How many hours to pay a cleaner for this house?

[ChocolateLover2000]

3 bed but the second bedroom is really a large single, and the third is a cot room/study only. (The two kids are in bunk beds in the second bedroom.)
Small upstairs bathroom
Smallish sitting room
Very good size extended kitchen
Utility room including toilet
Hall, stairs and landing

Family of four

Don't expect inside of fridge, cupboards etc doing. Don't want bed sheets changed or any ironing.

I'd rather have something every fortnight than once a week.

Is three hours enough? Or should I accept I need to pay for four?

Just had a cleaner come for the first time. She seemed quite stressed and said 3 hours wasn't enough. But she was very thorough, more than I expected really.

Could you do what you are asking her to do in three hours?

I would pay for four it Cut some of her duties.

Yes I think I could but I guess I couldn't be as thorough as she seems to want to be.

Do you have pets ? I could do it in that time at a push just about , it depends how experienced she is , I manage my time well
If you have pets then no , I couldn't do it in that time
If shes good and thorough I'd give her 3.5 hours. To be Honest I hated a 4 hour clean without a break , constant cleaning every week . I had one house that took 3 hours and it took a massive chunk of my day . She had to ge the first clean 9am .
Could she split in twice a week to 2 hours a monday and a Thursday. That is what I would suggest.

The first clean always takes longer anyway. 3 is really pushing it, and 4, depending on how thorough she was, might be tight too.

Its funny when its your job and you get stuck in, you find nooks and crannies that get missed by clients, but once they're done they don't need doing again/just a quick once over. Those things are the things though that when the client walks in they say, "wow" and make a cleaner worth the money.

If you just want the extra pair of hands "blitz" and the ground covered rather than a deeper clean, tell her that. Or if you want thorough, let her crack on. It won't need thorough every single time she comes.

I agree with the "it takes longer to begin with".
My cleaner told me this before she started and it has definitely been the case.
I think when she gets going 3 will probably be enough.
I would say to her that you'd like 3 hours, but to prioritise X Y and Z and only bother with a b and c if she gets time at the end.

It isn't the same as what you could do in the time, as, in our own homes we get distracted / side tracked by things but when you are in and out to do a job, you don't.

Our cleaner takes 3 hours. That's for a large 3 bed house. She cleans living room, office, large kitchen, utility room, downstairs toilet. Single bedroom, double bedroom family bathroom, large double bedroom with ensuite.
The first time took her 3.5 hours but now takes her about 2.5. She said the first time takes longer. We have her every other week. She's very good.
Maybe give her a go or suggest 3.5 hours?

Thanks. I think I'll see how it goes with 3 hours next time, and consider increasing it to 4. I think she can do what I expect in 3, but she seems naturally very thorough, and to be honest it did look great after she'd left, so maybe 4 hours would be worth it.