To quote a house cleaning job in Canada, gather the basics by message, walk through the home, and write a scope that lists every room and task. Then price the first clean and regular visits separately and send the quote in writing. The walkthrough is where most underpricing happens: a home that sounds small can hide pets, clutter or a neglected oven. This guide is for new cleaners who already have a target hourly rate and need a repeatable way to turn it into quotes.
It builds on house cleaning pricing, which shows how to set the hourly target. If you’re starting from zero, read the house cleaning side hustle guide first.
| Quote step | What you do | Output |
|---|---|---|
| Intake | Five questions by message | Rough size and scope |
| Walkthrough | 10 to 15 minutes in person or by video | Time estimate per room |
| Scope | Rooms, tasks, exclusions | Written checklist |
| Price | First clean and recurring visit | Two numbers |
| Written quote | Scope, price, terms | Client sign-off |
What should you ask before quoting a house cleaning job in Canada?
Step 1: Send five intake questions
- How many bedrooms and bathrooms, and roughly how large is the home?
- Is this a one-time, move-out, or regular clean, and how often?
- Any pets, and do they shed?
- Which areas matter most, and anything you don’t want touched?
- Do you want me to bring supplies, or use yours?
Step 2: Do the walkthrough
Spend 10 to 15 minutes in the home, or ask for a short video call. Look at the kitchen, bathrooms and floors, because they drive time. Note buildup on the stove, inside the oven and fridge, on shower glass, and on baseboards. Ask where clutter will be before you arrive, since tidying isn’t cleaning.
Step 3: Estimate time room by room
Write a minute estimate for each room, add travel and setup, and compare it with your past jobs. First cleans usually take longer than maintenance visits because buildup has to come off once.
How do you turn a walkthrough into a price in Canada?
Step 4: Price two numbers
Multiply your total minutes by your target hourly rate from the pricing guide, then add supplies. Quote the first deep clean as one price and the recurring visit as another. Don’t absorb the deep clean into a weekly rate. Clients understand the difference when you show both.
Step 5: List exclusions
Write what’s not included: inside the oven, inside the fridge, interior windows, walls, laundry, dishes, and biohazards. Offer the common ones as priced add-ons so the client can choose.
Step 6: Send a written quote
Include the scope checklist, both prices, supplies, cancellation and lockout terms, payment method, and how prices change. In Ontario, the province says that if a written estimate is part of the contract, the final price can’t be more than 10% above it unless the client agrees to a new price and signs a change. Use clear quotes in every province. If a job turns out bigger, stop and agree on a revised price before continuing.
Illustrative example
This is a teaching sketch with made-up times, not a market rate. Suppose your walkthrough of a two-bedroom apartment adds up to 3 hours for a first clean and 2 hours for maintenance, plus 20 minutes of travel. You’d quote the first clean at about 3 hours 20 minutes of your rate plus supplies, and the regular visit at about 2 hours 20 minutes. Inside the oven and fridge would be listed as add-ons, not quietly included. The client would sign the scope before the first visit.
What should a Canadian cleaning quote never do?
- Hide mandatory fees. The Competition Bureau says promoting a price that isn’t attainable because of fixed fees is against the law, apart from government charges like sales tax. If you always charge a supply fee, put it in the price.
- Quote by phone without seeing anything. Ask for photos or a video at minimum.
- Promise “everything.” A scope list protects both sides.
- Leave out cancellation terms. Lockouts and same-day cancellations cost you a slot.
What mistakes do new cleaners make when quoting in Canada?
- Quoting the first clean at the maintenance price. Buildup makes the first visit longer.
- Forgetting travel and setup. They’re part of your time.
- No exclusions list. Ovens and interior windows become free extras.
- Never revisiting the quote. Re-time the home after three visits and adjust if needed.
How are house cleaning quotes taxed in Canada?
Cleaning income is reported on Form T2125. You register for GST/HST once your taxable sales pass $30,000 in four consecutive calendar quarters, under the CRA’s small supplier rules. After that, add the tax as a separate line on the quote. See GST/HST registration, how to invoice clients, and the free side hustle tax checklist. FreshBooks can turn an accepted estimate into an invoice. This is not tax, legal, or insurance advice.
Which guides sit next to quoting a cleaning job?
Next steps: house cleaning first clients, house cleaning tools, and house cleaning mistakes. For leads, see getting clients on Kijiji. The same scope-first method works for yards in the lawn care estimate guide and for driveways in the snow removal price sheet. Set the hourly target first with the side hustle pricing worksheet.
What are the common questions?
How do I quote a house cleaning job without seeing it?
Ask five intake questions and request photos or a short video call. A quote without any visual check is where most underpricing happens.
Should the first clean cost more than regular cleans?
Usually yes, because buildup has to come off once. Quote the first deep clean and the recurring visit as two separate prices.
Can I charge more than my written estimate in Ontario?
Ontario says that if a written estimate is part of the contract, the final price can't be more than 10% above it unless the client agrees to a new price and signs a change.
Can I add a supply fee after quoting a cleaning price?
If the fee is mandatory, the Competition Bureau says advertising a price that leaves it out is a problem. Build fixed fees into your quoted price; only government charges like sales tax can be added on top.
What should a cleaning quote exclude?
Common exclusions are inside the oven and fridge, interior windows, walls, laundry, dishes and biohazards. Offer the popular ones as priced add-ons.
Which sources support this guide?
The rules, rates, and platform requirements in this guide are checked against these primary sources. Retail price ranges are labelled as ranges to verify locally, and they are not quotes.
- Your rights when signing or cancelling a contract — Government of Ontario
- Drip pricing — Competition Bureau Canada
- When to register for and start charging the GST/HST — Canada Revenue Agency
- Form T2125, Statement of Business or Professional Activities — Canada Revenue Agency