How many hours to perform a Changeover?

Agencies and other headaches, keys and cleaners, running costs and contracts...in short, all the things we spend so much of our time doing behind the scenes.<br>
akwe-xavante
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How many hours to perform a Changeover?

Post by akwe-xavante »

What am I doing wrong, if anything?

I do my changeovers myself and it's taking me 4hrs+ to perform a changeover on a two bedroomed cottage. Small Living room, larger family room, small kitchen and a sun-room and wet-room.

Having read through many past posts I see that some people are taking a lot less time than this or at least paying for only as little as 2hrs! What am I doing wrong?

Are people taking or paying for 2hrs but have 2 or more people working together?

Or are these people doing a lot less than I am on the day?

I can appreciate that a larger property will take longer than a smaller one etc and each property will vary in its complexity and so on.

If my cottage needs "Mucking Out" I struggle to complete the process in time sometimes and fail to stop and have lunch whilst at best I get lunch and might finish with half hour to spare at the end before guests arrive.

Am I doing too much?

How long does it take you to perform a changeover?
Jenster
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Post by Jenster »

I have a very small two bedroom flat and it takes me about 2 - 3 hours, depending if the windows need cleaning or any extras need doing. With a couple of extra rooms like you have (and stairs I assume?) I would think 3 - 4 hours would be reasonable.

Having said that I used to do a large sleeps 7 cottage with 4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, a downstairs loo, large family room, kitchen and sun room in 4 hours. Maybe I used to go faster, or maybe I was less fussy? Not sure. I certainly never cleaned windows as that would have been too much.

A lot also depends on how it is left - my guests often strip the beds, wash up and put away and put the bins out, and sometimes even vacuum through, mainly because I ask them to leave it reasonably tidy.

There is also a certain element of 'faffing' when it is your own place I think - my cleaners will turn it around more quickly than I would as I take time on extras like checking the cutlery and crockery, reading the meter, writing a welcome note etc, whereas they just whizz through.
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Cymraes
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Post by Cymraes »

My small Victorian 3 bed takes 2 hours of cleaning for an average change over.

It was furnished deliberately to make cleaning quick and easy whilst still looking smart and contemporary.

The furniture was chosen to have no dust catching crevasses. I have a few large "statement" ornaments rather than lots of fussy knick knacks. The dining chairs are leather so wipe clean. . The beds are all bedsteads so it's really quick to clean underneath and being smooth wood the frames are dusted in seconds.

It's the cleaning of the two bathrooms and the kitchen that take the time (and the de cobwebbing! I swear the spiders are on overtime rates!)
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greenbarn
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Post by greenbarn »

Two of our properties have two downstairs double bedrooms, both ensuite so two bathrooms (baths with shower over). Living area is open plan dining and sitting, logburner. Kitchen off the dining area. Stairs up to a further gallery floor with sofa, couple of chairs.
Everything designed to be easy maintenance - panelled bathrooms, tiled floors (wood on the gallery), no carpets.
Each takes 3.5 - 4 elf-hours to do properly. There’s usually two elves.

Our sleeps 6, 3 double bedrooms, bathroom, wet room, lounge, large kitchen and dining area, 3 floors takes 5-6 elf-hours.

Those figures are pretty constant over the last 9 years.

I’d say you’re probably about right. Some jobs are disproportionately longer with one person, bed making being the obvious example.
Giraffe
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Post by Giraffe »

Hi akwe-xavante. My property is around 1850 sq ft. Kitchen/breakfast room, large lounge/diner, living room, 4 bedrooms (5 beds, sleeps 7), 2 bathrooms, 2 WCs. My housekeeper charges me for 8 hours, 2 people x 4 hours. Total average charge, including linen, towels, consumables and welcome tray, is around £195.

One point. I would think cleaning time by size of kitchen is not proportionate. You still have a cooker, fridge, freezer, microwave, dishwasher, washing machine, sink, kettle etc to clean.

