Budget $174 to $256 for a standard one-time cleaning, $180 to $375 for a deep clean, $120 to $420 for move-in/move-out service, and $210 to $379 for post-construction cleanup. If a company quotes hourly instead of flat, expect $40 to $55 per hour on average, sometimes ranging as wide as $25 to $70 depending on your market. These 2026 figures are national averages, so treat them as your starting point, not your final number.
TL;DR:
- Most standard one-time cleanings for a typical home cost between $174 and $256, with deep cleans ranging from $180 to $375 depending on condition.
- Pricing varies significantly based on home size, with a 1,500 sq ft house usually costing around $180 to $260 for standard cleaning and up to $375 for a deep clean.
- Additional charges apply for specific tasks like appliance interiors, grout detailing, or window cleaning, often added as separate line items.
- Hourly rates average $40 to $55 per hour, but total costs depend on crew size, hours worked, and regional labor costs, which can be 20% to 40% higher in metro areas.
- Clarifying scope and requesting detailed, written estimates help prevent overpaying, especially since minimum fees and add-ons can inflate final bills.
Table of Contents
- New Home Cleaning Cost Snapshot for 2026
- Cost by Home Size: Bedrooms and Square Footage
- What Actually Moves the Price Up or Down
- Add-On Pricing You Should Plan For
- Hourly, Flat Rate, or Per Square Foot: Which Quote Wins?
- Getting an Accurate Quote: Your Scope Checklist
- How Octomaids Scopes a New-Home or Move-Out Clean
- What This Pricing Data Actually Tells You
- Book an Itemized New-Home Cleaning Quote
- Where These Numbers Come From
- Sources
- FAQ
New Home Cleaning Cost Snapshot for 2026
Here’s how the four most-requested cleaning types stack up before you factor in your home’s size or condition.
| Service type | Typical price range | What drives the low vs. high end |
|---|---|---|
| Standard one-time cleaning | $174–$256 | Home size, number of bathrooms, clutter level |
| Deep cleaning | typical range based on condition and detail | Buildup in kitchens/baths, first-time vs. maintained homes |
| Move-in/move-out cleaning | typical range reflecting scope and home condition | Empty vs. furnished, cabinet and appliance detail work |
| Post-construction cleaning | $210–$379 | Debris volume, dust penetration, rough vs. final clean |
Those figures come from Thumbtack’s 2026 pricing data and Angi’s move-out cost analysis. A few quick notes on reading this table correctly:
- Per-square-foot pricing typically runs $0.05 to $0.30, with new construction and deep cleans landing at the higher end.
- Hourly rates cluster around $40 to $55, per Thumbtack, though some markets range $25 to $70.
- Metro areas, including Seattle, Portland, and comparable West Coast markets, often run 20% to 40% above these national averages because of local labor costs.
Cost by Home Size: Bedrooms and Square Footage
Square footage is the single biggest price lever, but bedroom count is the shorthand most companies use for quick quotes. Here’s roughly what each size category costs across the four service types:
- Studio or 1-bedroom (up to 750 sq ft): $80–$150 standard, $150–$220 deep clean
- 2-bedroom (900–1,200 sq ft): $120–$200 standard, $200–$280 deep clean
- 3-bedroom (1,500–1,800 sq ft): $180–$260 standard, $250–$375 deep clean
- 4+ bedroom (2,500–3,000+ sq ft): $250–$400 standard, $350–$550+ deep clean
A 750 sq ft apartment usually needs one cleaner for two to three hours. A 1,500 sq ft home often requires either one cleaner for four to five hours or two cleaners for two to two and a half hours. Once you cross into 3,000 sq ft territory, most companies default to a two- or three-person crew, both to control the timeline and because a single cleaner working alone for six-plus hours starts costing more in labor than splitting the job.
The tipping point isn’t really square footage. It’s bathroom count. Each full bathroom typically adds 20 to 30 minutes of dedicated cleaning time, which is why a 1,500 sq ft home with three bathrooms often costs more than a 1,800 sq ft home with two.
What Actually Moves the Price Up or Down
Five variables explain almost every quote you’ll get, and understanding them helps you spot a fair price versus an inflated one.
- Condition and scope. A lived-in home needing a light refresh costs far less than one that’s been neglected for months, or an empty unit that needs inside-cabinet and inside-appliance detailing.
