Cleaning Business Job Costing Calculator
Know what each clean actually costs. Price for profit, not just to win the bid.
👷 Labor
Add one row for each cleaning worker type. Use the actual hours and pay for each person.
Example: 1 apprentice at $20/hr for 3 hours plus 1 journeyman at $40/hr for 1 hour.
Typical: 25-35%. Covers FICA, workers comp, unemployment insurance, PTO.
🔧 Materials
Total cost of parts, supplies, and materials for this cleaning job.
Markup covers your time sourcing, picking up, and storing materials. Typical: 10-25%.
🏢 Overhead
Your monthly fixed costs spread across this cleaning job.
Rent, insurance, marketing, phone, software, vehicle payments, tools. Anything you pay whether or not you're on a job.
🚛 Travel & Setup
Time before and after the actual cleaning work. Most contractors forget this.
Applied at your average hourly pay rate. Includes all workers.
💰 Desired Profit Margin
The percentage of the final price you keep as profit.
What to Charge
$0
Total job price
Adjust the inputs on the left to see your numbers update in real time.
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How to Cost Cleaning Jobs
Cleaning businesses often price by square footage or flat rate without knowing what each job actually costs. That works when labor is cheap and you are busy. It fails when wages go up, supply costs rise, or a "quick clean" turns into a 4 hour deep clean.
This calculator gives you the real cost per job: cleaner wages with burden, supplies, drive time, and overhead. When you know the true number, you can set prices that keep you profitable even on slow weeks.
Flat rates should come from data, not from what the competition charges on Google.
Typical Cleaning Costs
A standard residential clean costs $60 to $150 in hard costs depending on home size and crew. That is 2 cleaners for 2 to 4 hours, $10 to $30 in supplies, plus drive time and overhead. Deep cleans run 50% to 100% more. Commercial cleaning costs $40 to $120 per visit depending on square footage and frequency.
Target Margins for Cleaning
Cleaning companies should target 35% to 45% on residential and 30% to 40% on commercial contracts. Recurring residential clients hit 40% to 50% once you know the home and the clean time is predictable. If you are below 30%, your hourly rate is too low or you are spending too much unbilled time on walkthroughs and client communication.
Tips for Cleaning Job Costing
- Track time per clean, not per week. If a recurring client takes 3.5 hours but you quoted for 2.5, you are losing money every visit.
- Supply costs should be under $15 per residential clean. Buy in bulk and standardize your product list to control costs.
- Drive time between jobs is your biggest hidden cost. Schedule by zone and you will save 30 to 60 minutes per crew per day.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much should a cleaning company charge per house?
Most cleaning companies charge $120 to $300 per residential clean depending on home size, condition, and frequency. A 2,000 sq ft home typically takes 2.5 to 3.5 hours with a 2 person team, costing you $80 to $150 in labor and supplies. Add your target margin of 40% to 45% to set the final price. Recurring cleans should be priced lower than one time deep cleans.
What is a good profit margin for a cleaning business?
Residential cleaning should target 35% to 45% margins. Commercial contracts run 30% to 40%. Recurring residential clients hit 40% to 50% once you know the home and cleaning time is predictable. If you are below 30%, your hourly rate is too low or you are spending too much unbilled time on walkthroughs and client communication.
How do you price cleaning jobs?
Calculate your actual cost per clean: fully burdened cleaner wages, supply costs ($10 to $30 per job), drive time as labor cost, and overhead. Then add your target margin. Price by the job, not by the hour. A 2 person crew cleaning a home for 3 hours at $16/hr with 18% burden costs about $113 in labor alone before supplies and overhead.
How do you calculate labor cost for a cleaning business?
Multiply cleaner hourly pay by hours per job, then add labor burden (payroll taxes, workers comp, benefits) at 15% to 22%. A 2 person crew at $16/hr with 18% burden costs $37.76/hr total. On a 3 hour clean, that is $113 in crew labor. Include drive time between jobs as paid labor hours for accurate costing.
How do you calculate overhead for a cleaning business?
Total monthly fixed costs: vehicle payments, fuel, insurance, cleaning equipment, marketing, and office expenses. Most cleaning companies carry $2,000 to $8,000/month in overhead. Divide by monthly job count. A company running 80 cleans per month with $4,000 overhead has $50 per clean in overhead costs to recover.
Knowing Your Numbers Is Step One
This calculator shows you one piece. The Growth Report shows you the full picture: where you're leaking revenue, what to fix first, and how contractors like you are growing past the ceiling.