Starting a private home cleaning service

« **on:** January 05, 2006, 12:46:12 pm »

I have had the idea of starting a private home cleaning service in my local area (Leigh nr Wigan). Not carpet/upholstry cleaning or office/window cleaning. My targets clients are the professional workers with no time to the OAPs or those who need help but simply dont tick the right boxes to get a "home help"
I need some advice as to the best way to go about this, what legal information or liability insurances do I need if any. I am planning an advert in local paper and leaflet dispribution to get myself off the starting blocks and word of mouth what other suggestions do you have that would help me get going in this field of work. Is charging £5 per hour about right.
As said I'm still in the starting stage and I want to gain as much information as you are willing to supply. So anything you think I should know about I am willing to learn.

« **Reply #1 on:** January 05, 2006, 03:38:57 pm »

hi good luck with your venture.
do you mean £5 per hour for domestic cleaning, as in what the clients pay you?
you wont get very far with that one, how will you pay your staff and cover expenses???
depending on area and jobs you should be charging £10-£15 per hour.
Lisa

« **Reply #2 on:** January 05, 2006, 03:40:08 pm »

Quote from: reallyatreasure on January 05, 2006, 12:46:12 pm

... Is charging Ј5 per hour about right...

How much is enough is for you to decide, let me just remind you that the minimum wage currently is £5-05 per hour.

I started my business about 6 years ago, at that time my charge was £5-50 per hour, when minimum wage was £3-60 per hour.

In order to get useful info about starting a new business I would advice you to go back through the forum pages. This matter has been discussed many times before.

Regards,

Arthur

« **Reply #3 on:** January 05, 2006, 07:53:41 pm »

You can come and work for me if you want £5 per hour! you need to charge at least £10 if you intend on keeping it small I charge arround £14.50 plus VAT = £17 per hour and if your good people will pay that. just quoted on a spring clean 3 girls for 6hrs total hrs 18 charge £254 plus Vat = £290

« **Reply #4 on:** January 06, 2006, 11:22:49 pm »

Hi i pay casual workers between £8 and £10 an hour (grounds maint). You will not last long self employed or employing at this price. Charge a fair price and get good customers. The hastle and time taken up runing a business as a self employed person is not worth it at this money.

I would say bare minimum of £10 per hour. Remember that from the hourly rate you weill have to deduct fuel, uniform, acounting feees , tax, advertising costs, vehicle servicing and insurance.

regards Paul

« **Reply #5 on:** January 07, 2006, 03:45:02 pm »

bloody hell i wish i could charge £14 hour!im charging £8.50 but other companys in the area are advertising at £8 hour where abouts are you working for this sort of cash?

« **Reply #6 on:** January 08, 2006, 08:44:15 pm »

Thank you all for your replies. I did think £5 was on the cheap side and now will think about raising my pricing. As I said I'm still in the planning stage and want clear understanding about what I'm doing before comitting my self to self employment. I've tried to find the information on the liabilities and insurances in the forum and through the archives. If any of you have previously posted any information can you let me know the link so that I can look it up. I have found a lot of requests by various other members asking for the insurance and liability information and many of these have a following thread telling them that the information has previously been discussed many times. I must be doing something wrong on this site because I cannot find where it has previously been discussed. I've pages and pages of discussion topics and tried using the search to find information but can find nothing. please help I'm clueless in this area.

« **Reply #7 on:** January 08, 2006, 09:12:57 pm »

The best thing is to actualy phone up a few firms in order to get a rough idea. Any good insurer will be happy to do this.

« **Reply #8 on:** January 08, 2006, 09:56:29 pm »

Quote from: clifford on January 07, 2006, 03:45:02 pm

bloody hell i wish i could charge £14 hour!im charging £8.50 but other companys in the area are advertising at £8 hour where abouts are you working for this sort of cash?

That's a pretty standard rate (£14). You will never grow your business if you charge much less.

I've said before, we are not just trying to earn an income..............we are 'building a business' that has a value in its own right.

If you just want the income you may as well be cleaning for someone else without the hassle.

« **Reply #9 on:** January 08, 2006, 10:07:44 pm »

CMS - Spot on

Paul

« **Reply #10 on:** January 18, 2006, 10:07:54 pm »

Hi reallyatreasure.I live not far from you just over the motorway nr the trafford centre,i clean 13 houses per week,which ive been doing for about 5yrs now,i charge by the job not by the hour you always get nosey neighbours saying she was only here 1 hour . So thats why i charge by the job i do mainly 3/4/5 bed semis and detached houses for a 3 bed semi i charge £20 usually takes me 1 and half hours 4 beds £25 5 beds £30 all my clients are very pleased each and i always leave a list each week of what ive done if they see it in writing there well chuffed .You really need to up your price i dont pay vat,but i pay tax and ins,hope this helps

suzieq

« **Reply #11 on:** January 19, 2006, 08:51:55 am »

Suzieq, thanks I had never thought about leaving a job sheet I will possibly do the same. Thank you for giving me an idea of pricing too.

