What should i pay?

[PotterWatch]

We just got back from a trip to Arizona where we were for 5 days. We had some friends come stay at our house to feed our animals and generally keep an eye on the place. They were happy to house-sit as they currently live in a studio with their three young kids.

The wife does house cleaning and we asked her if she could clean our place while we were gone. She did an awesome job! Cleaned all the blinds and windowsills, dusted everywhere, moved furniture to clean underneath and behind things. Cleaned both bathrooms (my husbands bathroom was pretty gross as I leave it up to him to keep it clean), washed and folded all the laundry that was waiting in laundry baskets (two or three loads), generally just did a very nice job. So... what should we pay her? Our house is 1100 square ft, two bedrooms, two bathrooms, and a garage that we converted into a playroom (though that didn't require cleaning). I want to make certain we pay her enough!

 

[neVar]

well do you know what her normal cleaning rate is? i'd do that plus a tip- plus 20/day min for them watching the animals/staying overnight

 

[PotterWatch]

I don't know what she would normally charge but I called and left her a message this evening. I just know she is the kind of person who will short herself because we are friends and she would worry about charging too much. The house-sitting is something totally separate that we already agreed upon.

 

[debilorrah]

Heather is $100 out of your range? Because if I had it I would TOTALLY give it to them. It is soooo nice to hear about someone that was hired for a job that went above and beyond!!!!!

 

[Boyd]

the house keepers I've used over the years charge about 12-15/hour cash for their work. most of them are whirlwinds and save me 15-20 hours worth of my time and they only charge me 4 -5 hours a week.

 

[arabianequine]

I would pay a min. of $100 for 5 days and what work she did.

I know people charge $20 per day to just come feed the animals.

She did all that other cleaning on top of that though....so maybe more if you can.

It was awfully nice of her and glad everything was taken good care of.

 

[dewey]

For the cleaning part, $150 wouldn't seem out of line for what she did which included cleaning the blinds and some laundry folding. Most first time or 1 time only cleanings with a house that size would be $150, without blinds, any deep cleaning, or laundry, and that price woud pretty much be just cleaning over clean.

 

[annie3001]

100 dollars should do it.....

 

[SarahFair]

I know of people that get their houses dusted, vacuumed, bathrooms, and general cleaning for $50.
If she did your laundry and everything then fed your pets on top of it, Id go about 100-150.