VentProof reporting resources
How much to charge for dryer vent cleaning
A practical guide for dryer vent cleaning businesses: what customers are told to expect, which add-ons to price separately, and how to turn that into a short price list you can quote from.
What customers expect to pay
Homeowners usually check a cost guide before calling. Fixr’s dryer vent cleaning cost guide (fixr.com, updated January 31, 2025) gives these US figures:
| Item | Published figure |
|---|---|
| National average | $150 |
| Typical range | $100 to $200 |
| Low end (short duct, 15 ft or less) | About $80 |
| High end (inspection, clog removal and roof vent) | About $350 |
| Hourly rate | $90 to $160 per hour |
| Roof vent | $150 to $300 |
| Second floor | $125 to $200 |
| Bird nest removal | $150 to $400 |
| Inspection | $30 to $60 |
| Repair | $75 to $150 |
These are national consumer figures, not a rule. Prices in your area depend on local labor costs, travel, competition and how hard the typical home is to access. Check what local competitors list publicly before you set yours.
Build your price list in five lines
Most dryer vent businesses quote faster with a base price plus a few named add-ons, rather than pricing every job from scratch:
- Base price for one dryer, ground-level termination, up to a set length (many use about 15 ft, the length cost guides use for a short job).
- Extra length per foot over the base, or in steps (for example 16 to 25 ft, 26 to 35 ft). Use the dryer vent length calculator to count elbows as equivalent length.
- Access add-on for roof terminations and second-story work, priced separately so a ladder or roof job never eats your margin.
- Blockage add-on for bird or rodent nests and heavy compaction, quoted after you see it.
- Parts at a listed price: transition duct, vent cover, bird guard. Customers accept parts charges more easily when the price is on a list.
Write each of these as its own line on the invoice. The free invoice template has room for all of them.
Work out your floor price first
Before you look at what others charge, know the lowest price that still pays you. A simple way to estimate it:
- Add up a typical job’s time, including drive time, setup, the cleaning, cleanup and paperwork.
- Multiply by what an hour of your time needs to cover: wages, vehicle, insurance, equipment, phone and software, and profit.
- Add materials and any card or platform fees.
If the result is above the local going rate, the fix is usually fewer unpaid minutes per job (routes, shorter paperwork) or charging add-ons you currently give away, not a lower price.
Multi-unit and property manager pricing
Apartment and condo work is usually priced per unit or per dryer, with a minimum per visit. Two things protect your margin there: a clear policy for units you could not access (a reduced charge, or a return visit at a set price), and a record per unit that the manager can check. The notice to residents guide has wording and a unit log, and the failed-access guide covers what to record when nobody answers.
Show the value, not just the price
Customers compare a $150 cleaning against a $100 one by what they can see. Before-and-after photos, the vent length and route, airflow readings taken the same way before and after, and a short written report make the higher price easier to accept, and they are what landlords and insurers ask for. That record is what VentProof for Android produces on every visit, as a branded PDF the customer gets on the spot.