Jump to content
  • Welcome to Celiac.com!

    You have found your celiac tribe! Join us and ask questions in our forum, share your story, and connect with others.




  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A1):



    Celiac.com Sponsor (A1-M):


  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Our Content
    eNewsletter
    Donate

Housekeepers - How Much Do You Pay?


love2travel

Recommended Posts

love2travel Mentor

With my constant chronic pain, many cleaning duties are very difficult or downright impossible. Our house is not as clean as it should be. So, I am going to hire a housekeeper to do spring cleaning and then come in each week or alternate weeks. The going rate here is about $25 CDN per hour which seems a bit steep. When I was working in a high level management position five years ago I was making that!

What is the going rate in your area?


Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):



Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):



Lisa Mentor

Ten dollars and hour, in North Carolina.

love2travel Mentor

Ten dollars and hour, in North Carolina.

What? How the heck do ours charge 2.5 times that much? One charges $30!!!

Lisa Mentor

What? How the heck do ours charge 2.5 times that much? One charges $30!!!

Yes, it's unusually low, but we are somewhat rural, economically challenged and jobs are scarce. :(

Darn210 Enthusiast

They charge by the job here. We now live in a more affluent community than where we lived 10 years ago (about 10 miles away). We paid about $20/hour 10 years ago and now it would be about $35/hour if we were to have one . . . we don't.

Cathey Apprentice

I had to check the conversion in $ first, we are pennies apart. I personally have never had a cleaning lady that's what god gave me my DH for. We both take it on and yes it's not perfect, as you know Love with my health issues.

We did have a cleaning lady for my in-laws several times before they pasted and I couldn't do it anymore. Just like spring cleanup on the lawn it's $100.00 first time, they bring 2-3 people and do everything, fridge in and out, stove, complete kitchen, bathrooms, bedrooms top to bottom, dust, vacuum, etc. Each week after that was $25 hr 1 person. They seem to get it done in 1 hour for a small house.

Love if it makes you feel better, do it. I'm with you in the daily pain suffering. Like I said do it, you can cut back $ wise somewhere else. You deserve it.

Cathey

love2travel Mentor

I had to check the conversion in $ first, we are pennies apart. I personally have never had a cleaning lady that's what god gave me my DH for. We both take it on and yes it's not perfect, as you know Love with my health issues.

We did have a cleaning lady for my in-laws several times before they pasted and I couldn't do it anymore. Just like spring cleanup on the lawn it's $100.00 first time, they bring 2-3 people and do everything, fridge in and out, stove, complete kitchen, bathrooms, bedrooms top to bottom, dust, vacuum, etc. Each week after that was $25 hr 1 person. They seem to get it done in 1 hour for a small house.

Love if it makes you feel better, do it. I'm with you in the daily pain suffering. Like I said do it, you can cut back $ wise somewhere else. You deserve it.

Cathey

An unclean house actually stresses me somewhat - I look around and wonder, where do I begin? Daily pain is so hard. I have not had one pain-free day in 4.5 years and it is getting old now. My husband tries to help out but his job is unbelievably stressful and he works 80-hour weeks often. He comes home exhausted.

Thankfully this is not a financial issue as we can afford it - I was just very curious to see how much others pay. We are hoping that the housekeeper could get all done in 2-3 hours per week or even every second week (after spring cleaning is done). We did have a housekeeper a few years ago and loved it but she went and moved. How dare she? :angry:


Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):



Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):



love2travel Mentor

They charge by the job here. We now live in a more affluent community than where we lived 10 years ago (about 10 miles away). We paid about $20/hour 10 years ago and now it would be about $35/hour if we were to have one . . . we don't.

Our oil community is extremely wealthy. Perhaps I should get with the times. Thirty five dollars an hour seems like a lot to me but it would be sooooo worth it.

Lisa Mentor

An unclean house actually stresses me somewhat

Oh, not me! It's high (really high) pollen season with windows wide open. I have taken great pleasure in writing graphite all over my furniture. :P:lol:

sora Community Regular

I used to be in that business and based on what was charged back then $25 an hour is about what the rate would be now. Also prices might be higher up there.

Usually you get a couple people in to do the big clean and then weekly maintenance of basic kitchen, bathroom and floors and dusting.

The weekly is usually about an hour for a smaller place.

You can ask if they will give a flat rate.

Go for it if money is not a problem. I would if I could. :)

love2travel Mentor

I used to be in that business and based on what was charged back then $25 an hour is about what the rate would be now. Also prices might be higher up there.

Usually you get a couple people in to do the big clean and then weekly maintenance of basic kitchen, bathroom and floors and dusting.

