How to Price a Cleaning Job: Cost Worksheet & Quote Example
Calculate a cleaning quote from labor-hours, supplies, travel, overhead and target margin, then adapt a defined recurring-clean example.
Start with tasks and condition
Walk through the space and define rooms, tasks, frequency and condition. A maintenance clean, move-out clean and post-construction clean can use the same floor area while taking very different effort. Specify reachable surfaces and decide whether ovens, refrigerators, interior windows or high fixtures are included.
The example is one maintenance visit to a small office with two restrooms and a kitchenette. It includes ordinary accessible-surface cleaning. Biohazard remediation, healthcare-specific disinfection, exterior windows and heavy residue are outside the quoted scope.
Count labor-hours correctly
Two cleaners working two hours each represent four labor-hours. At an illustrative labor cost of $30 per labor-hour for pay and payroll-related costs, labor cost is $120. Add assumed supplies of $15, travel/setup cost of $20 and an allocated $65 for equipment, insurance, administration and other overhead. The total estimated business cost is $220.
The assumed labor cost is not a wage recommendation. Verify payroll-related costs and overhead for your business. If travel or setup is already included in labor-hours, remove the separate allowance so it is not counted twice.
Distinguish margin from markup
To target a 20% margin on selling price when all included costs total $220, divide cost by 0.80: $220 ÷ (1 − 0.20) = $275 before tax. The $55 difference is 20% of $275. Adding a 20% markup to $220 instead gives $264, which yields a margin of approximately 16.7%. These are arithmetic examples, not prescribed profit targets.
Use the client's version to quote a defined service price, not an unsupported “typical cleaning rate.” Check actual visit time and supply use after the first service. If the assumptions are wrong, revise future pricing transparently rather than performing less work than promised.
Specify product and access responsibilities
Confirm who supplies products, how keys or access codes are handled and whether occupied hours restrict the work. OSHA's cleaning-chemical materials discuss worker hazards; select suitable products and work practices through the actual labels and safety information. Do not promise a particular disinfection result merely because a surface is wiped.
For recurring service, agree on dates, notice, skipped visits and payment. The example below quotes one $275 visit. Multiplying by four gives $1,100 for four completed visits, but does not establish that every calendar month contains four visits. Define the billing period and service count explicitly.
Worked example
Small-office maintenance clean
An illustrative single visit: two cleaners for two hours, two restrooms, a kitchenette and accessible office surfaces.
- Illustrative cost is $220: labor $120, supplies $15, travel/setup $20 and allocated overhead $65.
- A chosen 20% target margin gives an example selling price of $275 before tax.
- Actual condition, frequency, access and product suitability must be confirmed.
| Work / item | Quantity | Unit price | Amount | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Defined office maintenance clean1 visit × $275.00 | 1 visit | $275.00 | $275.00 | |
| Subtotal before tax | Subtotal before tax | $275.00 | ||
Copy and adapt the complete example
The sample is available here without an account. Fill every bracketed field, replace the example scope and pricing, and confirm the terms before sharing it.
SMALL-OFFICE MAINTENANCE CLEAN — EDITABLE EXAMPLE
Illustrative USD pricing before tax. Replace the scope, quantities and rates before using this as an offer.
Business: [your business and contact details]
Client: [name and contact details]
Job address / event location: [location]
Proposal date: [date]
Valid through: [date]
SCOPE
- Complete the agreed task list for office floors and accessible work surfaces.
- Clean the two listed restrooms and kitchenette under the agreed product plan.
- Empty listed waste containers and replace client-specified liners.
- Record completion and any inaccessible or excluded areas.
INCLUDED
- One defined maintenance visit with standard products and equipment.
- Four planned labor-hours, including the agreed tasks.
- The listed waste handling and completion record.
EXCLUDED / SEPARATE APPROVAL
- Biohazard remediation or healthcare-specific cleaning protocols.
- Exterior/high windows, heavy post-construction residue and carpet extraction.
- Inside appliances or unlisted tasks without approval.
PRICING
Defined office maintenance clean: 1 visit × $275.00 = $275.00
Example subtotal before tax: $275.00
Applicable tax: [confirm taxable items, rate and amount]
Final total: [subtotal plus applicable tax and agreed adjustments]
SCHEDULE
Start / service date: [date or agreed trigger]
Duration / frequency: [confirm]
Access and client responsibilities: [confirm]
PAYMENT AND CHANGES
Payment schedule: [agreed amounts, due dates and any permitted deposit]
Changes: Describe the revised work, price and schedule in writing for approval before proceeding.
Cancellation / rescheduling: [agreed policy consistent with applicable rules]
Warranty / ongoing responsibility: [state the actual commitment, limits and owner responsibilities]
COMPLETION / HANDOFF
Provide the task completion record, note access limitations, and review the actual first-visit effort before pricing a continuing schedule.
Client approval: [name, date and agreed acceptance method]
EXAMPLE ASSUMPTIONS
- Illustrative cost is $220: labor $120, supplies $15, travel/setup $20 and allocated overhead $65.
- A chosen 20% target margin gives an example selling price of $275 before tax.
- Actual condition, frequency, access and product suitability must be confirmed.Check before you send
- Confirm the task list and current condition.
- Use labor-hours rather than crew clock-hours.
- Avoid double-counting travel or overhead.
- Agree on access, products, skipped visits and billing frequency.
Sources and project-specific checks
These primary U.S. references support the context discussed above. They do not supply the example prices. References checked October 13, 2026; confirm the rules and products for the actual job.
- OSHA cleaning-chemical resources
Worker hazard reference; product labels and safety information govern the actual work.
- SBA business expense planning
Business-expense planning; our example amounts are illustrative.
From advice to action
Build the cleaning proposal
Use the guide as your checklist, then choose one of three job-specific starters. Add the actual client, scope, and prices before you generate.
Ready-to-use examples
Start with the closest cleaning job
Residential Deep Cleaning
- Room-by-room scope
- Supplies and equipment
- Optional add-ons
Recurring Office Cleaning
- Recurring task schedule
- Restrooms and breakroom
- Quality-control walkthroughs
Move-Out Cleaning
- Empty-home deep clean
- Cabinets and appliances
- Turnover-ready checklist