For homes, per-room pricing is usually fairer and clearer than per-square-metre pricing, while per-square-metre suits large commercial floors. The reason is that a low rate per square metre often covers only basic extraction, with stain, urine and deodorising treatment added separately, so the headline figure understates the real cost, whereas an all-inclusive per-room price tells you what the whole job, fully treated, will actually cost. Neither method is dishonest in itself, but per-square-metre invites commodity price comparison that hides what is and is not included, which is why for a household the more useful figure is a fully-treated price per room.
How each method works
Per-square-metre pricing charges a rate for each square metre of carpet, which scales neatly across large, uniform commercial floors. Per-room pricing quotes a price for each room, accounting for its size, soiling and any stairs or stains. For a home, with rooms of different sizes, furniture to work around, and varied soiling, the per-room figure maps more naturally onto the actual job than a bare rate per square metre.
Why per-square-metre can mislead at home
The risk with a per-square-metre headline rate is what it leaves out. A very low rate often buys a single extraction pass, with stain treatment, urine treatment, deodorising and a call-out fee charged on top once the technician arrives, see what all-inclusive pricing means. So the figure that wins the comparison is not the figure you pay. Per-square-metre encourages you to compare numbers that describe different jobs.
Why per-room is clearer for households
An all-inclusive per-room price answers the question you actually care about: what will it cost to have this room properly cleaned and fully treated? Because it bundles the treatments in, there is nothing to add at the end, and comparing two per-room quotes is comparing like with like. It also reflects that a small heavily-soiled room can be more work than a large lightly-used one, which a flat rate per square metre ignores.
Where per-square-metre makes sense
Per-square-metre is genuinely well-suited to large commercial spaces, open-plan offices, retail floors, where the area is big and uniform and the pricing needs to scale, see choosing a commercial provider. There, a clear rate per square metre across a defined area is sensible. The point is not that per-square-metre is bad, but that it fits commercial floors better than it fits homes.
What matters more than the unit
Whichever unit is used, the real questions are the same: is the price all-inclusive, is there a call-out fee, and is it in writing? A fair quote of either kind states clearly what is included so there are no surprises, see choosing a carpet cleaning company. We quote homes on an all-inclusive per-room basis precisely so the price you are told is the price you pay.
Common questions
Is per-room or per-square-metre carpet cleaning pricing fairer?
For homes, per-room is usually fairer and clearer, because an all-inclusive per-room price tells you the cost of the whole fully-treated job, while a per-square-metre rate often covers only basic extraction with treatments added later. Per-square-metre suits large, uniform commercial floors where pricing needs to scale across a big area.
Why do carpet cleaners charge per room instead of per square metre?
Because homes have rooms of different sizes, furniture to work around and varied soiling, which a per-room price reflects better than a flat rate per square metre. It also lets the cleaner bundle all treatments into one all-inclusive figure, so there are no add-ons at the end and two quotes can be compared like for like.
Is per-square-metre carpet cleaning a bad deal?
Not necessarily, but a low per-square-metre headline rate can be misleading if it covers only basic extraction and adds stain, urine and deodorising treatment and a call-out fee on the day. Always ask whether the rate is all-inclusive and get it in writing. Per-square-metre is fine for large commercial floors; for homes, an all-inclusive per-room price is clearer.
For an all-inclusive per-room quote, see our carpet cleaning service or request a free quote.