Free cleaning estimate generator

How to write a cleaning estimate

This page opens with the document type set to Estimate, so the preview shows a Valid until date instead of a due date. It defaults to 30 days from today and you can change it.

• Decide how you are quoting. A walk-through gives the most accurate price. Quoting from photos or from square footage and bed and bath count is faster, but say on the estimate that the price is based on the information the client gave you.
• Put the first clean on its own line. A home that has not been cleaned professionally takes longer the first time, so price it as a deep clean and keep it apart from the recurring rate.
• Add the recurring rate as a second line with the frequency in the description: weekly, biweekly or monthly. The client sees both numbers before they commit.
• List each add-on on its own line so the client can drop any of them without asking you to redo the quote.
• Use the notes for terms: how long the price holds, whether supplies are included, what is not included and your cancellation policy.
• Print it or save it as a PDF. Your logo and draft stay in this browser, nothing is uploaded and there is no watermark.

What to include on a house cleaning estimate

Most disputes in cleaning come from a gap between what the client pictured and what the crew did. The estimate is where you close that gap.

• The basis for the price: home size, number of bedrooms and bathrooms, and the floors or rooms covered.
• The type of clean: standard, deep, move-in or move-out. Each one covers different tasks, so name it.
• Crew size and expected time on site, such as 2 cleaners for about 3 hours. Clients who work from home plan around it.
• Add-ons priced one by one: inside oven, inside fridge, inside cabinets, interior windows, laundry and folding, dishes.
• Pet hair and heavy buildup. A home with shedding pets takes longer, and naming it up front avoids a surprise charge later.
• Who provides supplies. If the client wants their own products used, note it, and say whether the price changes.
• Exclusions, for example walls, exterior windows, mold, biohazards or anything that needs a ladder.
• What happens if the home differs from the photos or the walk-through: you will confirm a new price before starting.

Pricing first cleans, deep cleans and move-outs

Work from labor hours. Estimate the cleaner hours the job needs, multiply by your hourly target, then add travel and supplies. Two cleaners for 3 hours is 6 cleaner hours, whether you bill by the hour or as a flat price.

A first clean or deep clean often runs one and a half to two times your regular visit, because baseboards, blinds, door frames and buildup take time once. Move-out cleans usually include inside the cabinets, the oven and the fridge, since the home is empty, so price those as part of the job rather than as add-ons.

For recurring service, many cleaners charge less per visit for weekly than for biweekly, and less for biweekly than for monthly, because a home cleaned often stays easier to clean. Set the discount so the visit still covers your hours.

If you are not sure what to charge per visit, the house cleaning price calculator on this site gives a starting price, and its result can go straight into an estimate.

Estimate, quote, bid or invoice

In cleaning, estimate and quote are usually used the same way: a price for the work before you start. Some cleaners call it a quote when the price is fixed and an estimate when the final price depends on how long the first clean takes. Say which it is in the notes. A bid is the same idea for commercial cleaning contracts, often answering a request for several companies. An invoice comes after the clean and asks for payment. Once the client says yes, flip the Invoice or Estimate switch at the top of the form, set a due date and the same lines become the invoice.

Winning the job with a clear estimate

Send the estimate the same day as the walk-through while the client is still comparing cleaners. Offer the first clean and the recurring plan together, so the client sees the lower ongoing price rather than only the higher first visit. Follow up once a few days later if you have not heard back.

When you send estimates every week

The free ToolBerry app keeps your clients and jobs in one place. You build estimates, called proposals in the app, line by line or from your saved list of services like inside oven or interior windows, and get a PDF to share or send from your own email. Each one is tracked from draft to sent to accepted.

You can capture the client's signature on your phone during the walk-through. When an estimate is accepted, turn it into a job or an invoice without retyping, and a recurring clean can start a maintenance agreement with its visits scheduled. It is free with no signup or card, works offline and runs on iPhone, Android and the web.