, shake there hand and walk away from it. You provide top quality work and expect to be compensated accordingly. You know how to clean don't you? It's not about cleaning it's about selling a quality service for fair compensation. Is it your goal to be a proffesional cleaner or a successful business person?
    Rating by the hour is great too. Typical is $30/ hr
    darocan's Avatar
    darocan Posts: 2, Reputation: 1
    New Member
     
    #8

    Oct 21, 2006, 10:12 PM
    Quote Originally Posted by Harper
    I'm thinking about starting a cleaning service in my area, where I would specialize in cleaning rentals and brand new houses. I am currently out in my area talking to people to see if they think it would be a sevice they would use. So I really am just in the beginning stages.

    I'm wondering if anybody here has ever started such a business and if so, do you have any good advice you can offer? I'm open to hear anything.

    Does anybody know if there are any good books on the subject of starting a cleaning business. And also a good book on how to clean certain types of messes, with out damageing floors, walls etc.

    I'm thinking of charging $15.00 and hour. The area in California ,where I live isn't a rich area but it's not totally down and out either. The cost of living here is also fairly high. Do you think $15.00 sound like a good fee to charge? Or is it to high? Two low?

    Any advice is good advice?
    Hello,

    I recently started a cleaning business of my own. I would like to say that charging by the hour is not a good idea. You should charge a flat rate. It doesn't normally take more than 2 hrs to clean a home, so if you charge by the hour, you will cut yourself very short. Usually, the cost for charging someone for cleaning homes is $75 to $125 dollars. Cleaning a new home will cost much more because of the dust that has to be cleaned proficiently and with more detailed work. If you have a regular customer, charge them weekly or bi-weekly. I typically will charge $75 dollars for a three bedroom two bath home. (Whether it's done weekly or bi-weekly) In other words, charge by the workload, and not by the hour. Hope this has been some help to you.
    HBF's Avatar
    HBF Posts: 86, Reputation: 4
    Junior Member
     
    #9

    Jan 16, 2007, 05:34 PM
    Starting a cleaning business can be very lucrative if you set it up and run it properly. Yes, people are a mess, but that is why you can make some good money... they don't want to clean it up. For tons of free resources on starting your own cleaning business visit the FAQ's listed at Start Your Own Small Business With Professional Business Forms And Support - House Cleaning FAQ.
    Meghan_R's Avatar
    Meghan_R Posts: 2, Reputation: 1
    New Member
     
    #10

    Jan 31, 2007, 01:08 PM
    Me and my partner charge by the room. Especially when it comes to cleaning a house or something like that... we clean businesses. Charging by the room is a way to make more money. If you charge by the hour you might only make 15$ a house depending on how dirty it is. Charge different prices for different sizes or how big the mess is. You'll find your profit will rise much more quickly.
    Clough's Avatar
    Clough Posts: 26,677, Reputation: 1649
    Uber Member
     
    #11

    Aug 22, 2008, 01:47 AM
    Question is now old and has had a number of very sufficient answers.

    THREAD IS NOW CLOSED.

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