Premium Cleaning Services · New Orleans, LA
A full business plan for PENNOLA Cleaning Services — built on guaranteed contracts, transparent costs, and smart growth in the Crescent City.
Residential & commercial cleaning for the greater New Orleans metro. Recurring contracts, move-in/out deep cleans, and specialty services.
Recommended LLC taxed as S-Corp in Louisiana. Provides liability protection and allows profit pass-through to avoid double taxation.
New Orleans has 390,000+ residents, a booming short-term rental market, and high demand for reliable professional cleaning services.
Breakdown of the initial $45,000 buy-in required to launch PENNOLA.
| Category | Estimated Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Commercial Equipment | $8,500 | Vacuums, steam cleaners, extractors, buffers |
| Vehicle(s) / Branding | $7,000 | Branded van wrap or used commercial vehicle |
| Cleaning Supplies (3-Mo.) | $3,500 | Industrial chemicals, PPE, microfiber, carts |
| Business Formation | $500 | LLC filing, registered agent, operating agreement |
| Licenses & Permits | $750 | New Orleans occupational license, state permits |
| Insurance (6-Mo. Prepay) | $3,600 | General liability + workers' comp deposit |
| Marketing & Branding | $4,500 | Website, logo, uniforms, business cards, ads |
| Software & Admin | $1,200 | Scheduling, invoicing, payroll software (1 yr) |
| Working Capital Reserve | $15,450 | 3-month operating cushion (payroll, overhead) |
| TOTAL | $45,000 |
Tax obligations specific to operating a cleaning business in New Orleans, Louisiana.
Flat corporate rate (2025 reform). For LLC/S-Corp owners, income passes through and is taxed at personal rates starting at 3% flat (individual rate post-2025 reform).
Federal C-Corp rate is 21%. S-Corp/LLC members pay SE tax on earned income (15.3% self-employment up to $168,600). S-Corp structure can reduce SE tax exposure.
Louisiana state: 4.45% · Orleans Parish: 5%. Residential cleaning services are generally exempt from LA sales tax. Commercial cleaning may be taxable — consult a CPA.
FICA employer share: 7.65% · Federal FUTA (net): 0.6% on first $7,000 · Louisiana SUTA (new employer): 2.09% on first $7,700. Plus workers' comp (~6% for janitorial).
Louisiana requires WC for businesses with 1+ employees. Janitorial & cleaning code (NCCI 9102) typically runs $5–$7 per $100 of payroll. Budgeted at 6% in this plan.
City of New Orleans occupational license fee based on gross receipts. Also register with Louisiana Secretary of State. Annual franchise tax may apply.
Adjust the levers below to model your monthly profitability in real time.
Net monthly profit for every combination of wage rate, hours, and employee count across all three contract tiers. Green = profitable · Red = loss
A phased roadmap from launch to full operation across all three contract tiers.
Cumulative profit vs. $45,000 investment over 24 months. Assumes best-practice wages ($12/hr · 40 hrs/wk) with steady growth through the three tiers.
| Tier | Avg. Monthly Profit* | Annual Profit | Break-Even Month |
|---|
* Net monthly profit after labor (with all payroll taxes), $1,600/mo fixed overhead, and 5.5% Louisiana state income tax. Owner draw excluded — set your draw in the calculator above. Use the calculator to model your exact scenario.
The fastest path to recouping your $45K investment is the $15,000/mo contract with 3 employees at $12/hr full-time. At ~$3,225/month net, you break even in approximately 14 months.
Net monthly profit across all wage rates for each contract tier (2 employees, 40 hrs/wk, $2K owner salary).