Your true costs
Not just chemicals and time. Every cost of doing the job: travel, equipment, insurance, admin and tax. If you don't know this number, you can't price for profit.
How to Quote a Cleaning Job — Module 2
Module 2 of 3
How to Quote a Cleaning Job · Module 2
The Three Things Every Quote Must Cover
The three foundations of a profitable quote, why your break-even rate comes first, and what a professional quote looks like.
- Free taster
- Module 2 of 3
- About 5 minutes
Free taster micro-course. This is a short introduction to quoting, not the full pricing system. For in-depth courses with assessments and certificates, see the CCMTec® Academy.
What you'll learn in this module
- The three foundations every cleaning quote must be built on
- Why knowing your numbers comes first
- What a professional quote looks like, and why it wins more work
Every quote must cover three things
Whether it's a weekly domestic clean, an end of tenancy, a carpet clean or a commercial contract, every quote needs the same three foundations. Miss one and you lose money, lose the job, or both.
Your minimum margin
The profit that makes the job worth doing. It isn't optional. Without it you're working for free, or paying to do the job.
The perceived value
What the client believes the job is worth. Too far below it and you look cheap. Above it with no justification and you lose the job. Getting it right is a skill.
Here's the problem
Most cleaners can roughly estimate their costs. Far fewer know their minimum margin, and hardly anyone has thought about perceived value.
Why your numbers must come first
Before you can quote with confidence, you need your break-even rate. That's the lowest hourly rate that covers all your costs and pays you a wage. Without it, every quote is a guess.
Plenty of cleaning businesses don't struggle because they can't find clients. They struggle because they find plenty, and charge every one of them too little.
Ask yourself this
Do you know your break-even hourly rate right now, the figure below which every job costs you money? If not, Module 3 shows what that's costing you.
What a professional quote looks like
A professional quote isn't just a number. It's a document that builds confidence, justifies your price and sets expectations before the job starts. It should cover:
What's included
Every task and area you'll clean.
What isn't
So there are no arguments later.
How long it takes
Time on site, or visit frequency.
Products and methods
What you'll use and how.
The outcome
What the client can expect to see.
A clear written quote looks far more professional than a figure given over the phone, and it makes a higher price much easier to justify. The quote itself is part of how you win the work.
Coming up in Module 3
What happens when you get pricing wrong in either direction, and the one decision that could change the direction of your cleaning business.
Want to go further?
Our full Academy courses cover topics like this in real depth, with practical guidance, assessments and certificates.
Explore full coursesDisclaimer: This micro-course is a general introduction to pricing and quoting for cleaning businesses. It is not financial, tax or legal advice. Always get professional advice for your own business.