How House Cleaning Is Priced in Greater Boston
By Extol Cleaning, owner Tamiris Kempner · Updated
House cleaners usually charge by home size in bedrooms and bathrooms, adjusted for condition, service type, add-ons and whether the home is empty or furnished, or set a fixed price after seeing the home.
How do house cleaners decide what to charge?
House cleaners decide what to charge by estimating how much work a home needs. The main factors are the number of bedrooms and bathrooms, how much cleaning the home needs right now, the type of service, the extras you add, and whether furniture is in place. Together, these set the quote.
Cleaning companies in Greater Boston use one of two common models:
- Price by home size. The quote starts from the number of bedrooms and bathrooms and is adjusted for condition and extras.
- Price by time spent. The client pays for the time the team is in the home, so the final bill is known only at the end.
Extol Cleaning quotes by the size of the home, in bedrooms and bathrooms, or gives a fixed price after seeing the home.
The rest of this guide walks through each factor, so you can understand a quote and compare companies on the same terms.
Why does the number of bedrooms and bathrooms matter most?
Bedrooms and bathrooms matter most because they describe how much there is to clean better than square footage does. Bathrooms carry the most detailed work in a home: toilets, tubs, showers, glass, tile, sinks and mirrors. A home with more bathrooms needs more work, even when the floor plan looks similar.
Square footage alone can mislead. A large open loft with one bathroom can need less work than a smaller house with three bathrooms and a busy kitchen. That is why most cleaners ask first about bedrooms and bathrooms, then about the rest of the home.
Other details that add to the work:
- A second kitchen or a wet bar
- Finished basements and extra living rooms
- Stairs between several floors
- Large amounts of glass, such as shower doors and glass tables
Bathrooms are the most detailed rooms in a home. The bathroom count shapes a quote more than any other single room.
How does the condition of the home change the price?
The condition of the home changes the price because the same house can need very different amounts of work. A home cleaned regularly needs maintenance. A home that has not had a professional cleaning in months, or has heavy buildup in the kitchen and bathrooms, needs more work to reach the same result.
Things that affect condition:
- Time since the last professional cleaning
- Grease on the stove, range hood and backsplash
- Soap scum and hard-water buildup in showers and on glass
- Pet hair, especially with several dogs or cats
- Dust after renovation or construction work
- Clutter that must be worked around
This is the main reason Tamiris Kempner, the owner of Extol Cleaning, prefers to see a home before quoting. A short look at the kitchen and bathrooms shows what photos and room counts can miss. When a visit is not practical, Extol gives a quote without one, based on what you describe.
If you want to describe your home and ask how it would be quoted, Call (781) 528-7227Text us
How does the type of cleaning service affect the quote?
The type of service affects the quote because each one covers a different list of tasks. A standard house cleaning keeps a home clean. A deep cleaning adds detailed work such as inside the oven and fridge. Move-in and move-out cleanings go further, with inside cabinets and appliances in an empty home.
Here is what changes from one service to the next at Extol Cleaning:
| Service | What it adds |
|---|---|
| House cleaning (standard) | Top-to-bottom cleaning of kitchens, bathrooms, bedrooms and living areas |
| Recurring cleaning | Weekly, biweekly or monthly visits that keep up baseboards and spot-clean interior windows |
| Deep cleaning | Oven, fridge, interior windows, baseboards, doors and light fixtures |
| Seasonal cleaning | A deep cleaning scheduled for spring or fall |
| Move-in and move-out cleaning | Everything in a deep cleaning, plus inside cabinets, inside the washer, dryer and dishwasher with its filter |
| Post-construction cleaning | Construction dust and residue on floors, surfaces, baseboards, doors, light fixtures and interior windows |
When you compare quotes from different companies, compare the task list, not just the service name. One company's "deep cleaning" can include items another company sells as extras.
What are cleaning add-ons and how do they change the price?