The weekly is usually about an hour for a smaller place.

You can ask if they will give a flat rate.

Go for it if money is not a problem. I would if I could. :)

Prices generally are quite a bit higher here (including groceries and such, too). Makes me mad that I have to pay US prices for my Amazon books. :angry:

Anyway, I found someone who gave me a flat rate of $60. It took three hours to clean our house (and she said it was cleaner than most already) top and bottom. She is adding in a spring cleaning chores each time she comes until it is finished then she said our house will take between two and two and a half hours to maintain bi-weekly. She said there is no need for her to come weekly as it is in good shape. It is a fairly large house which is ridiculous for just the two of us (most are like that in our town).

Was it ever nice to do my errands and return to a clean house. I love it!

Thanks for your professional opinion. :D

sora Community Regular

Prices generally are quite a bit higher here (including groceries and such, too). Makes me mad that I have to pay US prices for my Amazon books. :angry:

Anyway, I found someone who gave me a flat rate of $60. It took three hours to clean our house (and she said it was cleaner than most already) top and bottom. She is adding in a spring cleaning chores each time she comes until it is finished then she said our house will take between two and two and a half hours to maintain bi-weekly. She said there is no need for her to come weekly as it is in good shape. It is a fairly large house which is ridiculous for just the two of us (most are like that in our town).

Was it ever nice to do my errands and return to a clean house. I love it!

Thanks for your professional opinion. :D

You're welcome. :)

You got a good deal too!

love2travel Mentor

You're welcome. :)

You got a good deal too!

Great. I love deals! I certainly do not wish to take advantage of her, either.

I noticed a couple of minor spills on the kitchen tiles yesterday but I'm able to leave it now! :P She told me she hates it when people clean before she goes to their homes.

missy'smom Collaborator

Sorry to stray from the topic a bit but

I'm not sure what to think of the fact that housecleaning services fall in the same price range of private ESL/English Tutors... Scratching my head wondering what benefit there is to my degree and 10+ years of experience...and these days so many people don't even want to pay over $10 per hr. I got $13 per hr. when I worked for a private school.

love2travel Mentor

Sorry to stray from the topic a bit but

I'm not sure what to think of the fact that housecleaning services fall in the same price range of private ESL/English Tutors... Scratching my head wondering what benefit there is to my degree and 10+ years of experience...and these days so many people don't even want to pay over $10 per hr. I got $13 per hr. when I worked for a private school.

Man, I know what you mean! When I heard that the going rate here was $25 and sometimes $30 per hour for one person I cringed. No degree required. My girl has only two years of experience. One of the reasons for my initial post was because it just doesn't seem to make sense. Sure, the work isn't easy, but they make more than my sister who is a specialized teacher with fifteen years of experience.

Supply and demand of course play a role but it hurts when you make comparisons between trades/occupations.

JustNana Apprentice

My daughter lives in Marin County Ca. She pays $75.00 a week for about an hour and a half. Sometimes it's one cleaning person, sometimes two. Some days they are in and out in an hour and twenty minutes, sometimes it's two hours.

Of course they have no health care, paid vacation or sick time. There is no union to go to bat for them if they are summarily fired. The good ones are in great demand. The careless ones are quickly terminated.

It's almost pure capitalism. A person's worth is determined by the market there, not by titles and education. As many people in Ca have learned, that $120,000.00 education might not be such a great investment anymore. I know professionals who were used to high salaries and big bonuses who are unemployed or who are stunned to learn their plummer or HVAC person is making more money and working shorter hours.

It's a topsy turvy world.

I'd really like a sous chef. LOL

  • 2 weeks later...
JoyfulGF Apprentice

I was thinking about doing this once a week just to make a little chump change. I don't have to work because my hubs makes plenty and we have a business.

I have a friend who cleans houses in a couple towns over. She also cleans a bank. I think she makes decent money. I haven't asked her how much she makes, but I have thought about it.

She told me about a huge three story house, she was cleaning one of her first weeks there, they had a dyson vacuum that she said she lugged up the stairs to the second floor and then the owner said to her "Oh, hunny you don't have to do that, there's a dyson on each floor."

Lets see, $400 vacuum x 3 floors = $1200 in vacuums, Oley Batman!

I'm in western NY

love2travel Mentor

I was thinking about doing this once a week just to make a little chump change. I don't have to work because my hubs makes plenty and we have a business.

I have a friend who cleans houses in a couple towns over. She also cleans a bank. I think she makes decent money. I haven't asked her how much she makes, but I have thought about it.

