CLEANING BUSINESS TOOL

Cleaning business pricing calculator

Turn labor, supplies, travel, overhead, and your target margin into a clear minimum price for a cleaning job.

CALCULATOR

Calculate a minimum job price

Edit each field to match the job and your business.

Recommended minimum

This is a planning tool, not a final quote. Verify local costs, taxes, and regulations.

How the cleaning price is calculated

The calculator adds labor, supplies, and travel. It then divides that amount by one minus your overhead share and target profit margin. This treats overhead and profit as percentages of the selling price instead of guessing a flat markup.

Formula: (labor + supplies + travel) ÷ (1 − overhead% − profit%).

Choose realistic values

Your hourly labor cost is not the same as your customer price. It should include wages and payroll costs for employees, or a reasonable draw for owner time. Track at least ten completed jobs to discover your real labor hours and travel time.

Overhead usually includes insurance, software, phone, marketing, administration, vehicle costs, taxes, and equipment replacement. If you are unsure, start with 15% and revise it after reviewing three months of expenses.

What changes the final quote

The calculated amount is your minimum baseline. Add a premium for urgent work, heavy soil, hazardous conditions, difficult access, after-hours work, or unusually high customer expectations. Offer a clear scope so both sides understand what is included.

Frequently asked questions

Should I charge by the hour or by the job?

Quote by the job whenever possible. Use an hourly estimate internally, then present one clear price tied to the agreed scope.

How much profit should a cleaning business make?

Margin targets vary. Many small service businesses use 15–30% as a planning range, but your cash needs, risk, and market should determine the target.

Does this calculator include payroll taxes?

Only if you include them in your hourly labor cost. Add employer taxes and benefits before entering the number.

NEXT STEP

Build the business from real numbers.

Use the free calculators first. The starter kit turns the same framework into reusable spreadsheets, checklists, and customer templates.

See the starter kit