How much does cleaning cost?

House cleaning pricing guide nz

Life in general has become extremely busy. We all have different duties and responsibilities every day. Unfortunately, there are still 24 hours in a day and no matter what, and we have to keep up without decreasing the quality of life.

Nowadays, we have to concentrate on career, health, self development, sport, family, hobbies, cooking, cleaning, grocery shopping, kids, pets, etc. to be at the same page with this fast developing world.

However, some duties can be delegated to give you more time for things you need and love to do. This is one of the main reasons why cleaning services in Auckland have become so popular.

The most common questions about cleaning services NZ

When people are looking for a professional cleaning services in Auckland , they want to consider a variety of factors before hire them.

One of the main concerns is how experienced the cleaners are?

It might be important to have an experienced cleaning team, however, the most important is how they get trained or if they get trained at all. Make sure that the company you use train cleaners well.

Another concern, do they have happy clients and good reviews? This is very easy to check by simply go to google reviews, or you might find some reviews and testimonials on the website or a Facebook.

Also, one of the most common question, are they fully insured?

Well, this you have to find out. Firstly, find the cleaning service that looks the most attractive to you, then call them directly and ask about their company polices that you interested in and about insurance. Ask as many questions as you like, until you will be comfortable to move forward and hire them. 

Another good question that many people are interested in, does it worth to hire cleaners?

Detailed information will be below in Pros and Cons section. If briefly then, yes, it does! If you need a help with your cleaning routine, with right housekeeping, healthy home, etc. , it does worth to hire cleaning services. Simply because if you can not pay due attention to cleaning you home, pay cleaners and they will do it for you. Otherwise, you will not benefit from dusty, unhealthy, cluttered home. Just think deeper, what you are getting instead when you hire cleaners.

How much does cleaning cost? The answer for this contains in the whole article. Enjoy reading it 🙂

Why some people never happy with the price?

Finding a good and reliable cleaners can help take pressure off your back and allow you to focus on more vital things in life, and the ones you love the most. However, the cost is one of the factors that some people consider the most, may be because there is lack of understanding of what price is based on and why.

The better job a cleaners do at an affordable price, the more you’ll be able to count on them in the future. However, everyone’s expectations about the cleaning cost is different and everyone’s ability to pay is different too. So, no matter how much does cleaning cost, there will be people who are happy with the price, while others are not happy. The main reason why some people never happy with the price is because they don’t know what cleaning cost based on and what are they exactly paying for as well what benefits  they receive with the price.

This article will give you a better understanding of how much does cleaning cost and what is this cost based on. You will know better about how the cleaning business works in New Zealand and how to choose the right one for your particular needs.

There are no good or bad services, it is all about what suits you better.

There are few cleaning services in Auckland to choose from, so let’s take a look what they can offer.

 

How much does cleaning cost?

Minimum cleaner cost will be around NZ$120 – NZ$180, because if you use a proper company , they have to go through many processes like: booking your cleaning or on-site visit, deploying crews, getting equipment, cleaning products and doing the actual cleaning for you.

It might be confusing sometimes, when we see the cleaner cost , but don’t know what is this cost based on in NZ.

In this article you will find the main information about cleaning costs in NZ and Auckland and what is this cost based on. It will give you a clear picture of how much does a cleaning cost NZ.

How much does the average cleaning service cost NZ?

Average Auckland cleaning costs:

• NZ$220 – an end of tenancy cleaning
• NZ$250 – deep cleaning service/spring clean
• NZ$170 – general one-off clean
• NZ$55 – oven deep clean
• NZ$110 – on-going (regular) cleaning service
• NZ$195 – water blasting
• NZ$60 – range hood deep clean
• NZ$50 – fridge deep clean
• NZ$200 – carpet shampoo/steam cleaning
• NZ$130 – interior windows clean
• NZ$110 – exterior windows clean
• NZ$130 – venetian blinds deep clean
• NZ$75 – couch/armchair steam clean
• NZ$250 – walls and ceilings clean

Many cleaning services also offer a variety of smaller services for cheaper price, depending on what you need.

If you cant afford a deep clean, always ask what cleaning company can offer you for less cost. There will be less cleaning tasks included, but this might be something you are looking for and can afford.

Keep in mind that every house is different and has a different conditions. Price of cleaning will go up if there are molds, accumulated dirt and dust, etc.

