How much to pay a regular housekeeper?

[txtig]

Our house cleaner decided to retire on us earlier this year (go figure!!) after cleaning our house once a week for the past 18 years or so. She usually spent about 3 hours per week and we paid her $90 (cash) per cleaning. Now that we are FIRE’d, we haven’t replaced her and DW and I (but mostly DW) are picking up the slack.

 

[Car-Guy]

She is paid in cash. It seems most believe the current rate is low, and so I am planning a raise. I have been doing small things like giving her a $750 bonus at the end of the year, and when she has taken trips abroad to visit family I have paid her as though she worked, on average 1 week/year. I think these may raise her real average pay around $1/hour so average is $17.25. I plan to increase her to $140/day which would be $18.50/hour.

I seriously doubt she is paying taxes on any/all of that money. That's a raise.

 

[cooch96]

I pay $30/hr, which is after the veterans’ discount. The service brings their own gear, though I’ve offered to let them use mine. The service covers homes in the South Puget Sound (Tacoma-Olympia). I leave a check on the kitchen counter every 4 weeks before heading off to work.

 

[imoldernu]

Enjoyed the thread. We live in a different world.

 

[stedmakr]

We live in the DC area and pay $100 per visit twice a month. We also give our housekeeper an additional payment at Christmas. She spends about 3.5 hours per visit. Our house is 2300 sq ft and is all hardwood floors (takes more time). Our housekeeper has been with us for about 4 years. We trust her with a key to our house. My wife considers her service invaluable. No clothes washing ironing, or dishwashing.

 

[GravitySucks]

The op said that included laundry and ironing as well as cleaning.laundry is a PITB and don't get me started on ironing...

What's ironing?

 

[ivinsfan]

What's ironing?

I don't know I still have the iron we got as a wedding gift 45 years ago.

 

[W2R]

I have never had a regular housekeeper because I don't want one. My vision has become worse with age, and so I probably just don't see the dirt.

When I sold my old home, I moved everything out and then hired a housecleaner to do a deep cleaning on the empty house, to prepare for putting it on the market. She took three days, maybe 20-25 hours, but she didn't push herself much and she brought a toddler with her which was fine with me. The results were amazing, the house sold in 4 days, and she only charged me $200.

I had no idea that regular housekeepers were so expensive! Reading this thread has been quite educational.

My iron is in a stack of items destined for Good Will. I haven't used it since I retired.

 

[Scratchy]

Ha Ha ! The going rate here is $278/mth , but she is worth far more to us and all our friends want her as well. Gets here at 7:30 am, never late and picks up rolls from bakery on her way. Makes breakfast for herself and 2 year old and coffee for me and Wife. Takes son to school and cleans the apartment, cooks lunch for the four of us and picks up son at 12. Cleans again while the 2 year old and I nap. Has coffee ready when I wake up. plays with two year old till 5 pm gives him dinner and goes home.

We have a second housekeeper/cook/nanny that comes on Sat afternoon/Sunday's and when the primary is on vacation or one of the mandatory holidays (about 20 a year) but she is no where near as fast/organized as our primary.

She also travels with us and goes out to restaurants with us several times a week.

Sounds like a good deal for both parties

 

[Scratchy]

Maybe offer her a nice increase and see if she would be willing to cut back to once a week. I have a hard time imagining you would see much of a difference. I had twice a month cleanings for a similar size house and that seemed adequate but my standards may be lower.

We started out at once/week but she was not able to complete the work in that time. As I mentioned, she is not very efficient, but she is trustworthy and reliable.

 

[Scuba]

We have a housekeeping service in So CA that we pay $125 every 2 weeks, plus a holiday bonus of an extra $150 or so. The owner has been doing our home for over 20 years. He usually sends 2-3 women who spend a total of 1.5-2 hours. They change our sheets and wash sheets & launder them, but no other laundry is included. I think their rate is fair based on what I hear from others. I pay by check and make it out to a company as I prefer not to pay "under the table" cash. I know other people who pay a bit less but it's cash and a one person operation.

 

[frayne]

Fortunately I have a wife.

 

[MichaelB]

Fortunately I have a wife.

Oh boy. Something tells me this post is going to generate a variety of opinions and responses.

 

[REWahoo]

Fortunately I have a wife.

Me too - because we hire someone to clean our house for us.

 

[SumDay]

I pay $135 for a ~2700 SQ house. 4-5 women show up and are there two hours. Their monthly cleaning standards exceed what I would do if I spring cleaned. I love them.

 

[H2ODude]

$160 every two weeks for 2 people working 3.5 hours. I think it's a bit much, but I volunteered it as a gift to DW and there's no way we're discontinuing it now. It just p's me off when she spends an hour getting it ready the day before. Really? Must admit when they leave the house is sparkling clean in a way DW and I never got it.

If we lost them I'd lobby against. We had great references on these two and if there were any risk of others in the house I'd nix it. Same with the dog sitter, who's less available now so the dogs often go to jail.