What a cleaning estimate should include
Cleaning prices depend on the size of the place, how dirty it is and what "clean" means to the client. The example above quotes Hillside Property Management for an apartment turnover, and it pins down all three.
- The type of clean and the size of the unit. "Move-out deep clean, 2 bed / 2 bath apartment" sets the job in one line. A standard clean and a deep clean are different jobs, and the client should know which one they're getting.
- Add-ons as separate lines. Carpet steam cleaning for 3 rooms, inside cabinets and drawers, baseboards and door frames, the balcony and glass door tracks. A property manager can cross out a line instead of asking you to redo the whole quote.
- Quantities where the job can grow. Carpets are priced per room. If the next unit has four carpeted rooms, the price follows without a new conversation.
- The assumption the price rests on. "Based on an empty unit." If the tenant leaves furniture or a full fridge behind, it's not the job you quoted, and this line says so.
- What you won't do. The example excludes biohazard or mold removal, wall washing and exterior windows. These are the things a client might assume are part of a deep clean.
- How long the price holds. 14 days, because a unit that sits empty longer, or gets a new tenant, may need a different clean.
- Tax, if you charge it. The example shows sales tax. Whether cleaning services are taxed depends on your state, so check your state's rules.
How to write a cleaning estimate
- See the place first. Walk through it, or ask for photos or a short video of every room, including inside the oven and fridge.
- Count rooms and note the condition. Bedrooms, bathrooms, carpeted rooms, and anything heavy like grease, hard water or pet hair.
- Price the base clean, then the extras. Write the main clean as one line and each add-on as its own line, so the client sees what drives the total.
- Write your assumptions in the notes. Empty unit, water and power on, a key or lockbox code ready on the day.
- Say what happens if it's worse than expected. If you arrive to belongings or heavy buildup, tell the client before you start, quote the extra time, and go ahead once they agree.
- Decide on a deposit. The example has none, which suits a property manager who sends repeat work. For a one-time home clean, some cleaners ask for one to hold the date.
- Get it approved. Property managers often need a signed estimate on file for the owner. In TapBill the client can sign on your phone, and one tap turns that estimate into the invoice after the clean.
Use this cleaning estimate template
Once the unit is done, the cleaning invoice template shows how to bill one-off and recurring cleans. Move-outs often need other trades too: the painting estimate and the handyman estimate show how they quote their part of the turnover.
Frequently asked questions
How do you write an estimate for cleaning services?
Name the type of clean and the size of the place, list each extra on its own line, write down what the price assumes and what's excluded, then add how long the price is valid. The move-out example above follows those steps.
Should I charge by the hour or a flat price?
Both work. A flat price is easier for the client to approve and compare. An hourly rate protects you when the condition is unknown. Some cleaners give a flat price with a note that heavy buildup is billed by the hour.
Can I use this as a janitorial quote template?
Yes. For recurring commercial cleaning, change the lines to the areas you clean, how often you come and the price per visit or per month, and say what's done on every visit and what's done less often.
What if the client asks for extra work on the day?
Agree on the price before you do it, even by text, and add it as a new line on the invoice. That way the final bill matches what they said yes to.