Pricing and Estimates

How do we do our estimates

Firstly, we always try and do a high quality job, and that takes time.

The main thing is the number and type of rooms. Bathrooms and kitchens usually take longer than bedrooms or sitting rooms.

In order to make sure there's no misunderstanding we make an estimate using a check list to explicitly lest all the services we provide. We can always do more, but this will be at extra charge. See checklist here.

If you would like to fill out our estimator questionnaire online, it's available here.

We review each room and scope out the work. This then allows us to accurately estimate the price of the job and we will estimate a price. We normally charge time and material rate based on estimated hours.

There are generally two types of jobs – fixed hours and an estimate:

Fixed hours – with this approach a client has a fixed time limit/budget in mind. We can agree to fix our working hours to this limit/budget. Clearly there may be more work to do than can be achieved in this limit.  

Our checklist will be important to list out the jobs you would like us to do and their priority. We do as much as we can, but endeavour to complete all the higher priority cleaning tasks.  

Estimated work - with this approach we’ve normally spoken to you and visited your house to give our best estimate of the time to do an agreed set of jobs, based off of our checklist. On a first visit time taken is usually longer. However, in any case we charge for the time we take. So, if we estimate five hours and take four, we charge for four hours. If we estimate four hours and at around three hours, we recognise it will take say five hours, rather than four. Then we will contact you to agree either to stop at four hours and prioritise what work we do undertake. Otherwise, we can agree to extend the number of hours and continue work to finish the job.  

After one, sometimes two visits we should establish a regular rhythm and accurate estimate that we can stick to every week unless you ask for additional ad-hoc work.  

Question: Why are you more expensive? I can get somebody for 12 per hour?!  

Answer: Sure you can. This will probably be a retired or part time lady, usually with other jobs and commitments - like kids, husband and a home.   

How are we different from this: 

• We try to be as reliable as possible. We have multiple staff, so if somebody gets ill, or their child does, or it’s a holiday, school holidays, Christmas, we will do our best to provide a replacement and stick to the original time slot as far as possible.   

• We try to be friendly and train our staff to behave like that. Our staff receive training – yes there is training for cleaning and in fact national vocational qualifications. We encourage our staff to undertake this training.  

• Before anyone starts with us, they undergo training with our methods and for the first couple of jobs are accompanied by me or one of our senior staff.  

• We provide all our own equipment, materials and quality products.  

• We regularly inspect our own work to ensure standards are being maintained. If perchance, there is something we didn’t get right or missed, then we will rectify as appropriate, as quickly as possible.   

• We are professional. This means we turn up on time, smartly presented in our uniforms and with the right equipment and chemicals to do the job.  

• Yes, we are a business, and we have overheads and want to make a profit! We pay our staff above minimum wage, this gives us quality and loyalty, things that are important to us and to you. To survive we have to do marketing and training and have overheads, hence the rate. 

Policies

Our minimum hours on any job is 3 hours at the standard rate, higher rate for less hours.

Rates for prebooked weekly cleaning is the standard. Deeper and other cleans are at a premium.

If we estimate 4 hours and the the job takes 3 we will charge for 4 hours.

If we estimate for 5 or 6 hours and the job takes 4 hour , will will charge for 4.

If we estimate 4 hours and it's clear the job will take 4 or more hours, we will contact you for approval before extending over the 4 hours. If the reasons for the extra time will occur every week a new estimate may be needed.