« **Reply #12 on:** January 19, 2006, 04:21:37 pm »

Hi I live not far away from you in Bolton. I set up a website for my wife in November last year from which she has had 12 months domestic cleaning work. We have never delivered any leaflets or put ads in the paper. I find they don't get you anywhere these days and cost quite a bit to produce. From a standing start she became fully booked within 1 month and is still fully booked now 14 months later. Have a look at www.maidsofhonour.net I have built websites for other people recently so if your interested get in touch.

« **Reply #13 on:** January 19, 2006, 04:26:42 pm »

Hi mancherry

I think you sent me a flyer about your website do you charge £9 per because ive had another also charging £19 per week,also can you give me info about insurance how much does this cost i clean 13 houses per week,but dont have insurance luckily ive never had a problem but theres always a first time.

Thanks
suzieq

« **Reply #14 on:** January 19, 2006, 04:45:14 pm »

There is a new company starting in this area Charging £7.95 a recent advert in the Local Paper for workers

Advertised £6 per hour cash in hand. The leaflet promoting the business was a good full Colour Glossy leaflet.

Personally i do not think £1.95 per hour margin is enough if you intend to promote the business long time.

Also I do not think advertising Cash in hand is legal?

« **Reply #15 on:** January 19, 2006, 05:14:17 pm »

suzieq
first letter was with a deposit second letter was just a monthly payment for the website. Visit wifes website for my number if you want www.maidsofhonour.net
Re insurance wife uses norwich union its £12 per month get a quote from their website at
http://www.norwichunionselfemployed.co.uk/
click on small business insurance on left hand side.

« **Reply #16 on:** January 19, 2006, 05:20:57 pm »

Quote from: Ian Gourlay on January 19, 2006, 04:45:14 pm

...Also I do not think advertising Cash in hand is legal?

Why not?

« **Reply #17 on:** January 19, 2006, 06:42:22 pm »

The person employed could be working for another employer.

However if you believe it is an aceptable practice please explain

As most people would prefer to be paid Cash in hand, without informing tax office

« **Reply #18 on:** January 19, 2006, 09:04:41 pm »

Quote from: Ian Gourlay on January 19, 2006, 06:42:22 pm

The person employed could be working for another employer.

However if you believe it is an aceptable practice please explain

As most people would prefer to be paid Cash in hand, without informing tax office

According to this company’s policy (para 17) customer pays for the service by making two separate payments: one to the cleaner and the other to the agency. In this case company may say to “whom ever it concerns” that customers usually pay by cash and it would be cleaner’s responsibility to declare the “cash in hand”.

I think the company, which you have mentioned, works in the same way.
Regards,
Arthur

« **Reply #19 on:** January 20, 2006, 12:12:00 am »

Arthur, I

Thanks.

About two years ago a local Care home owner mother of tw children got sent to prison for several months for paying her staff Cash in hand.

I wonder if the Customer is likely to end up in prison?

« **Reply #20 on:** January 20, 2006, 05:51:43 pm »

Ian,
If you (as an employer) pay your staff salary by cash, without deducting tax and NI from it, you will definitely be prosecuted. However, if you, as a customer, pay by cash to a cleaner it would be cleaner’s responsibility to declare the income.
Regards,
Arthur

« **Reply #21 on:** January 21, 2006, 01:31:01 am »

Quote from: suzieq on January 19, 2006, 04:26:42 pm

Hi mancherry

I think you sent me a flyer about your website do you charge £9 per because ive had another also charging £19 per week,also can you give me info about insurance how much does this cost i clean 13 houses per week,but dont have insurance luckily ive never had a problem but theres always a first time.

Thanks
suzieq

Got another enquiry today from the site- just ignoring them for now- need someone to deal with enquiries if your interested, have seven now since beginning of month.

« **Reply #22 on:** January 21, 2006, 01:34:19 am »

Quote from: clifford on January 07, 2006, 03:45:02 pm

bloody hell i wish i could charge £14 hour!im charging £8.50 but other companys in the area are advertising at £8 hour where abouts are you working for this sort of cash?

if you quote a price per hour on the phone what makes you better or worse than anybody else?
We never quote an hourly rate and won't quote for a job until we've seen it!
If you send a 65 yr old cleaner and charge £8.50 per hour for 4 hours, a 25yr old cleaner could probably do the work in 2 hrs so what does hourly rate matter?