How many hours do you think it should take...

[elliott]

...to do the following:
-Clean kitchen including hob, surfaces and mopping floor
-clean 1 small bathroom (toilet, basin and bath), 1 small shower room (toilet, basin and shower) and 1 washroom (toilet and basin) - not including washing floors
-hoover 3 big rooms and stairs/landings in 3 storey house
-empty bins throughout (9 rooms I think)

(We are rethinking domestic help and I'm trying to work out how many hours we need. There are other less frequent jobs to add as well (windows, dusting, changing beds, ironing, cleaning fridge) which wouldn't need doing every week.)

[dingdongDOZYMAREishigh]

I have a similar sized house and my cleaner takes 3 hours - she also dusts and tidies as she goes along, plus changes the beds every week. She cleans the windows downstairs as TBH, that is where the fingerprints are!

I do the ironing and fridge.

Is that what you were thinking?

[IwishIwasmoreorganised]

I'd say 3 hours should be more than enough - after all they have the advantage of doing it all in one go without any distractions!

[elliott]

Thanks. We are in a slightly complicated pickle really and currently not really getting value for money. the house is pretty big actually (3 storey victorian terrace with big rooms) but even allowing for this, I think the tasks we want done weekly shouldn't take more than 4 hours.

But, I am slightly loathe to try and look for someone new as I don't think its that easy to find good, reliable cleaners who don't cost the earth...

[dingdongDOZYMAREishigh]

whereabouts are you??? Maybe another MN can recommend someone? I am London and pay £7 hour. We are also 3 story, victorian terrace)

[elliott]

I am in Newcastle. Usually when I read 'how much to pay a cleaner' threads I feel embarrassed that we underpay, but I am relieved that we are paying more than you! (£7.50 an hour currently).
But I think I need to start another thread about recruitment...