She told me about a huge three story house, she was cleaning one of her first weeks there, they had a dyson vacuum that she said she lugged up the stairs to the second floor and then the owner said to her "Oh, hunny you don't have to do that, there's a dyson on each floor."

Lets see, $400 vacuum x 3 floors = $1200 in vacuums, Oley Batman!

I'm in western NY

It is so nice not to have to work. I don't work by choice, too. I teach cooking classes and test recipes but that is not work to me! :P

There is a house close by that has an elevator - that would solve potential vacuum problems! However, it is a mansion (actually quite ugly) so they would have central vac everywhere I'd imagine.

JoyfulGF Apprentice

It is so nice not to have to work. I don't work by choice, too. I teach cooking classes and test recipes but that is not work to me! :P

There is a house close by that has an elevator - that would solve potential vacuum problems! However, it is a mansion (actually quite ugly) so they would have central vac everywhere I'd imagine.

I would love to teach a cooking class! Wow, that would be fun.

I wouldn't want to live or even clean a mansion, I would get lost in it and I would feel so lonely!

My friend charges $15/hr

Like I said, we live in Western NY, jobs are kinda scarce and the poverty level is kinda high around here.

love2travel Mentor

I would love to teach a cooking class! Wow, that would be fun.

I wouldn't want to live or even clean a mansion, I would get lost in it and I would feel so lonely!

My friend charges $15/hr

Like I said, we live in Western NY, jobs are kinda scarce and the poverty level is kinda high around here.

It IS a lot of fun! I limit my classes to 10 people as they are very hands on.

I would not want to live in a mansion, either. I just do not like what they often represent - ostentation.

I live in oil country in Alberta where there are tons of very, very wealthy people. To clean some of those houses would take several people quite awhile. Ours takes only one person 2.5-3 hours every other week which is just fine with me. :)

JoyfulGF Apprentice

It IS a lot of fun! I limit my classes to 10 people as they are very hands on.

I would not want to live in a mansion, either. I just do not like what they often represent - ostentation.

I live in oil country in Alberta where there are tons of very, very wealthy people. To clean some of those houses would take several people quite awhile. Ours takes only one person 2.5-3 hours every other week which is just fine with me. :)

What is ostentation? All I can think of is Great Expectations with Miss Havisham in that massive house.

Oh, oil country. We often visit Williamsport PA, which is a booming city anyway, only booming even more because of oil. Our town used to thrive because of oil wells decades ago. If they ever make it back up this way, I can't even imagine what my little town is going to turn into. I like it the way it is!

  • 3 weeks later...
Stubborn red head Apprentice

I have a couple friends my age with small children, that dont have what I have, I dont have much but they have far less. I usually invite them over to help me clean I pay them 40 bucks and we have fun at it. I only pay so that I can help them out without them feeling like they are taking handouts..

BabsV Enthusiast

Prices generally are quite a bit higher here (including groceries and such, too). Makes me mad that I have to pay US prices for my Amazon books. :angry:

Not related to housekeeping but have you checked out the Book Depository? Last time I checked they had free shipping to Canada (plus lots of other places), and I've been able to find several of my favorite British authors there cheaper/sooner than from any place in the US. You have options for payment currency but I don't think Canadian dollar is one of them...

I've used them a lot while we've been living in Poland because they have free shipping to EU countries and the books (even at UK prices) are cheaper than the imported English-language books you can find in the shops here. Plus much wider selection!

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.


  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):



  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      131,548
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748

    Lunaluv
    Newest Member
    Lunaluv
    Joined

  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):


  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.4k
    • Total Posts
      1m

  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):





  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):



