Pricing
Hourly vs flat-rate cleaning in Edmonton: which is fairer?
Hourly billing vs flat per-visit pricing — when each is honest, when each is a trap. Why we moved every residential and office service to flat per-visit tiers in 2026, and where hourly still belongs.
TL;DR
Both pricing models are honest in the right context. In 2026 we moved every residential and office service to flat per-visit tier pricing because the scope is predictable enough to be fair both ways. Post-construction stays on quote-on-inspection because scope swings too wildly to fit in a tier.
Both billing models are honest in the right context and abused in the wrong one. The way to tell the difference is to ask whether the scope of work is genuinely predictable.
When flat per-visit is fair
Residential cleaning of a known home has a tight bell-curve of completion time. A 2-bed/1-bath maintenance clean is 2.0–2.5 hours roughly 90% of the time. A flat tier price for that bedroom/bathroom count is fair to the homeowner (they know the number before the team arrives) and fair to the cleaner (a slow visit doesn't punish them, and they have no incentive to slow-walk a clean for billing reasons). Office cleaning by square footage works for the same reason — the room count and surface area are stable, even if a one-off catered-lunch mess shows up.
When hourly still belongs
Post-construction cleanup has scope variance that can't be predicted from any tier. A 1,500 sq ft condo finish can range from 8 to 18 hours with a two-person team depending on how the trades left it — hidden drywall dust, paint splatter on tile, tape residue, settling dust still in the air. We quote post-construction on inspection (or video review) and the quote is fixed before we start. Inside that quote, the team is paid per cleaner per hour; outside it, you don't see the math.
The two traps
- Flat-rate trap — quoted low to win the job, then 'add-ons' billed during the visit. Always ask what's included in writing and what triggers an add-on charge.
- Hourly trap — work paced to inflate hours. Mitigate by setting a not-to-exceed cap before work begins, and by checking visible progress at the halfway point.
Our pricing model in 2026
Flat per-visit tiers for every residential and office service: standard recurring from $120, deep clean and move-in / move-out from $185, Airbnb turnover from $120, office cleaning from $180 by square footage. Post-construction is the one exception — quoted on inspection with a fixed number before we start (typical projects $230–$570). Every tier price includes eco supplies and GST.
Frequently asked
- How do you size the flat tier?
- Residential is sized by bedrooms and bathrooms (1bd, 2bd, 3bd, 4bd). Office is sized by square footage (≤1000 / 1000–2500 / 2500–5000 / 5000+ sq ft). The tier is locked once you confirm the booking — no in-visit add-ons.
- Why moved away from hourly?
- Two reasons. First, hourly punishes households that are tidy on a recurring schedule — they ended up paying the same as households that needed more work, just because the team worked faster. Second, flat tier prices map to how clients actually think about cost. Everyone knows their bedroom count; few know how many cleaner-hours a 3-bath bungalow will eat.
- Are travel and supplies extra?
- No. Both are included in every tier price.
- Do you charge GST on top of the listed prices?
- Our advertised prices are GST-inclusive. The number you see is the number you pay.
Related
- PricingHow much does house cleaning cost in Edmonton in 2026?
Edmonton house cleaning prices in 2026: flat per-visit, scaled by bedrooms and bathrooms. Standard from $120, deep and move-out from $185, office from $180, post-construction quoted on inspection. What drives the number and how to compare quotes.
- Niche & specialtyOffice cleaning frequency for small Edmonton businesses
How often should an Edmonton office actually be cleaned? Frequency by team size, the three rooms that change the answer, and how flat per-visit office pricing compares to hourly billing.
- Move-in / Move-outMove-out cleaning prices in Alberta: what to expect
Alberta move-out cleaning costs in 2026 — Edmonton vs Calgary, condo vs house, what's included, and how the damage-deposit-back guarantee actually works.
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