What house cleaning prices are based on?

How much does cleaning cost NZ?

Some cleaning companies charge an hourly rate based on the number of cleaners:

One Cleaner	NZD$ 30-$42/hr
Two Cleaners	NZD$ 40-$70/hr
Three or more Cleaners	NZD$ 80-110/hr

Some house cleaning services charges an hourly rate based on the number of cleaners required for your clean. For two cleaners, they charge around $45-$70 per hour. For one cleaner on site, they might charge around $30-$40 per hour. Most companies charge an additional cost for add-ons like: carpet cleaning, windows cleaning, blind cleaning, sliding doors cleaning, etc. This is reasonable, because not everyone needs carpet clean or fridge clean. So, the less common cleaning tasks appear as add-ons.

When cleaning companies charge an hourly rate, it means that the price you pay for each visit can vary with condition of your home. Typically, house cleaning companies that do charge by the hour, will provide you a walk-through before you hire them and they will explain the whole process before booking your clean.

Well, they have to explain you everything over the phone before you hire them. If they don’t, it simply means that they don’t provide proper customer service and there might be some misunderstandings and issues later on. However, they still might be good cleaners and do a good job. 

House cleaning Auckland cost based on Number of rooms

Some cleaning companies in Auckland estimate their prices based on number of rooms: bedrooms, bathrooms, kitchens, living rooms, dining rooms, offices or study rooms, garages, etc.

One room	NZD$ 45-$70
Two rooms	NZD$ 90-$130
Three rooms	NZD$ 120-$190

For example, if your house has a one bedroom, one living room, one bathroom, one kitchen. You clean will be around $210-250 because it is a clean of 4 rooms overall.

House cleaning Auckland price based on Square meters

Not many cleaning services in Auckland charge based in square meters, however, there are some companies who do this, the cost of a house cleaner in NZ can vary, but here’s a rough guide:

Home Square meters	Deep cleaning Cost	General cleaning Cost
100	$200-$290	$170-$220
200	$340-$420	$220-$310
300+	$420-$480	$250-$330

 

House cleaning Auckland price based on Labour Hours

Some cleaning services in Auckland charge based on Labour Hours. People find it attractive because it saves their time and provides with excellent results. So, clients get the clean done 3-4 times faster and up to a high standard. For example, if you have 2 stories house with 5 bedrooms, 2 living rooms, 1 kitchen, 1 dining, your deep one – off clean will be around $420-$490 and it will take around 10-12 Labour hours to complete the clean.

For cleaners, 10-12 Labour hours will be completed in 3-3,5 hours for you. 3 hours instead of 10 is more convenient, isn’t it? You might think that 10-12 hours is too much even for big 5-bedroom house.

Think about it this way, professional cleaners do the job differently, then you would do yourself.

One-off deep clean, Spring clean or end of tenancy clean are huge and very deep cleans up to a high standard. It includes scrub down of all surfaces, kitchen, clean and disinfection of bathrooms, and toilets, tubes and showers, hand dusting of the whole house from top to bottom and many others tasks that make you home look and feel great in a little time. Moreover, usually, cleaning services in Auckland that charge per Labour Hour, have a refund policy.

Not every company has this policy. Moreover, it is quite rare, because to offer a refund policy, the company have to be sure in their services as well as have stable financial base. So, most of the time company who can offer a refund policy tend to be more reliable and trustful. 

Refund policy means that if a company quote 10 Labour Hours clean, but they spend 7 LH de facto cleaning your home, you get refund of 3 LH that was not spend. 3 hours refund could be around $100-$120.

I will walk you through to give you a clear idea about how refund policy works in cleaning business.

There are few examples:

Original Quote	Time spent on cleaning	Refund	Price De Facto
7 LH-$290	6 LH	1LH refund-approx.$35-40	$250-$245
12 LH – $410-$550	9 LH	3LH refund-approx.$100-$120	$310-$410

You can see how differently cleaning companies in Auckland operate. Price can vary depending on home size, condition and what you require.

Choose the one that suits you the best and who you trust the most and enjoy free time and clean home.

How much does a window cleaning cost NZ

Windows cleaning pricing guide (NZ) Auckland

Windows are the first thing that people pay attention on in a house. However, many people underestimate the importance of having clean windows.

