How the price is worked out
Most new cleaners price backwards: they look at a competitor's number and copy it. This calculator goes the other way. It starts from what the job costs you and works up to a price that still leaves the profit you chose.
The formula is: price = (labour + supplies + drive + overhead) / (1 - margin).
- Labour is time on site (home size divided by your speed, times the job type multiplier) times the number of cleaners times the labour cost per hour.
- Drive is paid time too, so it uses the same hourly cost for every cleaner in the vehicle.
- Supplies and overhead are the amounts you enter for this one job.
- Margin is a share of the price, not a mark-up on cost. A 30 percent margin means 30 cents of each dollar you charge is profit. That is why you divide by
1 - margin(0.70) instead of multiplying cost by 1.30.
Worked example
A 1,500 sq ft home, one cleaner at 500 sq ft per hour, so 3 hours on site. Labour cost is 40 an hour.
| Labour: 3 h x 40 | 120.00 |
| Supplies | 15.00 |
| Drive (none) | 0.00 |
| Overhead | 20.00 |
| Cost | 155.00 |
|---|---|
| Price at 30 percent margin: 155 / 0.70 | 221.43 |
| Effective hourly rate: (221.43 - 15 - 20) / 3 h | 62.14 |
Now add a 30 minute drive. Cost rises by 20 to 175, the price becomes 250.00, and the effective rate across 3.5 paid hours is 61.43. Drive time is easy to forget and it moves the price by nearly 30.
What the effective hourly rate tells you
It is the price, less supplies and overhead, divided by every paid hour including the drive. It shows what each hour of work brings in before wages. Compare it with the minimum you set. If a small job comes out below it, the job is losing you money against your own standard, however busy it keeps you. Use the optional quote box to test a price you were about to give a client.
Why we ask you for every rate
Your labour cost, speed, overhead and margin depend on where you work, who you employ and how you run the business. This tool does not guess them and does not give tax, pay or legal advice. It does the arithmetic on the numbers you enter. Check award, minimum wage and tax rules for your own area separately.
Questions
Should I price per square foot instead? Many owners use area only to estimate time, then price from time and cost, as this tool does. Time on site is what you actually pay for.
What time multiplier should I use for a deep clean? Time a few real jobs and use your own ratio. The preset numbers are starting points only.
Does this include sales tax, GST or VAT? No. Add whatever applies to you on top.
Is my data stored? No. Everything is calculated in your browser.