Add-ons are specific tasks outside the service you booked, priced separately and added to the quote. Common add-ons are inside the oven, inside the fridge, windows, laundry, a linen change and dishes. They let you pay only for what you need instead of moving to a bigger service.
At Extol Cleaning, add-ons apply only to services that do not already include them. A deep cleaning already covers the inside of the oven and fridge, so those are not charged again.
Available add-ons:
- Inside the oven
- Inside the fridge
- Windows (exterior windows are always an add-on)
- Laundry, washed and folded
- Linen change
- Dishes
At Extol Cleaning, walls are not washed in any service; they are dusted and spot-cleaned where needed. Knowing that in advance keeps the quote and your expectations aligned.
Does an empty home cost less to clean than a furnished one?
An empty home and a furnished home are priced differently because the work is different. An empty home lets the team reach every floor, wall base and cabinet, which is why inside-cabinet cleaning is part of move-in and move-out work. A furnished home has less open space but more surfaces, items and rooms in use.
At Extol Cleaning, inside cabinets are cleaned only in empty homes, as part of move-in, move-out and post-construction cleaning.
What to tell the cleaner about an empty or furnished home:
- Whether the home will be fully empty on the cleaning day
- Whether utilities, including water and electricity, will be on
- Whether appliances stay in the home
- Whether boxes or furniture will be in some rooms
These details belong in the quote. A home that is half-packed on the cleaning day is a different job from the empty home the quote was based on.
Get a quote for your home from Extol Cleaning
A quote built on the task list, not just the service name, lets you compare companies on the same terms. Extol Cleaning is a women-owned, insured company based in Malden, MA, serving Greater Boston, the North Shore and Salem, NH. Tamiris Kempner has cleaned homes since 2019 and opened Extol Cleaning in 2023.
To get a quote promptly, send:
- The number of bedrooms and bathrooms
- The service you want, such as standard, deep, or move-out
- A short note on the condition of the home
- Any add-ons and whether you have pets
Extol answers the same day when possible, within 24 hours. Payment is by Zelle, Venmo, card, check or cash. If you want this done for you, see standard house cleaning in Greater Boston and the North Shore. To send your home size, Call (781) 528-7227Text us
Frequently asked questions
Do house cleaners charge by the room or by size?
Most house cleaners quote by home size, measured in bedrooms and bathrooms, then adjust for condition, service type and extras. Some charge for the time spent in the home instead. Extol Cleaning quotes by bedrooms and bathrooms, or gives a fixed price after seeing the home, and can quote without a visit when needed.
Why do cleaning companies want to see the home before quoting?
Room counts do not show the condition of a home. A short visit shows buildup in the kitchen and bathrooms, pet hair, clutter and the surfaces involved, which lets the company give a fixed price that matches the real work. Extol Cleaning prefers a visit, and quotes without one when that works better for the client.
Is a deep cleaning priced differently from a standard cleaning?
Yes. A deep cleaning includes more tasks than a standard cleaning: inside the oven and fridge, interior windows, baseboards, doors and light fixtures. More tasks mean more work, so the quote reflects the larger list. Many homes start with a deep cleaning and then move to standard or recurring visits to keep the result.
Will the price change on the day of the cleaning?
With most companies that give a fixed quote, the price is agreed before the cleaning day. What usually changes it is a change in the job itself, such as adding extras, or a home in very different condition from what was described. Clear details when you ask for the quote, or a visit before quoting, help the quote match the real work.
Are windows and appliances included in the price?
It depends on the service. Inside the oven and fridge and interior windows are included in deep, move-in and move-out cleanings. In a standard cleaning they are add-ons. Exterior windows are always an add-on at Extol Cleaning, whatever service you choose.
What information do I need to get a cleaning quote?
Send the number of bedrooms and bathrooms, the type of service you want, a short description of the condition of the home, any add-ons and whether you have pets. For move-in or move-out cleanings, say whether the home will be empty. With these details, Extol Cleaning answers the same day when possible, within 24 hours.
Extol Cleaning, owner Tamiris Kempner. Updated October 27, 2026.
