hiring a maid
 

Because of my love of cleanliness and my hatred of actual cleaning, I'm thinking of hiring a maid. When I was living in costa rica, we had a maid who charged $10 a day, and life was great. Now that I live in San Francisco, I anticipate that I may have to spend more like $15/hr but I think it might still be worth it.

Anyone want to share their experiences with having a maid clean their houses/apartments? I have a 2 bedroom fairly large apartment. No dishwasher, free washer dryer downstairs. What can I expect of a maid? Dishes, laundry, folding, ironing? Can I expect to tell her where certain stuff is supposed to go and have her do that? Like...recycling goes here, t shirts goes here, bowls go here?

Also best place to find a maid? I got a recommendation from a friend but she didn't sound 100% enthusiastic about it.

Re: hiring a maid
 

Molly Maids LDO [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

I've had one before, when I was overwhelmed with work and I paid about $40-$50 per cleaning session, which was once a week or sometimes every 2 weeks.

The first time the maid comes, you give her a tour and explain how YOU like things done, where things go, etc etc and then within a few visits she'll have it down pat.

T

Re: hiring a maid
 

I'd say this post belongs in OOT and not EDGD, but then it'd probably be locked, so who knows.

Yeah, its fine to tell the maid where specific things go, even give her a list if you like. Although, I think the more exacting you are with your instructions and standards, the more you should be willing to pay.

What do you mean, "not 100% enthusiastic". Was she just like "yeah, i'd recommend her, she gets the job done." if that's not enough, prepare to pay a little more.

I think google is your friend here.

Re: hiring a maid
 

I've had pretty good luck with Craigslist. The average price is $50 and they come every two weeks. Could be more if you expect them to do laundry.

Re: hiring a maid
 

I've had a husband-wife team do our house once a week for about eight years, they're the best. They do everything, including laundry. I pay them $80 a visit and tip them around $300 at the end of the year. They put everything back in the wrong places, but I think that's standard. I was put together with them by a friend, I don't think I'd be comfortable with somebody from Craigslist in my house (my people often come and clean when we're not home).

Re: hiring a maid
 

You guys pay too much. Craigslist, get an illegal, pay like $10-12/hr and profit. Always pay hourly and get them to do whatever you need done that day.

Re: hiring a maid
 

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You guys pay too much. Craigslist, get an illegal, pay like $10-12/hr and profit. Always pay hourly and get them to do whatever you need done that day.

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I don't think I'd be comfortable with somebody from Craigslist in my house (my people often come and clean when we're not home).

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Re: hiring a maid
 

i also live in the bay area, and i just hired a mexican lady to clean our house....she comes once a week for 75 bucks a visit....she doesnt cook or anything, and im thinking of getting me a lady from a poor country that can do everything for ~500/month or so....is this possible?

Indy

Re: hiring a maid
 

TheMetetron,

What Noah said. Also, I gave my people a $20/week raise when the wife of the team had her gall bladder removed in Tijuana to save money and had complications from the surgery (no insurance ldo). These people make a legitimate contribution to the quality of my life on a number of fronts.

Re: hiring a maid
 

I have a logistical problem with letting a maid come when I'm not home: my apartment building has a security door at its entrance for which the key is uncopyable. So to let anyone in I have to buzz them in from the house. To get another key from my landlord would cost $125.

This is the main reason I haven't hired a maid yet (my place could use a bit of sprucing up), and it's really dumb.

Re: hiring a maid
 

Does anyone have experience with full-time live-in maids? I'm going to get one once I get settled into a decent house here and at roughly $40 a month there's no reason not to. I'm wondering if I'll find it odd or annoying to have someone walking around the house all day.

Re: hiring a maid
 

Molly Maid in NYC 92.33 for a decent sized 2 bedroom apartment once every 2 weeks. Fair IMO.

Re: hiring a maid
 

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Does anyone have experience with full-time live-in maids? I'm going to get one once I get settled into a decent house here and at roughly $40 a month there's no reason not to. I'm wondering if I'll find it odd or annoying to have someone walking around the house all day.

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thinly-veiled brag imo

Re: hiring a maid
 

Yea I'm thinking about doing this as well, but I'd almost rather be here in some capacity because I really don't want to trust someone with a key.

Re: hiring a maid
 

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Yea I'm thinking about doing this as well, but I'd almost rather be here in some capacity because I really don't want to trust someone with a key.

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This is why I make my maid wear a headmounted webcam when she is cleaning, so I can keep tabs on her from afar.


http://unmediated.org/images/2005031...trolledcam.jpg

Re: hiring a maid
 

Geormiet - get a rec through a friend.

