10/30/2026
If I can clean your house in 3 hours instead of 4, should I charge you less?
I’ve been making some changes to how I clean lately. Changed up my routine, started carrying my supplies on a tool belt, and I’ve managed to shave a pretty significant amount of time off some of my cleaning jobs.
Same work. Same quality. Just a hell of a lot less unnecessary walking around.
But it got me thinking.
Some people believe that if a cleaner finishes quicker, the price should go down.
Personally, I disagree.
I charge by the job, not by the hour.
If we agree on a price to clean your house, you’re paying me to complete that job to the standard we agreed on.
You’re not paying me to stand in your house for four hours.
I mean, if that’s what you’re paying for, I’ll happily come hang out on your couch for the extra hour. 🤣
But seriously.
Why should becoming better and more efficient at my job mean I should make less money?
And here’s the other side of it.
If I eventually have an employee who’s able to do that same job in three hours instead of four, without sacrificing quality, that’s someone I want to reward with better pay and opportunities to grow.
Because being good at what you do should count for something.
Anyway, I’m genuinely curious what everyone thinks.
If you hire a cleaner for a flat rate and they start finishing an hour earlier while doing the exact same work, should you get a discount?
