Getting a Cleaner so that I CAN be 'Oldstyle'

embb

SammyD wrote: »

yes, I know that problem too, my husband was doing nights when we had the cleaner - I just used to tell her not to clean our bedroom when he was on nights and he was so exhausted he never really noticed. (Also had to remind my husband not to get up in a state of undress if he needed the loo which was my worst fear...)

:rotfl: that's one of my biggest fears too with one of my customers *shudders* although I'd be too busy cleaning off his 'wee stains' to notice him :rolleyes:

Going rate for me is minimum wage £5.52 per hour but that's through the company (I'm employed on a self-employed basis) my own customers I charge £8 per hour, 2 hrs is usually enough unless it's a mega big house then 3 will suffice, I have a few fortnightly customers but they are the ones without kids

nearlyrich

I pay £9 per hour, I try to keep the place tidy we have good storage solutions and regularly declutter. My cleaner hoovers dusts, cleans kitchen and bathrooms, mops hard floors. If I want a room given special attention I just mention it on the day. I like to come home to clean house, all smelling of polish and stuff, I never have the energy to do all my rooms in one day LOL...

champys

dronid wrote: »

My view is that we both work rather than one of us stay and home and cover that niche. And frankly I get very limited satisfaction out of hoovering.

Well it depends on how much you like your day job, of course! Since leaving the rat race I get a lot more satisfaction out of getting the house clean in my own rhythm, being my own boss, than I ever got out of preparing balance sheets.....:-)
If you enjoy your job, and work full time, then it makes perfect sense to contract out some or all of the housework. But I wouldn't say that any job is better than doing the housework!
I am relatively new to cleaning because I have enjoyed the services of cleaners for most of my (full-time) working life,and have to admit that in the beginning I did not even realise I actually had to clean the house - always took a clean house totally for granted. And only now, after 7 years I am finally finding out how to do it properly - thanks to Flylady and organized home.com.

ceridwen

Hi

Have duly been making notes about what going rate is for cleaners. Just wondering - what happens about payment during their holidays?

donny-gal

I had a cleaner forover 20 years, the money I ever spent. Yes I did tidy before she came, but not clean. In fact it made me tidy up so that was a bonus, I just wanted to ensure she could get on and clean, and once she had gone the place was spot on.
DG

embb

ceridwen wrote: »

Hi

Have duly been making notes about what going rate is for cleaners. Just wondering - what happens about payment during their holidays?

I get paid in cash so if I don't go or have time off I don't get paid, ditto if the customers have holidays, I haven't been working long enough to get to the 'holiday season' but I'm sure they wouldn't want me going when they're away and if they do they'll just leave the cash I suppose.

dronid

champys wrote: »

If you enjoy your job, and work full time, then it makes perfect sense to contract out some or all of the housework. But I wouldn't say that any job is better than doing the housework!

I would agree with that - fortunately I do prefer work, and the pay, to the cleaning and I have been doing my own cleaning for the last 17 years. I do like it clean but personaly get limited satisfaction from having done it! I've tried Flylady and it'd probably work if I actualy had better organised space but decoration and reorganisation has been on hold awaiting the council to replace the windows and doors and rewire the property. Something they've been promising every 6 months for the last 7 years! I'm looking forward to a place I can clean myself (but will be much happier if someone else can do it for me!):D

tazz233

Sorry to dig up this old thread, but I am seriously struggling with the house cleaning at the moment and I think paying for a one-off cleaner is definately worth it.

My question is where do I find a decent cleaner? I live in the Brighton area, so I imagine the rates are high being the South east, £10 an hour? I don't know anyone who has a cleaner and a quick google brought up loads of agencies

I could also do with gardener, but imagine that will be a lot more expensive :eek:

larmy16

I dont think you should worry OP about getting a cleaner. No one will give you brownie points for doing your own cleaning! I am a cleaner myself (7.50 - 10.00) per hours - no sick or holiday pay - that is the downside of it.

I liken it to this. On Saturday I spent £12.00 getting my car cleaned and valeted. Yes I could have done it the old style way, trawling outside lugging buckets etc, but it was worth every penny to me to get it done by professionals. It took 20 minutes and I was able to wander around the garden centre while they did it. Very relaxing.

Not to mention the divine looking and very very polite eastern european guy who was running the business!

I dont have lots of money but the satisfaction of driving away in a newly cleaned car was worth every penny.

MrsTinks

We've been toying with this idea too for a while... I pay a dog walker to walk my dog during the day (I still walk her morning and evening! It's just because my work is far from home and I don't want her left more than 4 hours at a time - and she's a high energy dog), I pay window cleaners to come and cleanmy windows on the outside once every 4-5 weeks (£8 vs waiting for OH to do it... 3 years of him saying he'd do it... I gave up and paid someone...).
So a cleaner seems a good option for me. I work long hours and when I get home I like it to be reasonably clean so that I can enjoy my evening and spend time in the kitchen cooking. I try to cook all our food from scratch (apart from the last week where take-aways have made a come back - just not enough time with trying to get everything done for the wedding!) and when I then have to spend my weekend cleaning... well it just doesn't always happen

SO once we're back from honeymoon the search will start for a good cleaner. I want to declutter the house a bit as we have too much stuff and then I want a cleaner in MIGHT even invest in a "spring clean" that some of the agencies seem to offer... hmmmmmm

Personally I'd rather get a local lady in to clean, but I guess I might have to settle for an agency...