MaidBossPro Blog — Quotes & Pricing

Pets and House Cleaning Pricing: When to Charge More and How to Note It

Pets are one of the biggest things a phone quote can miss. Two cats and a husky can turn a 3 bed / 2 bath recurring clean into a much longer visit, with hair on every couch, rug and stair. A pet also changes how the team works: which doors to keep shut, whether the dog is friendly, and where the litter box is. Pets belong on the quote for both reasons.

Why Pets Change the Job

Add-ons, covered in Pricing Cleaning Add-Ons: Ovens, Fridges, Windows, Baseboards, Cabinets, Laundry and Linens, are extras the customer chooses. Pets are different. The customer does not choose to add them to the clean, but they change the work all the same.

Shedding pets mean more vacuuming, more lint rolling of furniture, and vacuum filters and bags that fill faster. Some pets leave nose prints on glass doors and paw prints on floors. Litter boxes spread litter. Accidents happen. A house with a dog that sheds heavily simply takes longer than the same house without one.

Ask the Right Questions

“Do you have pets?” is only the first question. Follow it up:

• How many, and what kind?
• Do they shed much? Long hair or short?
• Are they allowed on the furniture and beds?
• Will they be home during the clean? Loose, crated or in the yard?
• Are they friendly with strangers? Any that should not be let out?
• Is there a litter box or pet area you want cleaned?

Some of these answers affect the price. Others affect safety and the team's routine. Both kinds should end up on the estimate.

Pricing Options

Cleaning companies handle pets in a few ways. Pick one and apply it consistently:

• A flat pet fee per visit. For example, $15 per visit for homes with shedding pets. Simple to quote and to explain.
• A fee per pet. For example, $10 per pet per visit, capped at a set amount. Fairer for multi-pet homes.
• Built into the base price. No separate line, but you bump the home up a size band for heavy shedders.
• Case by case. Charge only when pets clearly add time, decided after the first visit.

These numbers are examples only. Many customers accept a pet fee without complaint as long as it is stated up front. What they do not like is discovering it on the first invoice. If you charge for pets, put it on the estimate as its own line.

The First Visit Tells You the Truth

A phone description of “one small dog” can turn out to be a very large and very fluffy dog. Have the team note the actual pet situation on the first visit. If the home takes much longer than the price assumed, the office can talk with the customer before the second visit.

The first-time deep clean, covered in Pricing the First-Time Deep Clean Before Recurring Service Starts, is a good time to deal with built-up pet hair on baseboards, vents and under furniture. Recurring visits after that are easier to keep on schedule.

Pets on the Job in MaidBossPro

In MaidBossPro, pets are part of the cleaning details on the estimate, alongside cleaning type, bedrooms, bathrooms, square feet and extras. When the customer approves, the pet detail carries onto the job and shows on the team's phone: “Recurring Maintenance · 3 bed / 2 bath · 1,800 sq ft · Dog.”

Use the entry and notes field for the safety side: “Friendly lab, will follow you around” or “Cat is an escape artist, keep front door shut.” Because MaidBossPro remembers each home, the next job at that address fills in from the last one, including pets and notes, so nobody has to ask again. Automatic reminders the night before and on-the-way texts also give the customer time to crate the dog or put the cat in a back room.

Pets also affect the team in ways that are not about price. Some cleaners have allergies, and some are nervous around large dogs. Knowing about pets before the visit lets the office send the right team to the right home. A note such as “Two cats, long hair, allergy warning” on the job is as useful to the scheduler as it is to the team at the door.

Be Clear and Be Consistent

Pet pricing only causes friction when it is hidden or applied unevenly. Ask good questions, state any pet charge as its own line, confirm on the first visit, and keep the pet notes on the job so every team knows what to expect. For how pet details fit into your quoting process, visit the house cleaning estimate software page.