From 2012-2014, the Urban Land Institute Multifamily Housing Council has studied the rise in interest and adoption of micro units – apartments of 350 sq. ft or smaller – and the consumer groups and associated amenities that are driving a trend that is expected to continue.

But  how does this affect your cleaning business? Several implications come to mind:

  • while the individual job prices may be lower than a more standard sized apartment or home, the efficiency of cleaning procedure should dramatically decrease the time in each unit, netting a higher profit per job
  • for companies paying a percentage or commission, this is an attractive option for technicians as they can complete more jobs per day
  • with such a small size, companies using solo technicians can better maximize their model to achieve even more efficiency per job
  • the dominant interest/renter group desires outsourcing as many lifestyle conveniences as possible, preferring simplicity over DIY; this makes even an economy cleaning for such a small space an immediate attraction
  • shared amenities such as living rooms, restaurant style kitchens, and entertainment areas outside of the units opens up a different kind of “common areas” cleaning service – possibly even daily rather than weekly

Download the report of the study to learn more about the trend and the consumer groups involved.