Cleaning businesses typically price using one of three models, each with real tradeoffs.
Per hour is simplest to calculate but penalizes efficiency, a fast cleaner earns less for the same quality of work than a slow one, and clients sometimes worry about being "milked" for extra time.
Per job (flat rate) rewards efficiency and gives clients price certainty upfront, but requires you to estimate accurately, underestimating a job's difficulty eats directly into your margin.
Per square foot scales naturally with home size and is easy for clients to understand, but doesn't account for clutter, pet hair, or condition differences between two homes of the same size, most cleaners who use this model still adjust with a minimum job charge and a condition multiplier. Try the square-footage pricing calculator to see this in practice.
Many established cleaning businesses land on a hybrid: a square-footage or flat-rate baseline with an explicit surcharge for deep cleans, move-outs, or unusually dirty conditions, this captures most of the benefits of flat pricing while protecting margin on harder jobs.