One extra hour can change the whole quote.
A $160 turnover leaves $22.65 after the modeled costs below. If cleaning takes four person-hours instead of three, the same fee produces a $6.10 loss.
The useful question is not just “Am I covering today’s costs?” It is “What happens when the next job takes longer?”
Start with the costs you actually pay.
| Per turnover | 3 person-hours | 4 person-hours |
|---|---|---|
| Labor at $28.75 / person-hour | $86.25 | $115.00 |
| Laundry, travel, supplies and allocated overhead | $46.30 | $46.30 |
| Payment fee at 3% of a $160 quote | $4.80 | $4.80 |
| Total modeled cost | $137.35 | $166.10 |
| Profit at a $160 quote | $22.65 | −$6.10 |
Person-hours count everyone’s time: two cleaners working two hours each is four person-hours. Include your own labor and labor burden. Count travel and laundry labor once, either in labor or in other costs.
A price that fits the usual job may miss your margin on the longer job.
With a 25% target operating margin and 3% payment fee, divide labor plus other costs by 0.72. The three-hour job needs $184.10 before rounding; the four-hour job needs $224.03. Whole-dollar quotes round upward to $185 and $225.
| Quote | 3-hour profit / margin | 4-hour profit / margin |
|---|---|---|
| $160 | $22.65 / 14.16% | −$6.10 / −3.81% |
| $185 | $46.90 / 25.35% | $18.15 / 9.81% |
| $225 | $85.70 / 38.09% | $56.95 / 25.31% |
Before your next estimate
- Use observed person-hours, including recurring longer jobs.
- Allocate laundry, travel, supplies and overhead to each turnover.
- Test a longer clean and decide which assumptions belong in your quote.
- Compare the modeled price with what customers will accept; define scope and extras clearly.
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