Guide · First-time clients
What to expect from your first house cleaning visit
Letting someone into your home to clean it is a bigger step than it sounds. Here is what actually happens the first time, start to finish, so nothing about it is a surprise.
A lot of the people who call me have never had a cleaner before. They are not sure what to ask, whether they should clean up first, or what happens if something is not done the way they like. Those are fair questions, and the answers are simpler than most people expect.
I run a one-person business. I do every clean myself, so what follows is not a policy written for a crew — it is what I actually do when I come to your home for the first time.
Before the visit: the quote comes first
Nothing starts without a price you have agreed to. You tell me about the home — how many bedrooms and bathrooms, whether there are pets, roughly when it was last properly cleaned, and what you want done. Photos help, and for larger homes or offices a short look in person can be easier.
Regular house cleaning in Duncan starts at $50 an hour, with products and equipment included. That is a starting rate, not a fixed price. The size of the home, its condition, pets and the distance all go into the quote, and you get your figure in writing before I arrive. The pricing page sets out where each service starts.
For a regular weekly or bi-weekly slot, about a week's notice is usually enough. Short-notice jobs are often still possible, so it is always worth asking.
The first visit takes longer — and that is normal
This is the thing I most want first-time clients to know. The first clean in any home is the longest one. There is build-up that has had months to settle: soap scum on the shower glass, grease on the range hood, dust along the tops of door frames and picture rails. Clearing it once takes real time. After that, each visit is only keeping it there.
So do not judge the cost of regular cleaning by the first visit. It is quoted honestly up front, and the visits after it are shorter.
If it has been a long while, a one-time deep clean may be the better first visit. It covers what a regular clean is not built for — inside the oven and fridge, inside cupboards, baseboards by hand, grout — so regular visits afterwards start from a proper baseline.
On the day: getting in, and what I need from you
You do not have to be home. Plenty of people are at work and leave a key, a lockbox code or a door code. Others like to be home for the first visit, show me around, and hand over a key afterwards. Both are completely normal, and you can do whichever you are comfortable with.
If you are there at the start, a five-minute walk around is useful. Things worth telling me:
- Any surface that needs care — natural stone, unsealed wood, an antique piece
- Rooms you would rather I left alone, such as a home office or a teenager's bedroom
- Your priorities, if time is tight — most people say the kitchen and bathrooms
- Your pets, and anything they should not be near
- Where the vacuum outlet is hiding and which light switch does what
I bring my own products and equipment. If you would rather your own were used — because of allergies, pets or a particular surface — leave them out and I will use those instead.
What gets done in a regular clean
A regular clean covers the rooms you live in every day: kitchen counters, sink, stovetop and the outside of the appliances; bathrooms including toilets, sinks, tubs, showers and mirrors; dusting through the living areas and bedrooms; and floors vacuumed and washed.
Some things are extras, not part of a regular visit — inside the oven, inside the fridge, inside cupboards, and interior windows above reach. Those are quoted before the visit, never added on afterwards. Nothing is added mid-job without asking you first.
Pick up, do not pre-clean. Clearing clutter off floors, counters and beds means the time goes on cleaning instead of moving things. Scrubbing the bathroom the night before I arrive just means you did my job for free.
After the visit: feedback, payment and what comes next
The first visit is when I learn your home. If something was missed, or you would like a room done differently, tell me. That is how the second visit ends up better than the first. Because I am the one cleaning every time, you only ever have to explain it once.
Payment is by Interac e-Transfer or cash. One-time jobs are paid on completion. If you go on to a regular schedule, you get a short written service agreement covering the scope, rate, frequency and notice, and you are invoiced every few weeks rather than after each visit. There is no minimum term and no cancellation fee.
I work across Duncan, North Cowichan and the towns around them — the service areas page lists them. If you are wondering how often to book, this guide on cleaning schedules walks through it, and the FAQ answers the rest.
Common questions
Do I need to be home for the first cleaning?
No, but many people like to be, at least for the start. You can show me around, point out anything delicate, and then leave a key, lockbox code or door code for the visits after. Being out for the whole first visit is fine too.
Why does the first clean take longer than later ones?
Because there is always more to shift the first time — build-up in the bathroom, grease in the kitchen, dust on things that have not been reached in a while. Once that is cleared, regular visits only maintain it, so they are shorter. The longer first visit is quoted up front.
Should I tidy up before the cleaner comes?
Picking up clutter from floors, counters and beds helps, because the time then goes on cleaning instead of moving things. You do not need to clean before the cleaner comes. That is what you are paying for.
Do I need to provide cleaning products?
No. Products and equipment are included in the rate. If you want your own used — for allergies, pets, or a surface like natural stone — leave them out and those will be used instead.
How do I pay for the first visit?
By Interac e-Transfer or cash. One-time jobs are paid on completion. Once you are on a regular schedule, you are invoiced every few weeks rather than after every visit.