How to Quote a House Cleaning Over the Phone (Word for Word)
The questions to ask, the exact words to give a flat price and what to say when a client says it's too much, so more phone and text quotes turn into bookings.
Most beginners don't lose bookings because their price is wrong, you guys. They lose them in the conversation. They answer too late, they talk too much, and then they get nervous and offer a discount nobody asked for, right? And all of that comes from the same place, which is the fear of losing the job.
So in this post I'm giving you the exact way I quote a cleaning over the phone or by text, word for word. It's short on purpose, because when a quote is short and clear, people book faster.
Before the phone rings: have your price ready
You can't quote with confidence if you're doing math in your head while the client waits. So before you take a single call, have a flat-rate formula set up, okay?
Your formula prices every home from the same few things:
- The type of cleaning: standard, deep or move-in and move-out.
- Bedrooms and bathrooms.
- Square feet.
- Extras, like the inside of the oven or the fridge.
When your price comes from a formula, the price is the price. You're not guessing, you're not reading the client's face and you're not making up a different number for every person who calls. If you don't have yours yet, build it with how to price house cleaning, and test some homes in the free house cleaning price calculator.
Answer fast, because speed is money
If a lead waits three hours for you, they probably already booked somebody else. People asking for a cleaning are usually asking three or four companies at once, and the first one who answers clearly usually gets the job.
That's why a fast answer beats a perfect answer, y'all. You don't need a long, beautiful script you're reading off a page. You need to get back to them in minutes, not hours, with a clear next step.
If you're at work all day, be honest with yourself about how fast you can really answer. A quick reply on your break is better than a perfect reply tomorrow, and this is the exact problem Busy Book's Sarah was built for. She texts every new lead within a minute, day or night, asks the questions below, quotes your flat price and books the cleaning, and you can read every conversation and jump in anytime.
Ask a few questions first
When somebody asks "how much do you charge?", don't just blurt out a number. Ask a few questions first, because questions make you sound like a company that knows what it's doing, and they make your price make sense to the client when you say it.
These are the questions I ask:
- How many bedrooms and bathrooms do you have?
- About how many square feet is the home? If they don't know, that's okay. Ask them to guess, or look it up on a real estate site with their address.
- When was the last time you had a deep cleaning? If it's been a long time, or never, the first cleaning is a deep cleaning.
- Do you have any pets?
- Is this a one-time cleaning, or are you looking for somebody to come every two weeks?
That last question matters more than people think. A home that gets cleaned every two weeks stays in shape, so the recurring price can be lower, and a recurring client is worth way more to your business than a one-time cleaning, right?
Give the price and two days, then stop talking
This is the part where most people mess up, so read it twice, okay? When you give the price, give the next step in the same breath. I say something like this:
Based on your home size and what you picked, your total is $325. Do we have availability on Thursday or Friday?
Then pause. Don't say anything else. That pause is a silent close, and it's doing a lot of work for you.
Why this works:
- It's one number. Not a range and not "it depends." A range sounds like you don't know, and the client will always hear the low end.
- It gives a choice between two days, not a yes or no. The question in their head moves from "should I book?" to "which day is better?"
- It doesn't beg. You're not asking for their business. You're telling them what it costs and when you can be there, and confidence removes the friction.
Most clients want direction. They want to know what it costs, when you're available and what happens next, and that's it. Give them those three things in two sentences and let them answer.
When they say "that's more than I expected"
Somebody's going to say it, and that's normal. Honestly, if every single person says yes instantly, that's your cue you're priced too low. A healthy business hears "that's higher than I expected" on a regular basis.
So don't panic and don't drop the price. Say something like:
I hear you. Our prices include vetted, reliable cleaners, and if anything isn't right, we'll come back and make it right.
Then stop talking again and let them think. A lot of people will book right there after that pause, and the ones who don't are the clients who were going to haggle you on every single cleaning anyway. Let them go, y'all.
If you want to give them a way to say yes without cutting your price, offer a smaller job instead of a smaller price. For example, a standard cleaning instead of a deep cleaning if the home is in good shape, or a recurring schedule that brings each visit's price down.
The quote mistakes I see most
- Over-explaining. A paragraph about your products and your process sounds nervous. They can sniff that out, and nervous lowers your pricing power.
- Discounting before anybody asked. "I can do $300 instead" when they never pushed back just took $25 out of your pocket and your partner's.
- Quoting a range. "Somewhere between $200 and $350" turns into $200 every time.
- Asking "would you like to book?" A yes or no question invites a no. Offer two days instead.
- Not following up. Most people don't book off the first message. They book from the follow-up.
Follow up, because that's where the money is
If somebody got a quote and didn't book, that's not a no. They got busy, they're checking with their spouse or they're waiting for payday, right? So follow up the next day with something short:
Hi, it's ___ with ___ Cleaning. I still have Thursday open for your cleaning if you'd like it. Want me to hold it for you?
Then follow up once more a few days later. Short, friendly and helpful, never pushy, and never a fake "only one spot left" if it isn't true.
A text quote, start to finish
A lot of quotes happen by text now, and the same rules work. This is what one looks like from start to finish:
| Who | Text |
|---|---|
| Client | Hi, how much for a cleaning? |
| You | Hi! I'd love to help. How many bedrooms and bathrooms, and about how many square feet? |
| Client | 3 bed, 2 bath, around 1,800. |
| You | Got it. When was your last deep cleaning, and is this one time or every two weeks? |
| Client | It's been a while. Every two weeks would be nice. |
| You | Perfect. Your first cleaning is a deep cleaning at $___, then every two weeks is $___. I have Thursday or Friday open. Which works better? |
Five texts, one price and a choice of two days. Nobody played phone tag, and nobody had to come look at the house.
Make every quote look the same
Whether it's you answering, a virtual assistant or Sarah, every client should hear the same price for the same home and the same next step. That's what makes your business feel like a company instead of a person. Write your questions and your quote lines down, and if you send written quotes, use the same layout every time. The free house cleaning estimate template is a good place to start.
Questions people ask
How do you quote a house cleaning without seeing the home?
Ask for the bedrooms, bathrooms, square feet, pets, the last deep cleaning and how often they want cleanings. Then price it with your flat-rate formula. Promise to come back and re-clean anything that isn't right, so the client feels safe booking from the details.
Should I give a cleaning quote over the phone or in writing?
Give the price right away on the phone or by text, because speed wins the booking. Then send it in writing when they book, so the price, the date and what's included are all in one place.
What do I say when a client says my price is too high?
Stay calm and don't drop the price. Say something like, "I hear you. Our prices include vetted, reliable cleaners, and if anything isn't right, we'll make it right." Then pause and let them decide. If they need a smaller number, offer a smaller job instead of a smaller price.
How fast should I respond to a cleaning lead?
Within minutes if you can. People usually ask several companies at once, and the first clear answer often gets the booking. If you're at work, an automatic text or an AI assistant can answer for you.
Should I quote a range or one price?
One price. A range sounds unsure, and clients hear the low end. A flat-rate formula lets you give one clear number for every home.
