Home › House cleaners › Walkthrough & estimate

Guide · House cleaners

How to do a cleaning walkthrough and quote a new client

A walkthrough is a 15–20 minute tour of a home before you quote it. It's the difference between a price you guessed and a price you can stand behind. Here's how to run one, what to ask, and how to turn it into a clear written quote.

In person, by video, or by photos?

• In person: the most accurate, and it builds trust. It's worth it for deep cleans, move-outs and large recurring homes.
• Video call: the client walks you through on their phone. This is fine for standard homes, and saves you a drive.
• Photos: quick, but people photograph their best rooms. Quote a range, and confirm the price on arrival.

Questions to ask before you look around

• What do you want: a one-time clean, recurring (weekly, biweekly, monthly), deep clean or move-out?
• When was the home last professionally cleaned?
• How many people live here, and are there any pets? Do they shed?
• Which rooms matter most to you? Are any off-limits?
• Do you want me to use your own products, or are there allergies or sensitivities?
• Will someone be home? How will I get in for future visits?
• Are there any extras: inside the fridge or oven, interior windows, laundry, bed linens?
• Where should I park, and is there anything unusual about access (stairs, gate codes)?

What to look at in each room

Go room by room and give each one a condition score from 1 (well kept) to 5 (heavy build-up). Note anything that changes the time:

• Kitchen: stovetop grease, the state of the sink and backsplash, how cluttered the counters are, and appliance fronts.
• Bathrooms: soap scum, hard-water stains, grout, glass shower doors (slow to clean), and the toilet base.
• Floors: carpet vs hard floor, the amount of pet hair, and stairs.
• Dust: blinds, shelves full of ornaments, ceiling fans, baseboards.
• Clutter: are you cleaning, or tidying first? Tidying is slow, so either price it or exclude it.

Turning the walkthrough into minutes

Use your own timed jobs if you have them. If not, start with rough baseline minutes for a well-kept room and adjust after every job. Here's an example for a 3-bedroom, 2-bathroom home, cleaned solo:

Area	Estimated minutes
Kitchen	50
2 bathrooms (30 each)	60
3 bedrooms (15 each)	45
Living and dining	35
Floors throughout (vacuum and mop)	30
Standard clean subtotal	220

First-clean adjustment. The home scored mostly 3s, so add 30% for the first visit: 220 × 1.3 = 286 minutes. Recurring visits should settle below the standard subtotal once the build-up is gone. In this example, you'd expect about 190 minutes.

From minutes to a quote

Price = (on-site minutes + travel minutes) ÷ 60 × target hourly rate + supplies

At a target of $45/hour with 30 minutes of round-trip travel:

Visit	Calculation	Labor
First clean	(286 + 30) ÷ 60 × $45	$237.00
Recurring (biweekly)	(190 + 30) ÷ 60 × $45	$165.00

Add supplies and round up to a clean number for each. Your rate and minutes will differ; the method is what matters.

What a written quote should include

• The type of clean, and a link to or copy of the checklist for it
• The first-clean price and the recurring price, shown separately
• Extras offered, with their prices
• What's not included (e.g. exterior windows, moving heavy furniture, biohazards, mold remediation)
• What you need from the client: clear counters, pets secured, fridge emptied for interior cleaning
• Cancellation and lockout terms, payment method and due date
• How long the quote is valid (e.g. 14 days)
• A note that the price may be adjusted if the home differs significantly from the walkthrough

After the first clean

Time yourself honestly. If the first clean took 340 minutes instead of 286, your baseline for that kind of home is off, so fix it for next time. If the recurring visits keep running long, talk to the client early. "Your home is taking about 40 minutes longer than we quoted, so I'd like to adjust to $X" is an easy conversation in month one and a hard one in month twelve.

Walkthrough mistakes to avoid

• Quoting on the spot before adding up the minutes. Say you'll send a written quote within 24 hours.
• Forgetting travel time and parking.
• Not asking about pets. Shedding dogs can add a lot of vacuuming.
• Leaving "clean" undefined. Attach a checklist so the client sees exactly what's covered.

Frequently asked questions

Should I charge for a walkthrough?

Most cleaners don't charge for local walkthroughs. Some charge a small fee that's credited to the first clean, especially for far-away homes or one-time jobs.

How accurate do estimates need to be?

Aim to be within about 15% on the first clean. Give yourself room by quoting the first clean separately, and setting the recurring price after you've timed two or three visits.

What if the home is much worse on the day?

Call it out before you start: "This is more than we saw on the walkthrough, so it will take about an hour longer. Shall I continue at $X, or focus on the priority rooms?" Having this in your written quote makes the conversation simple.

Going further

The Cleaning Client Forms Pack includes a printable walkthrough estimate worksheet, client intake form, service terms, quality inspection sheet and key log, so the process above is on paper and the same every time.

Disclosure: the templates linked here are made and sold by this site's shop. Minute estimates are illustrative; time your own jobs.