In LA, 1 bedrooms are ~$50 / cleaning, 2 bedrooms $~70, I imagine the prices are somewhat comparable in SF. My cleaning lady comes every 2 weeks. I'm pretty cheap and I think it's absolutely worth the cost. Outside of the occasional tidying up and doing basic day-to-day cleaning (dishes, etc.) I never have to think about it.

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The first time the maid comes, you give her a tour and explain how YOU like things done, where things go, etc etc and then within a few visits she'll have it down pat.

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This is pretty critical, imo.

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Yea I'm thinking about doing this as well, but I'd almost rather be here in some capacity because I really don't want to trust someone with a key.

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I'm there or nearby when she cleans - I would never give out a copy of my key.

-Al

Re: hiring a maid
 

I have a great pair that comes and cleans my place every two weeks. They are really honest and do a great job. Sometimes they leave me food (papusas!!!) to eat. They will do laundry or whatever I need. They are a bit more expensive than others (100 vs 75) but the fact that I can trust them in my house is well worth it. You get what you pay for.

Re: hiring a maid
 

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When I was living in costa rica, we had a maid who charged $10 a day

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Wage inflater! Our maid comes 6 days a week and we pay her $200/month. Costa Rica labor is the best.

Re: hiring a maid
 

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I'm there or nearby when she cleans - I would never give out a copy of my key.

-Al

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Al - so she comes on weekends? Or at night?

Re: hiring a maid
 

Al, pj,

Let me know if either of you want to call my people. Like I said, they've been doing my place for eight years and have probably been going to my friend's for fifteen. I'd leave my daughter with them without a second thought, they are as trustworthy as anyone can be.

Re: hiring a maid
 

I have thought about doing this for years but it's just me and my wife and we have a small place. we are fairly neat but things can get messy if we are both real busy at work. anyone have any recs for bklyn services?

Re: hiring a maid
 

[ QUOTE ]
Al, pj,

Let me know if either of you want to call my people. Like I said, they've been doing my place for eight years and have probably been going to my friend's for fifteen. I'd leave my daughter with them without a second thought, they are as trustworthy as anyone can be.

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Not enough imo.



"So let me get this straight, mom and pop move into the city, establish trust from the neighborhood FOR 48 YEARS and then take off with Jerry's sneakers! Well, I think I've had enough of this."

Re: hiring a maid
 

If you want someone to clean when you are at work (which, I have to say, is VERY nice...nothing like coming home to a clean house at the end of a long work day), just make sure you get someone bonded. You'll pay a bit more, but the bond covers things like employee theft. Also, on the one or two times I've been home while someone was cleaning, I've felt kind of uncomfortable. I find it odd to sit on my comfy couch while someone (usually someone significantly older than I am!) cleans the place. Check with the office manager on their policies for protecting the customer's keys.

If you're at home all day and will not be giving out your key, I'd probably hang a sign at a local college offering somewhere around 12-15 bucks an hour for whatever I wanted done.

I've never had laundry done. The service we have changes the sheets and put them in the hamper, vacuum, dust, clean bathrooms and kitchen, load the dishwasher and run it, do all the floors, that kind of thing.

One thing if you go with a service: it will probably not be the same people every time, so if you are particular (don't want certain cleansers used, for example) leave a sign every time.

Re: hiring a maid
 

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I have thought about doing this for years but it's just me and my wife and we have a small place. we are fairly neat but things can get messy if we are both real busy at work. anyone have any recs for bklyn services?

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Hah, yeah I gave you Molly Maid reccomendation like 2 years ago.

Re: hiring a maid
 

The best places to get good maids are places where illegal aliens work. They are alwaysw looking for extra money (and if the one you ask isn't, she will have a friend that is), and they will do a WAY better job than a US company or a US resident girl (unless you find some teenager to slavedrive).

This is a 100% no brainer. Tell them what you want done and it will get done. Deal wiht some US cleaning company and it's 'we dont' do windows' we don't do heaving cleaning' bla bla

Re: hiring a maid
 

i'd suggest you at least make the effort to take care of as many things as possible and only use the maid for the serious stuff (like say, cleaning your shower, etc).

i, like you, (i live in cr) had a full time maid that did everything. i didn't so much as throw things i'd eaten next to my computer in the trash below my desk because i'd crumple the foil and put it to the side and she'd put it in the wastebin before i bothered to do it. bed made, laundry never ever close to running out, everything smells nice, etc. was great until i had to fire her and realized i'd degenerated back into exactly what i was when i moved out of my parents (non independent slob).

but yeah, i'm not going to say it's better to spend a couple hours wiping down your counters and cleaning out your toilet instead of grinding it out online or whatever the hell you do with your time if its worth more than the maid charges, just suggesting you at least make an effort to take care of as many things as you can and outsource as little as possible [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]