Podcast · Sauber kalkuliert · Episode 3
Start with the €15.00 collectively agreed wage (Tariflohn), add roughly 25% in non-wage labor costs, then factor in supplies, equipment, travel, cover for absences, and insurance: the result is an hourly rate of at least €33 net. In episode 3, Ruiz Büroreinigung Hamburg puts that math on the table — and shows you how to spot a lowball offer before it costs your company money and headaches. This episode is in German; the full transcript, translated into English, is below.
The episode
Why are three quotes for the same office so far apart? What actually goes into one hour of office cleaning? And why is a suspiciously cheap offer a risk for the company that accepts it?
In episode 3 of our German-language podcast series Sauber kalkuliert, owner Jonathan Ruiz and our editorial team work out, step by step, how the generally binding (allgemeinverbindlich) collectively agreed wage turns into an hourly rate. The episode covers how the price is calculated, the three levers of wage dumping, and who in the contracting chain is liable for what. You’ll find the full price table with every monthly rate on our Office cleaning prices in Hamburg page.
Listen
A 25-minute conversation (in German) between Jonathan Ruiz and our editorial team — in the player or on your favorite platform.
The 4 key topics
Jonathan Ruiz and our editorial team break the price of office cleaning down into its parts — and name the warning signs every client in Hamburg should know.
The collectively agreed wage, social security contributions, and operating costs add up to an hourly rate of at least €33 net. The full breakdown is on our pricing page.
A price below cost doesn’t come from clever negotiating. It comes from cutting corners at one of these three points.
Plenty of marketing copy claims that clients are automatically liable for the wages of their cleaning company’s subcontractors. As a blanket statement, that’s not true. What does affect you is the result on site. This episode is no substitute for legal advice.
A reliable quote lists rooms, frequencies, and tasks one by one — so you can see exactly how the price comes together.
Reality check
The math isn’t just theory. In these four cases, it determines the quality you get, your budget, and what proof your provider can show you.
You have three quotes for 400 m² of office space, and they’re several hundred euros a month apart.
The gap comes from time, not price
Don’t compare the monthly rates — compare the cleaning hours each quote budgets. Three quotes for the same floor almost always differ in how much working time they plan for. A provider that budgets fewer hours isn’t cleaning for less — it’s just cleaning for less time.
A provider emails you a monthly price without ever having seen your office.
Pricing without a basis
Flooring, restroom fixtures, kitchenettes, desk sharing, and special areas determine the workload. Anyone who hasn’t seen them is guessing. You can get a non-binding instant final price in 30 seconds in the live chat with Eliza; the binding fixed price follows the site visit.
A few weeks after you switch providers, the floors are sticky and the restrooms look like they only got a quick wipe.
Cutting corners on time
If a quote allows one hour for 400 m², far less paid working time is left for the same space. The hourly rate looks plausible, but the service behind it has been cut. Ask how many hours are budgeted for each cleaning.
Your provider works with a changing lineup of subcontractors, and you have no paperwork on file.
Proof, not trust
Guarantor liability generally falls on your provider, not on you. What does reach you is the fallout: staff who keep changing, unclear responsibilities, and a provider on the radar of the customs unit that fights undeclared work (Finanzkontrolle Schwarzarbeit). So ask for certificates of good standing (Unbedenklichkeitsbescheinigungen) from the statutory health insurance fund (Krankenkasse) and from BG BAU (the statutory accident insurance institution for the construction and cleaning trades), proof of collectively agreed pay, and proof of business liability insurance up to €5 million.
The math
Since January 2026, the generally binding collectively agreed wage for wage group 1 has been €15.00 gross per hour. It applies to every cleaning company in Germany, whether or not it belongs to an industry association. Our guide Collectively agreed wages in commercial cleaning 2026 breaks down every wage group from 1 to 9 (group 5 has not existed since 2011).
Statutory non-wage labor costs add roughly 25% to the gross wage: health, pension, unemployment, and long-term care insurance, contributions to BG BAU, paid vacation, public holidays, and sick pay. That adds up to €18.75 in direct labor cost per hour. Labor accounts for 75 to 80% of total costs. The rest is split among cleaning chemicals and equipment, vehicles and travel across Hamburg, cover for vacation and sick leave, site management and quality control, business liability insurance up to €5 million, and administration and profit. All told, that comes to a calculated hourly rate of at least €33 net.
In the end, what matters to you as the client is the monthly rate, not the timesheet. It starts at €361.96 net per month for up to 150 m² with one cleaning a week. We bill in 25 m² increments; all prices are net, plus 19% VAT, and you can cancel monthly. The flat rates apply up to 1,000 m²; above that, we prepare a custom quote. We don’t offer four cleanings a week. The full table with every size and frequency is on our Office cleaning prices in Hamburg page.
Check a quote
These five checks separate a trustworthy quote from a lowball offer — no matter which provider you choose in the end.
Divide the monthly rate by the cleaning hours the quote budgets. If the result is under €25 net, the numbers make it almost impossible to pay the collectively agreed wage.
