Short answer
What a house cleaner charges depends mainly on whether the cleaning is regular or one-off, how often visits happen, how big the home is and how much needs doing each time. A deeper first visit, who supplies products and equipment, access, pets and extras such as ovens or windows also make a difference. Some cleaners charge by the hour and others quote a fixed price for an agreed routine, so it is worth understanding both before comparing.
Hourly rates and fixed prices
Domestic cleaning is usually priced in one of two ways. An hourly rate charges for the time spent, so the total depends on how long the agreed tasks take. A fixed price is quoted for a set list of tasks each visit, so the cost stays the same whatever the clock says. Neither is automatically better value.
With an hourly rate, ask roughly how many hours the cleaner expects your home to need and what happens if the work runs over. With a fixed price, check exactly which tasks are included each time, so you know what you are paying for. In both cases the useful comparison is what gets done, not the headline number.
The factors that change the price
- Regular or one-off: a one-off clean usually covers more ground in one go, while a regular routine maintains a home that is already in good shape.
- Frequency: weekly visits tend to involve less build-up each time than fortnightly visits, which can change how long each visit needs.
- Size of the home: the number of bedrooms, bathrooms and living spaces sets how much there is to clean.
- Your priorities: some households want the kitchen and bathrooms done thoroughly every visit and the rest kept tidy; others want every room covered equally.
- A deeper first visit: if the home has not had a thorough clean for a while, a deep clean first brings it to a standard the routine can maintain.
- Products and equipment: whether the cleaner brings their own or uses yours, and any preferences such as fragrance-free products.
- Keys and access: whether someone is at home, a key is left, a key safe is used or an alarm needs setting.
- Pets: pet hair can add to vacuuming and dusting, and pets may need to be kept out of certain rooms.
- Extras: inside the oven, carpet cleaning and the outside of the windows usually sit outside a normal visit and are booked separately.
What a good quote should include
Whichever pricing method is used, a clear quote should set out:
- How often the cleaner will visit and on which day, where that is agreed.
- The tasks included on every visit, room by room.
- Any tasks done on a rotation, such as the inside of the microwave one visit and skirting boards the next.
- Whether products and equipment are supplied.
- How access, keys and any alarm will be handled.
- Whether a deeper first clean is recommended and how it is priced.
- Which jobs are extras, such as ovens, carpets and windows.
How to compare quotes like for like
Put the quotes side by side against the same list of tasks and the same frequency. An hourly rate that looks lower may come with more hours, and a fixed price that looks higher may include more each visit. Ask whether the routine is written down, so every visit is consistent, and how changes are handled if your needs shift, such as someone starting to work from home. Check reviews, and ask whether the business holds public liability insurance.
Our guide to deep cleans versus regular cleans explains the difference in scope, which helps if you are deciding whether to start with a one-off deep clean.
Ways to get better value
Tidying away clutter before each visit means the time goes on cleaning rather than moving things. Being clear about the rooms that matter most lets the routine focus there. Booking ovens, carpets or windows occasionally, rather than expecting them on every visit, keeps the regular routine focused. Our deep cleaning checklist shows the jobs that sit outside a normal weekly clean.
When to call a professional
If keeping on top of the house is eating into evenings and weekends, a regular cleaner on a routine agreed with you takes the weekly chores off your list. If the home needs more than a routine visit, start with a one-off deep clean.
We offer weekly and fortnightly house cleaning in Southend and across south Essex, following a routine agreed with you at the start and written down so every visit is consistent. We bring our own products and equipment unless you prefer us to use yours. Tell us about your home and how often you would like us to visit, and we will give you a clear quote. Call Jason on 07774 252535 or ask for a free quote.
Rather have it done for you?
Regular weekly or fortnightly domestic cleaning, following a routine agreed around your home. Family-run by Jason and Lucas Prior, covering south Essex.
- Deep cleaning: a one-off clean before a regular routine starts.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a cleaner charge per hour?
Rates vary between businesses and areas, and some cleaners quote a fixed price for an agreed routine instead of charging by the hour. Compare quotes on what is included each visit and how often, not just the rate.
Is a weekly cleaner more expensive than fortnightly?
Weekly visits cost more over a month because there are more of them, but each visit usually involves less build-up than a fortnightly one.
Do cleaners bring their own products?
Many do. We bring our own products and equipment unless you would prefer us to use yours.
Related guides
- Deep clean vs regular clean: what a deep clean covers that a regular clean does not, when each one makes sense and what decides how long a deep clean takes.
- House deep cleaning checklist: a room-by-room checklist for deep cleaning a house, which also works as a spring cleaning checklist.