Question

What are the prices for cleaning business in Lusaka per boarding house per month

Answer 1

Do you mean “how much should I charge” or “what do local cleaners usually charge”? Either way I can give realistic pricing guidance — but I’ll need a few details (number of rooms, cleaning frequency, included tasks such as laundry or linen changes, whether you provide cleaning supplies) to make an exact quote. Below are practical price ranges, common charging models, and worked examples you can use to set rates in Lusaka.

Key factors that determine price
- Number of rooms in the boarding house
- Frequency (daily, 3×/week, weekly)
- Scope: room tidy only, full room clean, shared/common areas, toilets, kitchen
- Extra services: laundry, linen changes, deep cleaning, pest control, trash removal
- Whether you supply cleaning materials (add cost if yes)
- Travel time and scheduling (weekend/holiday surcharges)

Typical charging models
- Per room per clean (easy for boarding houses with many tenants)
- Per house per month (flat-rate package)
- Per hour (for irregular or variable work)
- Add-ons charged per item (linen wash, deep clean, window wash)

Suggested price guidelines (Zambian Kwacha, ZMW)
- Per room, per clean
- Basic tidy (sweep, dust, bin empty): ZMW 10–25
- Standard clean (wipe surfaces, mop, bathroom clean): ZMW 25–60
- Deep clean (detailed, includes windows, cupboards): ZMW 70–150
- Common areas (monthly)
- Small boarding house common areas: ZMW 150–400 / month
- Larger common areas (kitchen, dining hall, many bathrooms): ZMW 400–1,200 / month
- Laundry / linen change
- Per bed linen change & wash: ZMW 10–40
- Bulk laundry contracts can be discounted

Worked examples (estimates)
- Small boarding house — 10 rooms, weekly standard clean (ZMW 40/room/clean)
- Per room monthly: 40 × 4 = ZMW 160
- Rooms total: 160 × 10 = ZMW 1,600
- Common areas: ZMW 300
- Monthly total ≈ ZMW 1,900–2,000
- Medium — 20 rooms, weekly standard clean (ZMW 40)
- Rooms total monthly: 40 × 4 × 20 = ZMW 3,200
- Common areas: ZMW 400–600
- Monthly total ≈ ZMW 3,600–3,900
- Intensive/daily tidy service — 10 rooms, daily tidy (ZMW 15/day)
- Per room monthly: 15 × 30 = ZMW 450
- Rooms total: 450 × 10 = ZMW 4,500
- Common areas: ZMW 400
- Monthly total ≈ ZMW 4,900–5,000

Other pricing notes
- Deep/one-off cleans: charge a premium (ZMW 80–200 per room depending on condition).
- Supplies: either include supplies in the package (add a supply fee or markup 10–25%) or have the client provide them.
- Discounts: offer per-room discounts for large houses or long-term contracts.
- Profit target: aim for a gross margin of 20–40% after labour and supplies to be sustainable.

Next step
If you tell me:
- number of rooms,
- how often you’ll clean each room,
- whether you must clean shared facilities,
- whether you provide supplies and laundry,

I can give a tailored monthly price (and a sample contract/price sheet) for boarding houses in Lusaka.