Ask how many hours are budgeted for each cleaning. If the same space gets half the time, it’s the service that’s being cut, not the price.
A trustworthy quote lists rooms, frequencies, and tasks one by one. Vague descriptions with no scope of work just put off the arguments until the contract is underway.
Ask for a certificate of good standing and proof of BG BAU membership, business liability insurance, and collectively agreed pay. Together, they show that contributions and wages are actually being paid.
Ask how many of the cleaners assigned to your office are permanent employees. Subcontracting chains are the most common way underpayment creeps in.
What clients say
Genuine reviews from Hamburg businesses — verified, linked, and easy to check.
Frequently asked questions
The key answers from episode 3 of “Sauber kalkuliert” on hourly rates, warning signs, and liability in the contracting chain.
Call us directly at +49 40 54 814 832 or message us in the live chat with Eliza.
The 25-minute episode shows how the generally binding collectively agreed wage of €15.00 turns into a calculated hourly rate of at least €33 net. It then covers the three levers of wage dumping, who is liable in the contracting chain, and the signs of a trustworthy quote. You can listen to the episode (in German) on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Amazon Music, or read the full transcript, translated into English, on this page.
Labor is the biggest share: the €15.00 collectively agreed wage plus roughly 25% in non-wage labor costs comes to €18.75 in direct labor cost, and labor makes up 75 to 80% of total costs. Add to that cleaning chemicals and equipment, vehicles and travel, cover for vacation and sick leave, site management and quality control, business liability insurance up to €5 million, and administration and profit. All told, that’s at least €33 net per hour. The full breakdown is on our pricing page.
Work backward from the quote to the hourly rate: divide the monthly rate by the cleaning hours it budgets. If the result is under €25 net, the numbers make it almost impossible to pay the collectively agreed wage. Two more red flags: unrealistic output targets, such as 400 m² in one hour, and a flat price without a site visit. Reputable providers present a documented scope of work and offer month-to-month contracts.
Not as a blanket rule. Guarantor liability under § 14 of the Posted Workers Act (AEntG) and § 13 of the Minimum Wage Act (MiLoG) falls on the company that passes its own contractual obligations on to subcontractors. Under Federal Labor Court case law, a business that only has its own offices cleaned is, as a rule, not affected (ruling of October 16, 2019, 5 AZR 241/18). In the chain, liability rests with your provider. What does affect you is the result on site — and a provider under scrutiny from inspectors. You can protect yourself with certificates of good standing from the health insurance funds, proof of collectively agreed pay, proof of BG BAU membership, and proof of business liability insurance. This episode is no substitute for legal advice.
Because the workload sets the price, not the floor space alone. A law firm with hardwood floors, meeting rooms, and sensitive client files calls for more careful, slower work than an open-plan office. An IT company with desk sharing has more workstation changes and heavier use of the kitchen and restrooms. Then there’s the flooring, the cleaning frequency, and any special areas. That’s why a reliable price only comes after a site visit by the owner or a member of our team.
In the live chat with Eliza, you get a non-binding instant final price in 30 seconds — no site visit needed. If you like, the owner or a member of our team will visit your office, and you’ll then receive the binding fixed price. You’ll get a non-binding written quote within 24 hours, and we usually start within 2–7 business days. All monthly rates are net, plus 19% VAT, and you can cancel monthly.
Transcript in English
Complete English translation of the 25-minute conversation (in German) between Jonathan Ruiz and our editorial team, divided into nine chapters (about 5 minutes to read).
Editor’s note: The following is an English translation of the original German recording, lightly edited for readability. If in doubt, the German original prevails. The German transcript is based on the original audio of episode 3. Its content matches episode 3 of “Sauber kalkuliert,” the official company podcast of Ruiz Büroreinigung Hamburg. The episode explains the economics behind cleaning prices and is no substitute for legal advice.
Jonathan Ruiz: Imagine you’ve gone over your office costs, renegotiated your cleaning contract, and you’re now paying noticeably less every month.
Editorial team: That classic feel-good moment of having squeezed some savings out of your fixed costs.
Jonathan Ruiz: Exactly. And six months later, there may be an inspection at your door, and the savings turn out to be no savings at all. That’s the point where a low price becomes an expensive problem.
Editorial team: Quick note up front: this is the Ruiz Büroreinigung Hamburg podcast. Today we’re tackling the most common question in our industry: what does office cleaning in Hamburg cost?
“A price below cost doesn’t disappear. It resurfaces later somewhere else.”
Editorial team: If you get three quotes for the same floor, you get three very different prices. Why is that?
Jonathan Ruiz: Rarely because of negotiating skill. Almost always because of the calculation: the time budgeted, the frequency, the flooring, the restrooms and kitchenette, and any special areas. Two quotes with the same number on paper can describe completely different services.
Editorial team: Is that why you publish your monthly rates for everyone to see?
Jonathan Ruiz: Yes. Our price table is online with every size and frequency, along with the basis of our calculations. If you want to compare, you should be able to.
Jonathan Ruiz: The first category is the small office: a startup, a solo law firm, a tax advisory firm. Up to 150 m², our base rate applies, usually with one to three cleanings a week.
