How much to pay a regular housekeeper?

[Scratchy]

I'm in Southern California and have a housekeeper come to my home 2x/week. She does cleaning of my 2300 sq. ft. home and laundry/ironing for 2 people. For each visit, she stays approximately 8 hours and receives $130.

Would love to hear what other people pay for a regular housekeeper, as I think it is time for another raise (she has worked for me for 12 years). I am only interested in arrangements directly with the housekeeper and no middleman, as the fees charged by companies that will send a housekeeper on an as needed basis will be different. Also, I think this will vary depending on geographic location, so if you can mention that it would be helpful

Thank you!

 

[ohyouknow]

$20-25/hr has been the going rate for us in TX and Germany.

 

[calmloki]

In Oregon I pay a cleaner $100-$120 to clean a 600' apartment. Our supplies, empty apartment, cleans bathroom, kitchen, strip & wax floors, runs rug shampooer. They usually blast it out in 4-5 hours. I miss the several OCD cleaners we've had that really did good jobs, hanging out of second story windows to clean them, dissassembling stoves and refrigerators, scrubbing light diffusers... A good cleaner is hard to find.

 

[TrvlBug]

$20-$25/hr in the Bay Area.

 

[Car-Guy]

Do you pay her with cash or by check?

I hope the DW doesn't read this thread.

Let's see 40+ years x Hours per week X $$ per hour = A Lot

 

[Jerry1]

Instead of asking here, after 12 years, I would ask her. To me, what you're paying her seems low but I have no idea of her situation. That could be extra scratch for her and she loves what she's doing and is willing and happy to do it for less than market. On the other hand, she could be barely scraping by and you may be at the point where paying her significantly more could make a significant impact on her life. My point is that after 12 years with someone, the market is irrelevant. I assume you trust her and she does a good job - what's that worth Personally, again, without knowing anything, I'd bump her up to 150 to 160 a visit and then give her either an annual raise or a nice bonus each year thereafter.

 

[REWahoo]

I'm in Southern California and have a housekeeper come to my home 2x/week. She does cleaning of my 2300 sq. ft. home and laundry/ironing for 2 people. For each visit, she stays approximately 8 hours and receives $130.

Sounds low to me.

We pay $85 for cleaning a 2,700 SF home, no laundry or ironing. Takes her ~ 3 hours and she has a 30 minute drive to get here. She started out at $75 and I bumped her pay $5 after a couple of years, then another $5 a couple of years later. We also double her pay as a bonus her last cleaning of the year.

 

[aaronc879]

OP is paying $16.25/hr in cash I assume. That income is likely not taxed. An awful lot of people do more difficult work for much less. Seems like a good deal for the cleaning person especially if they have another client for a couple other days a week. I would maybe give her a $20 bonus per week if she continues to do excellent work but she is already getting paid well IMO.

 

[Senator]

For each visit, she stays approximately 8 hours and receives $130.

I do not have a paid housekeeper, the DGF does it all. It's part of the deal.

Having said that, $130 for 8 hours is $16.25 an hour. Unless you are paying payroll taxes for her, and I would guess you are not, she needs to cover her employer SS. That's 7.65% for the employer side. She is then down to $15 an hour.

If she runs a business, that is not enough to make ends meet. If she was a worker, likely some benefits are part of the $15 an hour.

If you are paying cash, and she is very likely not even claiming it, whatever you can get away with is good. If you hired a cleaning service, you would likely pay $40+ an hour.

I hope the DW doesn't read this thread.

Let's see 40+ years x Hours per week X $$ per hour = A Lot

Assuming you are a full time security guard at the same amount of hours, it's probably even.

 

[JP.mpls]

Scratchy,
We have been paying $25/hour. Two people show up, and it takes them 2.5 hours to do a very nice job of cleaning a 1200 sqft. home. I remove the rugs, and pick up before they get here. So that comes to $125 for 5 hours of work, and we give them each an extra $10 tip.


The cost of living in CA is high compared to the midwest, and the labor rates should reflect that.


$130 for eight hours of work sounds very low, unless she is working very casually. If you really like her and her work, it might be time to give her a raise.


Good luck,


JP

 

[45th Birthday]

In one place we pay $30 per hour. This is through a small company, so they have insurance and most certainly pay taxes, etc. We have the same several people each time, and they do very nice work. They are the third set in as many years, and we will keep them. It's hard to find good cleaners.

In the other place, we pay $35 per hour. This is a high cost area, and most certainly they are not paying taxes, etc. They also do good work, and also clean for several very wealthy families whose names you would instantly recognize.

Both are in very seasonal locations, which might account for the cost also. We always have a team of 3-4 who work at once so they are not underfoot since we are home a lot.

In our most recent year-round type suburban community, we paid about what you are. I always thought we were underpaying her, and she was with us for a long time. After realizing what we are paying now, I feel badly that we didn't give her more. She was also excellent.

I think you should ask her, but definitely give he a bump.

 

[Scratchy]

Do you pay her with cash or by check?

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.

