House Manager and Estate Manager for Private Residences
A house manager, also called an estate manager or household manager, looks after the running of one or more residences so the owners do not have to. That means supervising staff, scheduling trades and vendors, handling repairs, keeping inventories and making sure each home is ready when the family arrives.
Describe the job and add your city. Free to request, no obligation.
The role grows with the property. One large house may need a manager who oversees the housekeeper, gardener and pool service. A family with homes in several places may need someone who coordinates all of them, including opening and closing seasonal residences and keeping contractors on schedule.
A good house manager is organised, discreet and used to problem-solving without being asked. The terms matter as much as the person: who they report to, what they can spend without approval, who they supervise and how they hand over when they are away.
What the work includes
- Supervising household staff such as housekeepers, drivers, gardeners and pool or maintenance contractors
- Scheduling and meeting trades, deliveries and service providers
- Maintaining a home inventory, key log and maintenance calendar
- Managing repair requests and following them to completion
- Coordinating arrivals, departures, events and guest preparation
- Tracking household expenses and passing on invoices for approval
- Overseeing the opening and closing of seasonal residences
- Keeping an emergency contact list and plan for storms, outages or leaks
Signs the household needs someone in charge
You spend weekends managing contractors instead of using the home
Several staff report to different people with no one coordinating them
Repairs are reported but not followed through
You own more than one residence and each runs on its own system
Seasonal homes sit empty and nobody checks them between visits
Events and arrivals depend on last-minute phone calls
How the work goes, step by step
Outline the household
Describe the residences, current staff, vendors and the problems you want taken off your hands.
Define the role
A written job description sets duties, reporting lines, spending limits and hours.
Candidates proposed
A local specialist writes back with options, and you meet and approve anyone before they start.
Handover
Keys, contacts, inventories and household preferences are passed on in writing.
Regular reporting
A routine report or meeting is agreed so you see what was done, what is pending and what it cost.
What changes the price
- Number and size of properties
- One residence needs less than several homes with grounds, pools and guest houses.
- Staff to supervise
- A manager responsible for a team of housekeepers, drivers and grounds crew is paid more than one working alone.
- Scope and authority
- A role with spending authority, vendor contracts and budgeting is more senior than a coordinating role.
- Live-in or live-out
- A live-in role may trade some salary for accommodation, but the hours and availability expected are different.
- Location and market
- Salaries are higher in large cities and wealthy resort areas where staff are in demand.
- Travel and hours
- Frequent travel with the family, evenings and weekends raise the compensation.
What a good quote spells out
- A written role description, including what the manager can approve alone
- How expenses are reported and how invoices reach you
- Who the manager supervises and who covers when they are away
- How confidentiality is handled for household information and keys
- A plan for emergencies such as leaks, outages and storm damage
Estate Management: questions people ask
What does a house manager do?
A house manager runs the day-to-day of a residence: supervising staff, booking trades, managing repairs, keeping inventories and preparing for arrivals. The exact mix depends on the home and what the family wants handled.
What is the difference between a house manager and an estate manager?
The titles overlap. Estate manager usually points to a larger property or several homes with grounds and more staff, while house manager often means a single residence.
Does a single home need a house manager?
Not necessarily. If one housekeeper and a few trades cover your needs, a manager adds cost without much benefit. A house manager pays off when several people and vendors need coordination.
Can a house manager also cover seasonal homes?
Yes, many manage the opening, closing and between-visit checks of seasonal residences alongside the main home. Describe each property and its use in your request.
Other Keenstead services
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