- Frequency. Recurring weekly or bi-weekly bookings typically earn a 15% to 20% discount compared to one-time service, since companies save on scheduling and client acquisition.
- Crew size and travel. A two-person crew costs more per hour billed but finishes faster; some companies also tack on travel fees for addresses outside their core service radius.
- Location. Regional wage differences, tracked by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, explain a large share of why identical homes cost different amounts in different cities.
- Add-ons and specialty tasks. Grout scrubbing, appliance interiors, and baseboard detailing each add time, and time is what you’re really paying for.
Pro Tip: Watch for minimum-fee traps. Many companies charge a flat minimum, often $100–$150, regardless of how small your space is, so a 500 sq ft studio might cost nearly the same as a 900 sq ft apartment.
Add-On Pricing You Should Plan For
Base cleaning packages rarely include everything a new home needs. These extras come up constantly and are worth pricing separately before you commit to a quote:
- Carpet cleaning: $30–$75 per room, depending on stain level and carpet type
- Oven interior: $25–$45 per unit
- Refrigerator interior: $25–$45 per unit
- Window cleaning (interior): $4–$8 per pane, or $150–$300 for a full-home package
- Grout and tile detailing: $50–$150 depending on square footage
- Junk or debris removal: $75–$200 depending on volume
HomeAdvisor’s cost data confirms these bands hold fairly steady across most metro markets. Bundling add-ons into your initial quote almost always beats hiring separate specialists. One crew already on-site for a deep clean can knock out the oven and windows in the same visit, while a standalone window-washing company will charge you a full trip fee just to show up.
Hourly, Flat Rate, or Per Square Foot: Which Quote Wins?
The pricing model matters as much as the number attached to it. Hourly quotes look cheap until you multiply them by crew size: a $50/hour rate with two cleaners working three hours is $300, not $150, because you’re paying for two labor-hours every clock hour. Always ask for total estimated crew-hours, not just the hourly rate.
Flat rates work better for straightforward jobs where scope is predictable, like a standard 1,500 sq ft home with no unusual clutter. Per-square-foot pricing, typically $0.05 to $0.30 per sq ft, gives you a fast way to sanity-check any quote against your home’s exact size.
By the numbers: National data pegs the average one-time cleaning at $174 to $256, with hourly rates averaging $40 to $55 per hour. A 1,500 sq ft deep clean at $0.20/sq ft lands around $300, which tracks closely with real-world quotes for that size home.
- Ask every bidder for crew size AND expected hours, not just a price.
- Confirm whether supplies and equipment are included or billed separately.
- Get the per-square-foot equivalent if you’re comparing a flat-rate quote against an hourly one.
Getting an Accurate Quote: Your Scope Checklist
Vague quotes lead to disputed final bills. Whether you’re a homeowner scheduling a post-move-in clean or a renter trying to protect a security deposit, ask for these specifics before you book:
- Request line-item scope. Confirm whether the quote includes inside cabinets, inside the refrigerator and oven, baseboards, window tracks, garage floors, and interior wall spot-cleaning.
- Ask how many cleaners and how many hours. A two-person crew for two hours and a one-person crew for four hours cost roughly the same in labor but finish at very different times.
- Confirm supplies and minimum fees upfront. Some companies charge extra if you want them to bring vacuum equipment or eco-friendly products.
- Get everything in writing. A dated, itemized estimate is the only real protection if the final bill doesn’t match what was discussed.
Renters have an added incentive here: keep your cleaning receipt and take dated photos of every room after the clean finishes. That documentation helps if a landlord disputes your deposit claim, though a clean receipt alone doesn’t guarantee deposit recovery.
Pro Tip: When comparing three bids, line them up side by side with identical scope items. A “cheap” quote missing four line items your “expensive” quote includes isn’t actually cheaper.
How Octomaids Scopes a New-Home or Move-Out Clean
Pricing conversations always start the same way: with the actual scope, not a generic square-footage formula. Our approach reflects a few consistent habits:
- A dedicated team is assigned to each job rather than rotating in whoever is available.
- We walk through the line items that matter most for new-home and move-in/move-out situations: cabinet interiors, appliance detailing, baseboards, and window tracks.
- We quote based on what your specific home needs, not a one-size-fits-all package.
- Technicians are background-checked, trained, and insured before they step onto a job site.