Instead of asking here, after 12 years, I would ask her. To me, what you're paying her seems low but I have no idea of her situation. That could be extra scratch for her and she loves what she's doing and is willing and happy to do it for less than market. On the other hand, she could be barely scraping by and you may be at the point where paying her significantly more could make a significant impact on her life. My point is that after 12 years with someone, the market is irrelevant. I assume you trust her and she does a good job - what's that worth Personally, again, without knowing anything, I'd bump her up to 150 to 160 a visit and then give her either an annual raise or a nice bonus each year thereafter.

Your suggestion is a good one generally but when I have given her raises in the past she has graciously suggested I am being very generous and a raise was unexpected. So asking her what she thinks is fair may not actually be fair to her given her humble nature. Regarding her work, and I am unhappy to have to say this, she is almost certainly well below average in terms of efficiency and organization. I rather believe most people could do the work she does in 1 day/week, or perhaps 10 hours instead of 16. But I have happily kept her for 12 years because I trust her implicitly and her work is good enough for me.

 

[youbet]

Since good help is very, very hard to find, pay her what it takes to keep her keenly interested in working for you. If she stays and is happy, you're paying enough.

Do you know her well enough to understand what her next best opportunity is?

 

[brett]

I don't pay her a dime. But she is a very expensive housekeeper and well worth it at thrice the price!

 

[NYEXPAT]

Here in Lima, Peru we have a full time housekeeper (56 hrs week) and we pay $370.00 a month.
We provide breakfast and lunch
She gets 3 weeks paid vacation
1 month salary for Christmas and 1 month for her birthday
This year we will start a pension plan ( 1 month salary/per year worked) earning 6.75% interest.
We currently pay her medicine out of pocket, will buy her health insurance next March.

 

[Scratchy]

Here in Lima, Peru we have a full time housekeeper (56 hrs week) and we pay $370.00 a month.
We provide breakfast and lunch
She gets 3 weeks paid vacation
1 month salary for Christmas and 1 month for her birthday
This year we will start a pension plan ( 1 month salary/per year worked) earning 6.75% interest.
We currently pay her medicine out of pocket, will buy her health insurance next March.

May I have her contact information?

 

[Ready]

We have a housekeeper come once every other week. She stays about 7 hours and we pay her $105. We pay her by check but we don't ask questions beyond that.

 

[Aerides]

2x a week for 2 ppl? 16 hours of solid cleaning every week? Sorry I don't mean to pick but that sounds like a heck of a lot of cleaning! And damn yeah my house would be so amazing if I spent that much time on it lol!

That said, I think the bump up to $140, which is $80 extra per month, is a good start, and really from what you mention I'd maybe go $150.

 

[Luck_Club]

Underground economy and feeling guilty

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 guess you won't be running for any elected offices.

 

[pb4uski]

I'm in Southern California and have a housekeeper come to my home 2x/week. She does cleaning of my 2300 sq. ft. home and laundry/ironing for 2 people. For each visit, she stays approximately 8 hours and receives $130.

Would love to hear what other people pay for a regular housekeeper, as I think it is time for another raise (she has worked for me for 12 years). I am only interested in arrangements directly with the housekeeper and no middleman, as the fees charged by companies that will send a housekeeper on an as needed basis will be different. Also, I think this will vary depending on geographic location, so if you can mention that it would be helpful

Thank you!

Well, if $130 was the going rate 12 years ago, $160 would be the going rate now with increases at CPI. That might be a place to start. We don't have a housekeeper so I can't help beyond that.

CPI Inflation Calculator
$ 130.00
in September 2005
has the same buying power as
$161.40
in September 2017

 

[Scratchy]

Well, if $130 was the going rate 12 years ago, $160 would be the going rate now with increases at CPI. That might be a place to start. We don't have a housekeeper so I can't help beyond that.

Actually she started in 2005 at $90/day and only 1 day/week. To this point I have given her raises every 2-3 years probably slightly more than keeping with inflation.

Simply matching the CPI would be one way to go, but I feel she is worth more than that calculation at this point. As mentioned previously there are intangibles suach as her value as a trusted worker, but on the other hand the fact I could probably hire someone else to accomplish what she does in one day/week. All these things add up to a rather grey area which is why I am interested in the experiences/perspectives of the contributors here.

 

[jazz4cash]

2x a week for 2 ppl? 16 hours of solid cleaning every week? Sorry I don't mean to pick but that sounds like a heck of a lot of cleaning! And damn yeah my house would be so amazing if I spent that much time on it ...

This is exactly what I was thinking.

 

[zinger1457]

As mentioned previously there are intangibles suach as her value as a trusted worker, but on the other hand the fact I could probably hire someone else to accomplish what she does in one day/week. All these things add up to a rather grey area which is why I am interested in the experiences/perspectives of the contributors here.

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.

 

[NYEXPAT]

May I have her contact information?

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.

 

[ivinsfan]

2x a week for 2 ppl? 16 hours of solid cleaning every week? Sorry I don't mean to pick but that sounds like a heck of a lot of cleaning! And damn yeah my house would be so amazing if I spent that much time on it lol!

That said, I think the bump up to $140, which is $80 extra per month, is a good start, and really from what you mention I'd maybe go $150.

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