Hope this helps.
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akwe-xavante
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Post by akwe-xavante »

Thank you to those that have replied thus far.

I'm beginning to think I'm taking an amount of time that's about right but when you occasionally read "I pay for two hours" or it only takes us 2hrs knowing it takes myself a lot longer you begin to question what your doing / not doing yourself.

Interesting re the making up of the beds, yes I think this is an excellent point. It is harder and takes a lot longer to make up a bed on your own. On the odd occasion a friend helps me out i'll have to get her to help me with the beds first before she checks the crockery etc in the kitchen. This could be a substantial time saver on the odd occasion she helps me out.
Frenchlady
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Post by Frenchlady »

On average our 3 bed properties we look after (2 bathrooms) takes 2 of us 3 hours (total 6 hrs) - if left in fairly good order. We do a 5 bedroom 4 bathroom house and do some gardening and this can take both of us 6 to 7 hours. It is a long old job doing changeovers. Just sorting the beds and towels can take 2 hours before I start cleaning. It is like doing a spring clean every week. On the larger property we are often watching the gate for the new arrivals before we can leg it out of there!!
COYS
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Post by COYS »

Considering my current predicament on a related thread, I have often & cheerfully been told that 'we can turn yours around in under 2 hours' :shock:
3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, about 1500ft2 plus balconies, pool, terraces & gardens etc. - go figure.
This time next year Rodney, we'll be millionaires.
akwe-xavante
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Post by akwe-xavante »

Hi COYS,

It was your recent thread that finally prompted me to start this thread but I have questioned the time it takes me to clean my place several times this last year. I continually try to work out a ways of reducing the time it takes me without compromising on cleanliness and reducing what I believe to be essential checks.
COYS
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Post by COYS »

akwe-xavante wrote:Hi COYS,

It was your recent thread that finally prompted me to start this thread but I have questioned the time it takes me to clean my place several times this last year. I continually try to work out a ways of reducing the time it takes me without compromising on cleanliness and reducing what I believe to be essential checks.
Stick to your principles akwe-xavante or one compromise leads to another, then another & before long you may well have reduced your changeover time but .........
This time next year Rodney, we'll be millionaires.
Martha
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Post by Martha »

It sounds about right to me. Perhaps some people are paying for two hours help, plus they are there themselves? And it depends on the house a little. I also agree that the owner probably will always be a bit more thorough and check some extra things.

Ours is 10-12 hours to do properly. (so normally 3 people working for 4 hours). 5 bedrooms, 3 bath, mow garden, clean sauna, hot tub water change.
I can do it with 2 people (so 8 hrs) but it's a massive stress and rush. Our place has lots of nooks and crannies though. Renovation of two rather old-fashioned bedrooms took a lot of time off cleaning them.

I am curious about making a bed with two people! Share your techniques please. I can't work out how it's quicker with two, I must be missing something :)
Chalet la Foret, Chamonix
Circé
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Post by Circé »

Just how long is a piece of string? :lol: :lol:
Moonshine
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Post by Moonshine »

I also do the changeovers myself on my small one-bedroom cottage and it takes me at least three hours. That's three hours if I'm really working hard all the time, but I much prefer having four hours so I can take time to have cups of tea and watch the odd race (horse!). I never really know why it takes so long, but it always seems to. And I do check absolutely everything.
Circé
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Post by Circé »

I wonder sometimes if owners who do the cleaning take such a long time simply because they can : you don't have to justify how long it takes or worry about getting paid for it, do you?
As for stopping for cups of tea, or lunch! On a busy Saturday my cleaner & I just don't stop.
And in all my 20 plus years I have never, ever had a complaint from a paying guest or from an owner arriving at their house that all is not clean and tidy. There's no fluff under our beds, no toys down the back of the sofa and if it can be moved, it is!
Moonshine
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Post by Moonshine »

I agree with all that Circe. But even minus the tea and the racing it's still three hours!
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