Housekeeping costs
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Anonymous
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We have a cleaning lady who comes in twice a week. She comes in for about three hours each time. cleans, does laundry and a little organizing. Our house is large (2400 square feet), but we don't use a ton of the space. It is just my husband and I. We are gearing up for baby, and realize that it will be a bit messier.
She told me yesterday that her cleaning fees are going to go up to $250 a week. From $200, once the baby gets here. I don't expect her to do the baby laundry etc (might have nanny help)- but is this resonable? How much are you paying for housekeeping without doing childcare? Would it make sense to pay a nanny $800 more if they take care of the housekeeping? |
Anonymous
| That seems like a lot, especially since she's coming every week. We have a 1,600 square foot house and two kids (so yes, much smaller). Ours charges $100 per visit and she comes every other week. She doesn't do laundry or organizing though - just cleans the bathrooms, kitchen, floors, vacuums, dusts. Takes her about three hours. |
Anonymous
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Why do people assume the nanny forum is the place for housekeeper questions?
This is a NANNY forum go post elsewhere |
Anonymous
| $50 for an extra person. Ok, so one room will change from a guest room/office or empty room to a baby room. Baby does not make a mess, adults do. $200 seems a lot for one person for 3 hours. I'd expect two people for 5+ hours for that kind of money. WIth one child, you may want to find someone willing to do both with the understanding as the child's needs change, you will reconsider hiring another cleaning person. When the child is 2-3-4 and in preschool and activities it is very different than ages 0-1.5. |
Anonymous
My apologies for ruining your day by posting my housekeeping question in the nanny forum. Even though I was hoping I can get some advice from people who have a nanny and a housekeeper, or a nanny who does housekeeping. |
Anonymous
Not to offend anyone with their prestigious "nanny" title, you may want to hire a housekeeper who enjoys kids and is willing to "caretake" as well. 
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Anonymous
OP, ignore the PP. this is also the "employer issues" section and is totally appropriate here. I think you are seriously overpaying. We have a bigger house (3600 sqft) with a large finished basement and 2, soon to be 3 children, and we pay $115 a week. My mother pays $90 for 3000 sqft. She only cleans though, no laundry, so for the laundry it makes sense to pay a little more. It usually takes her about 4 hrs though. |
Anonymous
| My housekeeper comes twice a week for 8 hours a day. She does laundry, heavy cleaning and occasional organizing for a family of three for $280 per week. You are definitely overpaying, OP. I prefer having a separate housekeeper since you don't have the problem of the nanny cleaning and not being able to attend to the children. Get a new housekeeper. |
Anonymous
| ^^Our house is 5000+ but not all rooms are used every week. We also have no pets. |
Anonymous
| Op don't pay more. Either tell her your sticking to the original 200 or you'll find someone else. |
Anonymous
| I mean, it's fine that you posted here, but I agree it's a little frustrating that housekeeper ads/questions get posted here. Many MBs clearly have trouble differentiating between the positions. |
Anonymous
This. I get why you posted here. I don't get why Jeff has them both here as though they are the same. We have a hard enough time getting MBs to understand the difference, and that doesn't help. |
Anonymous
But some nannies DO housekeeping and OP's post ended with the question of whether she should just hire a nanny who is willing to do housework and pay her $800 extra. |
Anonymous
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Op-keep the duties separate and find a new housekeeper, you are being seriously overcharged. Standard nanny duties will include baby laundry and basic tidiness, and for the first few months there really won't be much additional mess. I keep the house in order for my nanny family during the week (kids laundry, dishes, straighten up etc...basically everything but bathrooms, adult laundry, dusting and mopping) and a cleaning person comes every other week for about 4 hours and charges $90.
You may need to adjust the frequency as your baby gets older, but I would cross that bridge when you come to it. |
Anonymous
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OP - I agree that you need separate people for nanny and housekeeper since the nanny won't do heavy cleaning to the degree that housekeepers do.
Secondly, you are overpaying THROUGH THE NOSE for your housekeeper. We pay $100 every other week for a crew of three people to clean a 3br 2bath, 2,200 sqft house top to bottom, and I mean, scrubbed clean. What does your housekeeper do to deserve her pay? Ours doesn't do laundry and organizing, but come on, can't you do your own laundry?? |