How to Quote a Cleaning Job: Australian Cleaner's Pricing Guide

Cleaning quotes live or die on speed. Most cleaning enquiries come by phone or message and the client is contacting two or three businesses at once — whoever sends a clear quote first usually wins. Here's how to price cleaning work accurately and quote it fast in the Australian market.

Hourly rate vs fixed price

For regular domestic and commercial cleaning, an hourly rate is common. For one-off jobs like end-of-lease cleans, clients overwhelmingly prefer a fixed price — they want certainty. The trick is to quote a fixed price built from an honest hours estimate, so you're protected if the job is bigger than it looked.

• Domestic cleaner hourly rate: $40–$60/hr per cleaner
• Commercial cleaning: $35–$55/hr, or priced per m² on contracts
• End-of-lease / bond clean (fixed): $250–$550 for a typical 2–3 bedroom unit

What a cleaning quote should include

• Business name, ABN and contact details
• Quote number and date, plus an expiry date
• Property type and size — bedrooms, bathrooms, approximate floor area
• Clean type — regular, spring clean, end-of-lease, post-construction, commercial
• Itemised scope — general clean, carpets, oven, windows, walls as separate lines
• Crew size and estimated duration
• What's included and excluded
• GST and payment terms

Typical add-on rates

The base clean is rarely the whole job. Price extras as separate line items so the client sees the value and you're paid for the work:

• Carpet steam clean: $30–$50 per room
• Oven detail clean: $60–$120
• Interior windows: $5–$10 per pane, or $80–$200 per job
• Wall washing / mark removal: $40–$80/hr
• Fridge or cupboard interiors: $30–$60 each
• Balcony / garage: $40–$100 depending on size

Pricing an end-of-lease clean

Bond cleans are the highest-value cleaning quotes and the most likely to be compared against competitors. Build the price from: base clean (by property size) + carpets + oven + windows + any detailing. Always state whether the clean is "bond-back guaranteed" and what that guarantee covers — it's a strong reason for a property manager to choose you over a cheaper quote.

Exclusions worth stating

• "Price assumes property is empty of furniture and personal items"
• "Excessive mould, pet hair or rubbish removal quoted separately"
• "External windows above ground floor not included"
• "Price assumes power and running water are connected on site"

A reusable cleaning quote template

Standardise it: business details → property and clean type → line items (base clean + each add-on) → crew size and duration → subtotal → GST → total → inclusions/exclusions → payment terms. Once the structure is fixed, you can turn around an accurate quote in a couple of minutes — while your competitors are still "getting back to you next week".

Related guides

• How to Write a Trade Quote in Australia
• Why Tradies Who Quote Fast Win More Work
• What to Include in a Trade Quote: Australian Checklist

Run a cleaning business? See how Insta Quotes generates cleaning quotes in under 60 seconds.