Housekeeping is one of the hotel departments with the highest amount of expenses and consumable items. Items such as bath amenities such as shampoo, conditioner, body lotion or moisturizer, cologne, facial soap, and body soap; bath towel, hand towel, face towel, bath mat, bathrobe, rubber mat; sheets, pillows, pillowcases, cushions, neck pillows, mattress toppers, blankets, duvets/duvet covers, bedspreads; toilet paper, facial tissues; coffee pot, coffee sachet, sugar condiments; ironing board, iron; alarm clock; kitchen utensils, crockery and cutlery; give away a toothbrush and toothpaste; Printing materials, stationery, envelopes, notepads, pens, folders, phone books, the Bible or the Holy Quran can have a substantial impact on the hotel’s overhead.

These are variable assets that when consumed, damaged, lost, or deficient are discarded or withdrawn from circulation. Once withdrawn from circulation or consumed, the same quantities must be replenished or replaced with an additional margin to maintain the high standard or quality of service in the hotel.

Fixed assets such as room furniture and items such as beds, refrigerators, televisions, mirrors, sofas, armchairs, recliners, tables, telephones, lamps, headboards, air conditioning/heating equipment, etc. it can be very expensive when it becomes damaged or substandard. These items are usually included in the capital expenditure budget, especially when a remodel is required. But if it is only one or two pieces, then this amount can be allocated in the operating budget.

For machine and equipment, housekeeper trolley and vacuum cleaners are the most important tools used in cleaning and general maintenance of hotel rooms and public areas. Machines such as carpet shampoo and water extraction machine, rotary carpet shampoo machine, floor scrubber and polisher, wet and dry vacuum cleaner. hydraulic elevator etc are additional heavy duty machines that help in the general cleaning requirements of the hotel. These are also included in the capital expenditure budget.

For the laundry area there will be a washer, dryer, dry cleaner, laundry folder/calendar, tables, carts, clothing sorting boxes, mobile rails for hanging clothes, guest laundry printer, etc. are capital expense items while detergent, bleach, stain remover, dry cleaning fluid, ph level water treatment solution, etc. It goes to the operating budget.

Listing all the detailed elements involved in preparing the estimate gives you an idea of ​​how complex cleaning estimate preparation is.quote>

With the many items above, fast-moving or consumable items are the most important items in budgeting. Expendable items are included in the operating budget. Fixed asset items are included in the Capital Expenditure Budget or CAPEX.

The operating budget is prepared annually and submitted to the Director of Finance for his study and to finalize the total amount in coordination with the department head. The operating budget is always based on the anticipated occupancy percentage for the coming year. For example:

Item: Toilet Paper Roll @ $0.50/roll

Consumption in 2008 at 50% occupancy = 50,000 at $0.50 = $25,000.00

The occupancy rate forecast for 2009 is 75%

75% – 50% = 25% (25% of 50,000 = 12,500)

(50% + 25%= 75%) = ( $25,000.00 +$12,500.00 = @37,500.00)

The remaining items are calculated in the same way until all required items are included in the next year’s budget.

The capital expenditure budget is for specific items or projects that need to be replaced, manufactured, and built to improve guest service or the hotel itself. For example:

Hotel management, with the approval of the hotel owner, would like to extend the laundry service to non-hotel guests or outside customers. The project will be a “Laundry Store”, therefore a quote from the contractor will be required for the cost to build the Laundry Store, additional guest/customer laundry bag, laundry and dry cleaning list, and hand additional work for customer service, etc. To summarize the amount of Construction of laundry = $35,000.00; additional laundry bags and lists = $5,000.00 and additional labor = $9,000.00 annually.

The $35,000.00 will be included in capital expenditures, while the additional laundry bags/lists and labor will be added to the personnel and operating budget.

Therefore, the operating budget is for consumable items and the Capital Expenditure is for special projects or items that are expensive. There are also certain items that are shared by reception and housekeeping. Charges for these items are split between the two departments. When it comes to Maintenance, the Engineering Department charges Housekeeping for any service provided, such as machine maintenance, where they have to supply machine parts and labor, so these are coordinated with Engineering. It is important that cleaning machines are handled with care to avoid such charges.

Tracking the operating budget is the most crucial part of running a business. With modern technology and computer software, daily updated total expenses against the budgeted amount are possible and easy to track so as not to exceed the budgeted amount. Each month end, the Accounting Department distributes copies of last month’s budget result to the General Manager and Department Heads so they can review and analyze where their budget is aligned and where it is not. The General Manager will require a reasonable report from the department head who has exceeded his budget, since he is responsible to both the corporation and the hotel owner.