Smart Cleaning School

How Much Do You Charge, Ken?

September 14, 2020 Ken Carfagno Episode 97
Smart Cleaning School
How Much Do You Charge, Ken?
Show Notes

I published the article, "Did you Know Cleaning has a Specialist Too?" for Carfagno Cleaning and sent it out as my weekly newsletter. I want to read you this article as it will help you understand WHY I earn more per client than others. 

I also want to thank my fellow BIB member and insurance agent, Andew Rumbold of the R.A. Fraser Group for asking me the follow-up question "What is a Level 4 Specialist"? Andrew, that's an amazing question and here's my answer. I believe that the highest level one can attain in a craft or discipline is one of the teacher. You cannot teach what you haven't done. Thus, the teacher is higher than the doer. I labeled Level 2 and 3 as the experts in the science and art of cleaning and therefore labeled myself a Level 3 Cleaning Specialist. But thanks to Andrew, I am changing my label to the teacher and Level 4 Cleaning Specialist. I teach the science and art of cleaning to you listening to this podcast, to my students in the Solo Cleaning School Elite Membership, and my local community through newsletters, network meeting presentations, and webinars. I am a Level 4 Cleaning Specialist and like the doctors and surgeons from the medical field earn the most... so do I! 

There is a Level 0 Cleaner too! I call them "Aunt Sally" cleaners. They are sweet ladies who live down the street or clean part-time while in college or raising kids. They are uninsured, under-the-table & non-compliant on taxes, and come with HIGH-risk of getting you in trouble if something goes wrong.

I wanted to lay this out before sharing my prices. 

  • My House Cleaning Prices: I currently clean houses on a biweekly (every other week), monthly, and bi-monthly (every other month) basis. I've cleaned in Upstate New York for 13 years and the Philly Area for 2 years. Over the past 3 - 5 years, my houses have ranged in price from $150 to $300 per visit and $150 to $250 for just the biweekly.
  • My Office Cleaning Prices: Janitorial companies dominate this industry. They are large with many employees and typically clean large buildings multiple nights per week. I don't compete here! I'm a Level 4 house cleaner that has taken my specialty into cleaning smaller offices on a weekly, biweekly, or monthly basis. My current offices range in price from $200 to $1,500 per month (weekly offices from $500 to $1,500).

Here are some tips I offer prospects on my website and conversations to help them overcome price concerns:

  • If you are looking to spend less than the prices I charge, I recommend finding a Level 1 cleaner. Do NOT be lured into a Level 0 Aunt Sallie option. They will cost half as much as my Level 4 prices, but the risks are too high especially in this post-COVID environment.
  • Most families budget on a monthly basis. An excellent Level 3/4 cleaning service like mine can keep your home cleaned with more excellence once per month than a Level 0/1 cleaning every other week. A biweekly Level 1 cleaning at $100 costs $216 per month. You can invest that same amount into a Level 4 monthly cleaning and "feel" better because higher quality can be felt.
  • I don't do contracts for homes or offices, allowing clients the flexibility to switch their cleaning frequency as needed.

If you found this useful, I encourage you to join our Elite Membership for the Solo Cleaning School for $50 per month!