For readers weighing scope decisions on their own, our guides on move-in cleaning costs and what to clean before moving out go deeper into room-by-room planning.
What This Pricing Data Actually Tells You
The national averages in this article are useful, but they hide a bigger truth: most people overspend not because they picked an expensive company, but because they didn’t define scope before asking for a price. A $180 quote and a $350 quote for the “same” deep clean usually aren’t the same job at all. One almost certainly skips inside-appliance detailing or baseboards.
Where conventional advice falls short is treating hourly rates as the primary comparison point. They’re not. Crew-hours are. A company quoting $45/hour with three cleaners for ninety minutes is cheaper on paper than one quoting $35/hour with a single cleaner for four hours, but the first job costs $202.50 and the second costs $140. Do that math before you compare “hourly rates” at all.
If you take one thing from the pricing ranges here, prioritize getting a written, line-item scope before you compare any numbers. The price only matters once you know what it’s actually buying.
— Steven
Book an Itemized New-Home Cleaning Quote
Octomaids is the alternative to guessing at a flat-rate quote: instead of a generic per-bedroom price, you get a scoped estimate built around your actual move-in, move-out, or post-construction needs, from the same background-checked team every visit.
If you’re settling into a new home, our move-in/out cleaning service covers the detail work that standard cleanings skip, cabinet interiors, appliance detailing, and baseboards included. Just closed on a place that needs a single deep reset before you unpack? One-time deep cleaning is built for exactly that. And if you’d rather never think about this again, recurring home cleaning locks in a consistent schedule and typically costs less per visit than repeated one-time bookings.
To get an accurate number, we’ll ask about your square footage, bedroom and bathroom count, current condition, and any add-ons you want included. Most estimates turn around within a day. The company serves the Vancouver, WA and Portland, OR metro area. Request your scoped quote online or call to talk through your specific move-in timeline.
Where These Numbers Come From
- Thumbtack’s 2026 house cleaning pricing report for national one-time and hourly averages
- Angi’s move-out cleaning cost guide for move-in/move-out ranges
- HomeAdvisor’s house cleaning cost data for deep-clean and add-on pricing
- Thumbtack’s post-construction cleaning rates for new-build cleanup costs
- Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data for regional pricing context
Sources
- 2026 House Cleaning Prices | Get Free Cost Estimates
- How Much Does a Move-Out Clean Cost? 2026 Data | Angi
- Cost to Clean House – HomeAdvisor (2026)
- Post-construction cleaning rates (Thumbtack)
- Occupational Employment Statistics (BLS)
FAQ
How Much Does a New Build House Clean Cost?
Post-construction cleaning for a new build typically runs $210 to $379 nationally, depending on debris volume and whether you need a rough clean or a final detailed clean. Larger new builds with heavy dust and construction debris land at the higher end of that range.
Is $20 an Hour Good for House Cleaning?
$20 an hour is below the national average, which runs $40 to $55 per hour for professional cleaning services. A rate that low often signals an inexperienced provider, no insurance coverage, or a company cutting corners on background checks and training.
How Long Should It Take to Clean a 1,500 Sq Ft House?
A standard clean of a 1,500 sq ft home typically takes one cleaner four to five hours, or two cleaners about two to two and a half hours. Deep cleans or move-out cleans on the same size home often add one to two hours because of detail work like inside cabinets and appliances.
How Much to Clean a 750 Sq Ft House?
A 750 sq ft home typically costs $80 to $150 for a standard cleaning and $150 to $220 for a deep clean, based on national pricing patterns. Expect the lower end if the home is already tidy and the higher end if it needs a first-time deep clean or move-out detailing.
Recommended
- Home Cleaning Time Cost Analysis: 2026 Guide
- Avoid Surprise Costs: 2026 Post Renovation Cleaning Rates for Owners
- How Professional Cleaning Pricing Works in 2026
- Vetting Trustworthy Home Cleaners: Your 2026 Guide
About Octomaids
Octomaids is a locally operated professional cleaning company serving Vancouver, Clark County, and the surrounding Portland metro area. Since 2006, our cleaning teams have helped homeowners, renters, property managers, and businesses with recurring cleaning, deep cleaning, move-in/move-out cleaning, and commercial cleaning.
Our cleaning articles are reviewed to ensure the information reflects our real-world experience and professional cleaning practices.