Tuesday, May 22, 2007

Just clean my house.

I just talked to a few rival housecleaning companies to inquire about the rationality of a $500 estimate to clean my house, and they said that seems reasonable, if a little on the high side of the spectrum. One guy said, and I quote, "Three hundred, easy." He said "You've got to have someone that's insured and licensed. If they break something, they're going to replace it with no problem." I can understand that, but the most expensive breakable thing I own is probably a Lladro figurine worth somewhere in the neighborhood of $400. I could just put that in the garage, get someone who doesn't come with a bunch of bells and whistles, and save myself a few hundred bucks.

I am stunned that maids cost that much. Totally stunned. I'd love to meet the person who'd spend $500 to clean a house like mine. I've got some oceanfront property in Arizona I'd like to sell them.

After a long weekend break, today, the living room will face my wrath. Saving myself $500, one room at a time.

6 comments:

EAB said...

I'm pretty stunned at that price, too. My housekeepers charge me $60 a visit for basic cleaning (bathrooms, floors, kitchen surfaces, general dusting, changing sheets). I've had other housekeepers in the past who have charged me about the same, and my house is bigger than yours. Let me know if you want their phone # -- I meant to say something to you about it last week, and I forgot!

Shiksa on the move said...

I'm with you - that seems like an obscene sum of money. Besides, cleaning is like therapy, only less expensive and you have something tangible to show for it at the end. My parents only had a maid come a few times, and she managed to break my mom's favorite ceramic spoon rest that was made by my grandmother. Grandma was still alive, so she made mom another one, but I tell you what, no one else cleaned our house after that.

CluckyRN said...

I think I need to get mad. It is the only time I really do a good deep housecleaning. Complacency in my middle name.

~:>

Melinda said...

Okay, answer these questions.

1.) What do you do when Ace brings home an "inappropriate" date?

2.) If you had to live in any movie, what would it be?

3.) Are you ever embarassed of the outright sci-fi nerdiness of your husband and his friends? I mean, come on, we definitely push the dork envelope every once in a while.

4.) Of all the sci-fi you've been forced to watch, which futuristic technology do you REALLY want?

5.) If you were a chair, what kind of chair would you be? hehe

And yes, these word verifications are really fun. I've found the occasional odd or dirty word in them.

fwapah said...

I've lived in NYC too long.. that seems a slightly obscene but still fair enough price to me.

The DP said...

I think the price is ridiculous. I know Mississippi prices. My stepdad's house is almost 3000 square feet and the most he has ever paid is 200 in the Dell. Everyone knows Mississippi prices are lower :)
I think maids are only good for spring cleaning or for specific tasks...e.g. you have an "etc" room or a dirty garage and it needs to be cleared out.