When hiring a housecleaning service (maid service) for the first time, try to keep your expectations reasonable. If you have neglected your house for years, doing the absolute minimum in terms of housecleaning chores, and suddenly you are faced with an upcoming visit from your Aunt Susan, a model housekeeper, a housecleaning company may be able to rescue your reputation, but they cannot perform miracles. Don't even try to estimate how long your job should take, based on the amount of time you usually spend on it. And if you are given an hourly phone or email estimate, remember that the job could take much longer than estimated, since the professional who provided the quotation cannot determine the condition of your home without seeing it. They can tell you how long it usually takes to maintain an average house the size of yours, if the cleaning is done at least every two weeks (biweekly). If you know that your house has been neglected for way too long, double or triple the estimate in your head.

If you have budgetary restrictions, let the cleaning company know your spending limit and your priorities right at the beginning of the job.