EveryCalc

Finance category

Mortgage, loan, investing, tax, and money calculators.

Browse finance

Hotel Laundry Outsourcing ROI Calculator

Outsourcing laundry can free space, reduce labor, and improve quality — quantify the trade-off.

$
$
$

Annual savings

$35,500

Outsource cost

$321,750

In-house cost

$272,250

How the math works

Lbs = nights × lbs/night. Direct diff = in-house − outsource. Total savings = direct diff + space/labor.

55k × 9 = 495k lbs. $321,750 outsource vs $272,250 in-house. ($-49,500) direct + $85k space = $35,500 net.

How to Use

  1. Enter annual room-nights.
  2. Enter pounds linen / room-night.
  3. Enter outsource $/lb.
  4. Enter in-house cost / lb.
  5. Enter equipment + space savings annual.
  6. Read annual savings.

Frequently Asked Questions

When to outsource?

Properties under 150 rooms: usually outsource (volume too low for in-house economics). 150-300 rooms: depends on space + labor cost. 300+ rooms with available basement space: usually in-house. Resort properties: in-house common (linen specs unique). Urban high-rises: outsource common (space too valuable). 50+ properties in market: regional commercial laundries cost-competitive.

Cost breakdown?

Outsource: $0.45-0.85/lb total cost. Includes pickup, washing, ironing, folding, return delivery. In-house: $0.35-0.65/lb labor + utilities + chemicals + equipment amortization. In-house seems cheaper but excludes: space opportunity cost ($30-100/sqft/yr × 1,500 sqft laundry = $45-150k/yr), supervisor labor allocation, equipment downtime + repairs, linen replacement higher rate (worse care).

Operational considerations?

Pickup/delivery schedule: daily for high-volume, 2-3x/wk small. Linen pool ownership (CL Direct, Boelter, Linen King): no in-house inventory required. Quality control: contracted cleanliness + ironing standards. Linen replacement cost: $25-60/sheet, $15-40/towel, $40-150/duvet. Major supply chain disruption (covid era): outsourced more resilient.

Hybrid models?

Outsource bulk linen + in-house spot cleaning: balanced. Outsource banquet/event linen, in-house guest room linen: common. Owner-purchased linen pool, contracted laundry: hybrid. F&B / spa towels: separate workflow common. Best fit varies by property + market. Typical break-even point for in-house: 175-275 rooms with stable volume.

Related Calculators

More Finance Calculators

Browse all finance

Keep exploring

Next steps in Finance

View finance hub →