Hiring a cleaner
Cleaning lady vs cleaning company in Edmonton: how to choose
Solo cleaner vs company — different tradeoffs around price, insurance, continuity, and what happens if something breaks. The 5-question framework that decides it.
TL;DR
Solo cleaners are cheaper ($25-40/cleaner-hour) but you take on the risk of no insurance and no backup if they're sick. Cleaning companies cost more ($35-60/cleaner-hour or flat tiers) but absorb insurance, scheduling, and continuity risk. The decision is about what risk you're willing to carry yourself.
About 35% of Edmonton households who pay for cleaning use a solo cleaner; the rest use a company. Neither is universally right. The split tells you the market has settled into a stable tradeoff.
The 5-question decision framework
- Do you need GST receipts for tax deduction? Company. Most solo cleaners don't register for GST below $30K revenue.
- Do you have valuables in the home you'd hate to lose? Company. Companies carry fidelity bond covering theft; solo cleaners almost never do.
- Do you need 100% schedule reliability (Airbnb host, business)? Company. Solo cleaner sick = no clean. Company sends a backup.
- Is your home small (≤1500 sq ft) and your needs simple? Solo cleaner. Less overhead, simpler relationship.
- Do you want the lowest possible price and you accept the risks? Solo cleaner. 30-40% cheaper.
What companies do that solos can't
- Liability insurance ($1-2M general liability covers if something breaks)
- Fidelity bond covers theft by an employee
- Backup cleaners if your primary is sick or on leave
- Written contracts, re-clean policies, dispute resolution
- Background-checked staff (companies verify; solos rarely do their own checks)
What solos do that companies can't
- Lower price — fewer overhead layers to fund
- Personal relationship that survives turnover
- Flexibility on edge cases that don't fit a company's process
- Often closer to the work itself — owner-operators care about every visit
If you choose the company path, the eight questions from our hiring guide sort the serious operators from the rest. See also our own service list as a baseline for what insured, recurring residential service looks like in Edmonton.
Frequently asked
- Are solo cleaners safe?
- Most are. The risk isn't safety — it's accountability if something goes wrong. A good solo cleaner is more reliable than a bad company, but the floor is lower.
- Can I ask a solo cleaner for proof of insurance?
- Yes. Many solo cleaners carry $1M general liability through a small-business package. If they don't, ask why and weigh the risk.
- What if I want a company-quality service from a solo cleaner?
- Some solo operators run a company-grade business with insurance and clear contracts. They charge company prices ($35-50/hour) but you get one consistent person. Rare but excellent when you find one.
- Is one obviously better for move-out cleans?
- Companies are safer — they're insured if the landlord disputes the work, and they typically provide itemised receipts. Solos sometimes do excellent move-outs but without the paperwork backup.
Related
- Hiring a cleanerHiring a cleaning service in Edmonton: 8 questions to ask first
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- Hiring a cleanerBest cleaning services in Edmonton — and how to choose between them
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- Hiring a cleanerRed flags when hiring a cleaning service in Edmonton
Seven warning signs that should make you walk away from an Edmonton cleaning quote — pricing, insurance, scheduling, and the most common 'too good to be true' patterns.
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