Taking in laundry... how much to charge?

BrandNewDay

How should I figure out how much to charge to take in washing and ironing? I don't know of anyone who does this in my area, so I don't know if there is a "going rate" and I'm not sure how to calculate the costs. It rains a lot here so I can't count on being able to use the washing line. Detergent wouldn't be much, and my water is free. I guess it comes down to electricity...

So, I don't want to lose money, and I want to have an attractive price. Any ideas?

Elsiesgirl

That's a great idea if you like washing and ironing. I don't know if there is a going rate but you could practise beforehand, timing yourself and the washing machine/tumbler dryer and reading the electricity meter before and after. Remember the minimum wage is £5.85 per hour and add what you've calculated onto that then round it up.

honeypop

You would probably need to inform the council that you were operating a business from the premises and may have to pay higher rates because of this (if they give you the go ahead) on top of the normal council tax, so don't forget to factor in the costs of that.

Savvy_Sue

Hop over to the small biz board and search for ironing there, we have talked about ironing several times, and briefly laundry, although I confess I pointed out some things I'd worry about with doing other people's washing!