How should I set my rates for home checks, turnovers and seasonal property care?

What should a property care rate cover?

A property care rate should cover your time and the full cost of providing the service. That includes driving to and between properties, time on site, writing each visit report, fuel and vehicle wear, cleaning supplies or equipment, insurance, criminal record checks, and the time you hold open to respond when an alarm or storm hits.

Rural and cottage properties can take far longer to reach than a city home, especially in winter. List your costs once a year and look at them per visit, so your rate reflects what the work really costs you rather than only the minutes you spend inside.

How do I price a home watch visit?

Price a home watch visit around what the visit includes and how far you travel. A full check of every floor, the basement, the thermostat, plumbing and the exterior, followed by a photo report, takes longer than a quick walk-through. Visit frequency matters too, since owners’ insurance conditions may call for regular checks.

Ask the owner what their insurer expects before you quote. The Insurance Bureau of Canada tells homeowners away in winter to have someone check the home every day or every few days, depending on the conditions in their policy, so the visit schedule, and your price, may follow from that wording.

• ✓Size of the home and number of floors and outbuildings
• ✓What each visit covers, and whether it includes mail, plants or running taps
• ✓Travel distance and winter access
• ✓How often you visit, and whether weekends or holidays are included
• ✓Whether you are on call for alarms or emergencies between visits
• ✓How detailed the report is, such as photos of each area

How should I price short-term rental turnovers?

Price turnovers around the size of the unit, the work between checkout and check-in, and how tight that window is. Laundry, restocking, hot tubs, same-day turnovers and holiday dates all add time or pressure. Decide whether you charge per turnover, per unit size or per hour, and say who supplies linens and products.

Hosts also need to know what happens when a guest leaves the unit much dirtier than usual, when a booking is cancelled late, or when a guest checks out late and shortens your window. Put those answers in writing before the season starts, so a hard turnover does not become a dispute.

Should snow removal and lawn care be priced per visit or per season?

Both approaches are common, and each shifts risk differently. A seasonal price gives the owner a predictable cost and you predictable income, but a heavy winter can mean many more visits than expected. A per-visit price follows the actual work but is harder for an owner to budget. Say which you use.

If you price by the season, write down what the price includes, such as a set depth of snow before you come, which areas you clear, and how you handle an extreme season. If you price per visit, explain what triggers a visit. In both cases, say whether salt or sand is included.

How do I find out what property care costs in my area?

Ask rather than guess. Talk to other independent professionals, ask owners what they have paid before, and look at what local providers post publicly. Prices vary a lot between cities, cottage country and rural areas, so a figure from another province or an online forum is not a reliable guide for your area.

Treat what you learn as a range, then place yourself in it honestly based on your experience, equipment and how much responsibility you take on. Revisit it every year, and more often if fuel or supply costs change.

How should I present property care rates to clients?

Present rates in writing before any work starts, including every required charge. Section 74.01 of the Competition Act says a price that is not attainable because of added fixed obligatory charges or fees is a false or misleading representation, unless those charges are imposed by law. Quote the full price, then list optional extras separately.

On sales tax: section 240 of the Excise Tax Act requires GST/HST registration except for small suppliers, as defined in section 148. Whether you must charge it depends on your sales, so confirm with the Canada Revenue Agency or an accountant before you set prices.

• ✓What each visit or service includes, and what it does not
• ✓Any different rate for holidays, same-day or emergency call-outs
• ✓Mileage for distant properties, if charged
• ✓How you are repaid for purchases or urgent repairs, with receipts
• ✓When and how you are paid, and cancellation notice for both sides

Does Maple Care set property care rates?

No. Maple Care does not set rates and never collects or handles payment for the work. You and each client agree on rates, schedule and payment directly. Owners describe their property and needs in their request, which helps you judge the work before you decide whether to pay for their contact details.

The price for a client’s contact details is shown before you pay. Ask our team for our care agreement template if you want a written starting point for rates, cancellations and payment terms.

Frequently asked questions