Hiring someone to clean your home for the first time is a little uncomfortable. You’re letting strangers into your house, you’re not sure what it should cost, and you don’t know whether you’re supposed to tidy up first. Fair questions, all of them. Here’s how it actually works.
How pricing is decided
Price comes down to three things: the size of the home, its current condition, and the type of clean you want. A 1,400 square foot home on a bi-weekly schedule is a very different job from a 3,200 square foot home that hasn’t had a deep clean in two years.
You should get a clear number before anyone starts. We quote the job, not the hour, so there’s no meter running and no surprise at the end. Be honest about the condition when you call — an accurate description gets you an accurate price, and nobody enjoys a re-quote at the door.
Why the first visit often costs more
If the home hasn’t had a thorough clean recently, the first visit is usually a deep clean. It’s catching up on everything routine cleaning skips: baseboards, grout, inside the microwave, door frames, vents. After that, recurring visits maintain the standard instead of rebuilding it, which is why they cost less and take less time.
Do you need to be home?
No, and most of our recurring clients aren’t. You can let us in, use a lockbox or door code, or have us hold a key securely. For the first visit some people prefer to be there for the first fifteen minutes to walk through priorities, then head out. Whatever you’re comfortable with is fine.
Should you clean before the cleaners arrive?
Don’t clean. Do tidy. Clearing personal items off counters, floors and nightstands means the time goes into actual cleaning rather than moving your things around — and it means we’re not deciding where your mail belongs.
Pets, valuables and the practical stuff
- Pets: tell us what to expect and where they’ll be. Cleaning around pets is routine; being surprised by a protective dog is not.
- Valuables: put away anything irreplaceable. Standard advice for any trade in your home, and it removes the question entirely.
- Supplies: included. If you have surfaces needing specific products, allergies, or small children, tell us and we’ll adjust what we bring.
- Access details: gate codes, alarm codes, parking, which door. Give them once and we’ll note them.
What a standard visit covers
Kitchen surfaces, sink, stovetop and appliance exteriors. Bathrooms cleaned and sanitized throughout. Dusting of reachable surfaces, sills and fixtures. Floors vacuumed and mopped. Trash out. Beds made or linens changed on request.
Things like inside the oven or fridge, interior windows, or laundry are add-ons — mention them when booking so the time is allowed for.
If something isn’t right
Tell us within 24 hours and we come back and fix it. That’s the whole policy. A good cleaning company would rather return once than lose a client over a missed bathroom.
Finding a rhythm
Most households land on every two weeks. Weekly suits busy homes with kids or pets; monthly keeps an already-tidy home from slipping. Start somewhere reasonable and adjust after a few visits — there’s no contract holding you to it.
Ready to try it? We’re local to Summerville and serve homes within about 40 miles, including the Charleston area. Get a free quote and we’ll give you a clear price up front.
