Don't give a price in the first reply
The first message from a new client almost never has what you need to price the job. Reply quickly, but reply with questions, not a number.
The five questions
1. How many bedrooms and bathrooms, and roughly how many square feet? 2. Is this a one-time clean, a move-out, or regular service? 3. Any pets? 4. When was it last professionally cleaned? 5. Which day would you like?
Then ask for photos of the kitchen and the main bathroom. Those two rooms tell you more about the time a job takes than anything the client can describe.
A reply you can copy
“Hi [name], thanks for reaching out to [business name]. Happy to help. To give you an exact price, a few quick questions: how many bedrooms and bathrooms, and roughly how many square feet? Is this a one-time clean, a move-out, or regular service? Any pets? When was it last professionally cleaned? Which day would you like? If you can send photos of the kitchen and main bathroom, I can quote today.”
What else changes the price
Floors and stairs. Condition. How many people live there, pets and smoking. The type of clean and how often. Add-ons like the inside of the oven or fridge, interior windows, laundry or cabinets. Access: keys or codes, parking, an alarm. And the client's top three priorities, plus anything fragile or off-limits.
The intake checklist in the free quote pack has a space for each one.