Editorial team: Why do small offices pay more per square meter?
Jonathan Ruiz: It’s the fixed-cost effect. Travel, changing into work clothes, key handover, and prep take almost as long for a small office as for a large floor — but they’re spread over less space.
Editorial team: The second category is agencies, growing IT companies, and established law firms with three to five cleanings a week.
Jonathan Ruiz: And the third category is large spaces with daily janitorial cleaning, meaning five times a week, Monday through Friday. We don’t offer four cleanings a week. Our flat rates apply up to 1,000 m²; above that, we prepare a custom quote. Overall, we look after sites between 120 and 3,000 m².
Editorial team: Your pricing is based on at least €33 net per hour. That sounds like a lot. Where does the money go?
Jonathan Ruiz: It starts with the generally binding collectively agreed wage: since January 2026, exactly €15.00 gross per hour in wage group 1. Then you add roughly 25% in non-wage labor costs — social security, BG BAU, paid vacation, public holidays, sick pay. That adds up to €18.75 in direct labor cost.
Editorial team: And the rest?
Jonathan Ruiz: Cleaning chemicals and equipment, vehicles and travel, cover for vacation and sick leave, site management and quality control, business liability insurance up to €5 million, plus administration and profit. Labor makes up 75 to 80% of total costs. Add it all up and you end up at a minimum of €33 net.
“If you push a provider down from €33 to €25, you’re not cutting their margin. You’re cutting the substance of the service.”
Editorial team: The full breakdown is on your pricing page.
Editorial team: Why isn’t 200 m² the same amount of work everywhere?
Jonathan Ruiz: A law firm with hardwood floors, meeting rooms, and sensitive client files calls for careful, fairly slow work and clear confidentiality rules. An IT company with desk sharing has more workstation changes and heavier use of the kitchen and restrooms. An agency with long workdays adds extra kitchen and meeting space to the mix.
Editorial team: So it’s not the number on the floor plan that decides.
“The workload dictates the price — not the number of square meters alone.”
Jonathan Ruiz: When a quote is well below cost, there are basically three explanations. First, they save on wages by not reporting hours or by paying them in cash. That would mean paying less than the generally binding collectively agreed wage.
Editorial team: Second, they save on time.
Jonathan Ruiz: Yes. If a quote allows one hour for 400 m², there’s far less paid working time for the same space. The hourly rate then looks plausible, but the service behind it has been cut. You see it within a few weeks: on the floors, in the restrooms, and in the kitchens.
Editorial team: And third, on staff.
Jonathan Ruiz: A rotating cast of subcontractors, no onboarding, no knowledge of the site. We take the opposite approach: only our own permanent employees, no subcontractors, hardly any staff turnover since our founding in 2019 — and dedicated teams who know their site.
Editorial team: Why is this an issue for the client and not just for the provider?
Jonathan Ruiz: Because some marketing claims that simply aren’t true keep making the rounds. Guarantor liability under § 14 of the Posted Workers Act falls on the company that passes its own contractual obligations on to subcontractors — not on an office client that has its own space cleaned. The Federal Labor Court made that clear in 2019. In the chain, liability stays with your provider.
Editorial team: How do you protect yourself?
Jonathan Ruiz: With paperwork, not trust: certificates of good standing from the health insurance funds, proof of collectively agreed pay, BG BAU membership, proof of business liability insurance. We show these documents to any client who wants to see them. And to be very clear: this episode is not legal advice. If in doubt, ask your lawyer.
Editorial team: What does a clean process look like?
Jonathan Ruiz: First, a non-binding instant final price: in the live chat, our digital assistant Eliza calculates it in 30 seconds, without a site visit. Second, a site visit by the owner or a member of our team. Third, the binding fixed price with a documented scope of work. You get the non-binding written quote within 24 hours, and we usually start within two to seven business days.
Editorial team: And the contract term?
Jonathan Ruiz: Cancel monthly, no minimum term.
“If you do good work, you don’t need two-year contracts.”
Jonathan Ruiz: Cleaning prices in Hamburg aren’t arbitrary. They’re the result of a calculation: the €15.00 collectively agreed wage plus non-wage labor costs plus operating costs add up to at least €33 net per hour. Once you know that, you can really compare quotes.
Editorial team: And if you only look at the lowest price, you shift the risk onto your own company.
Jonathan Ruiz: If you’d like transparent pricing for your office cleaning, call +49 40 54 814 832 or use the live chat on our website. Our team will get back to you within 24 hours. Thanks for listening.
Further reading
From the non-binding instant final price to the full price table and the other episodes in the series.
Transparent pricing
In the live chat, Eliza gives you a non-binding instant final price — no site visit needed. Request your non-binding written quote through our contact form, and you’ll have it within 24 hours — with 100% our own permanent staff, month-to-month terms, and all prices net, plus 19% VAT.
Carl-Petersen-Straße 92b, 20535 Hamburg · Mon–Sat, 9 a.m.–5 p.m. · Non-binding quote within 24 hours · Cancel monthly
