Starting a home cleaning business is a simple matter, requiring only minimal expense and effort. One has only to determine where the business will be operated, obtain a business license or permit for that area and begin advertising.
When deciding where to conduct business, one should choose an area that is relatively affluent, as well as being fairly easy to reach. In my case, living in San Diego, CA, I chose the town of Coronado, Ca. Coronado is a small but very wealthy community located approximately six miles from my home. Because Coronado is small, I am able to ride the bus there, and then walk from job to job once I'm there.
Once the location has been chosen, contact its City Hall to get a business license. Since home cleaning is performed on-site, you can use your home address and phone number and avoid unnecessary paperwork. Furthermore, if you simply use your own last name as the business name, i.e. Holly Turner Home Cleaning, you won't have to bother with a "ficticious" name.
Advertising can be done in local newspaper classified sections, or by flyers, doorknob hangers or "tear-off" posters.
Before calls start coming in, figure out how much you will charge. My rates are based on $15.00 per hour. Before setting your hourly rate, call around to some home cleaners in the area and find out what they are charging. If you are estimating a one-time job, or don't know how long the job will take, simply quote your hourly rate. .
To give "flat rate" estimates, figure out approximately how long it will take you to clean homes of various sizes. For instance, it should take around 2 hours to clean a 1 bedroom, 1 bath home, 2.5 hours for a 2 bedroom, 1 bath home, 3 hours for a 2 bedroom, 2 bath home, etc. Take into account that wood floors take longer than carpets, etc. Also, be aware that some clients are simply more neat and tidy than others, and that their homes will be faster and easier to clean.