  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • Scott Adams
      Your post demonstrates the profound frustration and isolation that so many in the Celiac community feel, and I want to thank you for channeling that experience into advocacy. The medical gaslighting you endured for decades is an unacceptable and, sadly, a common story, and the fact that you now have to "school" your own GI specialist speaks volumes about the critical lack of consistent and updated education. Your idea to make Celiac Disease a reportable condition to public health authorities is a compelling and strategic one. This single action would force the system to formally acknowledge the prevalence and seriousness of the disease, creating a concrete dataset that could drive better research funding, shape medical school curricula, and validate the patient experience in a way that individual stories alone often cannot. It is an uphill battle, but contacting representatives, as you have done with Adam Gray, is exactly how change begins. By framing it as a public health necessity—a matter of patient safety and protection from misdiagnosis and neglect—you are building a powerful case. Your voice and your perseverance, forged through thirty years of struggle, are exactly what this community needs to ensure that no one else has to fight so hard just to be believed and properly cared for.
    • Scott Adams
      I had no idea there is a "Louisville" in Colorado!😉 I thought it was a typo because I always think of the Kentucky city--but good luck!
    • Scott Adams
      Navigating medication safety with Celiac disease can be incredibly stressful, especially when dealing with asthma and severe allergies on top of it. While I don't have personal experience with the HealthA2Z brand of cetirizine, your caution is absolutely warranted. The inactive ingredients in pills, known as excipients, are often where gluten can be hidden, and since the FDA does not require gluten-free labeling for prescription or over-the-counter drugs, the manufacturer's word is essential. The fact that you cannot get a clear answer from Allegiant Health is a significant red flag; a company that is confident its product is gluten-free will typically have a customer service protocol to answer that exact question. In situations like this, the safest course of action is to consider this product "guilty until proven innocent" and avoid it. A better alternative would be to ask your pharmacist or doctor to help you identify a major national brand of cetirizine (like Zyrtec) whose manufacturer has a verified, publicly stated gluten-free policy for that specific medication. It's not worth the risk to your health when reliable, verifiable options are almost certainly available to you. You can search this site for USA prescriptions medications, but will need to know the manufacturer/maker if there is more than one, especially if you use a generic version of the medication: To see the ingredients you will need to click on the correct version of the medication and maker in the results, then scroll down to "Ingredients and Appearance" and click it, and then look at "Inactive Ingredients," as any gluten ingredients would likely appear there, rather than in the Active Ingredients area. https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/   
    • Scott Adams
      What you're describing is indeed familiar to many in the Celiac community, especially in the early stages of healing. When the intestinal villi are damaged from Celiac disease, they struggle to properly digest and absorb fats, a condition known as bile acid malabsorption. This can cause exactly the kind of cramping and spasms you're seeing, as undigested fats can irritate the sensitive gut lining. It is highly plausible that her reactions to dairy and eggs are linked to their higher fat content rather than the proteins, especially since she tolerates lean chicken breast. The great news is that for many, this does improve with time. As her gut continues to heal on a strict gluten-free diet, her ability to produce the necessary enzymes and bile to break down fats should gradually return, allowing her to slowly tolerate a wider variety of foods. It's a slow process of healing, but your careful approach of focusing on low-fat, nutrient-dense foods like seeds and avocado is providing her system the best possible environment to recover. Many people with celiac disease, especially those who are in the 0-2 year range of their recovery, have additional food intolerance issues which could be temporary. To figure this out you may need to keep a food diary and do an elimination diet over a few months. Some common food intolerance issues are dairy/casein, eggs, corn, oats, and soy. The good news is that after your gut heals (for most people who are 100% gluten-free this will take several months to two years) you may be able to slowly add some these items back into your diet after the damaged villi heal. This article may be helpful: Thank you for sharing your story—it's a valuable insight for other parents navigating similar challenges.
    • Beverage
      I had a very rough month after diagnosis. No exaggeration, lost so much inflammatory weight, I looked like a bag of bones, underneath i had been literally starving to death. I did start feeling noticeably better after a month of very strict control of my kitchen and home. What are you eating for breakfast and lunch? I ignored my doc and ate oats, yes they were gluten free, but some brands are at the higher end of gluten free. Lots of celics can eat Bob's Red Mill gluten-free oats, but not me. I can now eat them, but they have to be grown and processed according to the "purity protocol" methods. I mail order them, Montana Gluten-Free brand. A food and symptoms and activities log can be helpful in tracking down issues. You might be totally aware, but I have to mention about the risk of airborne gluten. As the doc that diagnosed me warned . . Remember eyes, ears, nose, and mouth all lead to your stomach and intestines.  Are you getting any cross contamination? Airborne gluten? Any pets eating gluten (they eat it, lick themselves, you pet them...)? Any house remodeling? We live in an older home, always fixing something. I've gotten glutened from the dust from cutting into plaster walls, possibly also plywood (glues). The suggestions by many here on vitamin supplements also really helped me. I had some lingering allergies and asthma, which are now 99% gone. I was taking Albuterol inhaler every hour just to breathe, but thiamine in form of benfotiamine kicked that down to 1-2 times a day within a few days of starting it. Also, since cutting out inflammatory seed oils (canola, sunflower, grapeseed, etc) and cooking with real olive oil, avocado oil, ghee, and coconut oil, I have noticed even greater improvement overall and haven't used the inhaler in months! It takes time to weed out everything in your life that contains gluten, and it takes awhile to heal and rebuild your health. At first it's mentally exhausting, overwhelming, even obsessive, but it gets better and second nature.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

NOTICE: This site places This site places cookies on your device (Cookie settings). on your device. Continued use is acceptance of our Terms of Use, and Privacy Policy.