Having your windows at home regularly cleaned can make a significant difference on the way your home looks and feels. There are many benefits associated with having clean windows, from improved comfort, health to the overall appearance of your home.

Window cleaning helps to bring more light into your home. With time, window glasses usually become dull due to contaminants such as oxidation, acid rain, hard mineral, paint, spray among others that prevents natural light from entering the house. This makes your home to appear darker than it really is.

Windows clean prices guide NZ and Auckland

Cleaner cost for Windows cleaning depends on many factors such as: size, number of rooms you want windows clean done, number of levels in your home, condition of the window glass, etc.

If there is a standard NZ 2 bedrooms house, 1 level, the interior and exterior windows clean will be around $100-$180 due to good condition of window glass.

If there is a standard NZ 5 bedrooms, 2 levels house, the cost of windows cleaning will be around $420-$550.

What can vary the time and price of windows clean?

• Skylights
• Mould affected windows
• Tall Windows (floor to ceiling)
• Multi-framed panels of glass
• Ranch Slider windows (where the dirt gets in the door track)
• Aluminium frames (particularly the multi-channel ones which trap the dirt)
• Poor paint surfaces
• Doors with glass panels (commonly in lounge rooms)
• Internal wall windows which divide rooms
• Glass with permanent pen writing, or stickers on them

So, when you make a booking for windows cleaning it is essential to provide as much information as possible so that cleaning company can better estimate the time it is going to take for your window clean.

How much does Window Cleaning Cost in average

The average cost to hire a professional window cleaner in Auckland is $145 to $355 with most homeowners spending $260 for a full window house cleaning.

If you have a small number of windows, there is may be a minimum charge for window cleaning as well. Cleaning companies either charge on a per window, per pane, or hourly basis. The exact cost depends on number of factors.

Residential Window Cleaning Prices in Auckland By Home Size

Residential window cleaning prices for cleaning the interior and exterior windows of an entire home will cost between $150 and $575 depending on the number of rooms, number of windows and types of windows and their condition.

Window Cleaning Auckland Rates Per Window

Average window cleaning rates are $15 to $25 per window with two panes depending on the size. For windows on the third or fourth floor, it may costs an extra $4 to $7 per window, or about a 50% increase with every floor.

How much does Interior Window Cleaning Cost in Auckland

If you want your interior windows cleaned only, then expect to pay between $95 and $310. Keep in mind, the larger the home, the higher the price. For standard 2 bedrooms home it cost around $110 for interior window cleaning. 5 bedrooms home would cost about $ 275 for interior window cleaning.

Most companies will give you estimated price only. So, do not be surprise or upset if you get a relatively high or low quote for your window clean. Good and reliable cleaning company should have a money refund policy in case if the clean takes less or longer on site then it was estimated.

How much does Window Cleaning Costs in Auckland Per Hour

Window cleaners typically charges between $35 and $65 per hour. Even if you find a cleaner who charges per pane, the math works out to be about the same, unless it is a large home. Some companies charge per pane because it works out better for the company, and the client does not get over or undercharged.

Pros and Cons of Hiring a Professional Cleaning Services in Auckland

When you hire a cleaning service, you’re not only buying a clean and hygienic home, but you’re buying time. You’re buying piece of mind. You’re buying experts who know how to get the job done right.

Nonetheless, you’re paying for a service most homeowners like to accomplish themselves and with that comes certain advantages and disadvantages. 

 

 

 

 

 

There are plenty of advantages to hiring a professionals to clean your home and windows:

Pros:

1. Cleaners can make your home Healthy for zero time spent for you

Your home will be healthy and hygienic without any time for you to spend. The only time you spend is to book a clean, which takes 2 min over the phone.

2. Professional cleaners can help to prevent damages

Over time dirt and debris will lead to scratches and extra wear and tear to your windows. By tackling the issue ahead of time, you can prevent damage. Experienced cleaners will know how to do it.

3. Cleaning services can help to sell your house

If you are planning to sell your property, the cleaning that is done by professionals will make a house look better to potential buyers. In this case professional cleaning will be a great investment.

4. Cleaning services will help to prevent unwanted processes

5. Professional cleaners are safe

6. Free Time

By taking all your cleaning duties off your shoulders, you have few hours free for yourself.

7. Catch up

One-off cleaning service will help to catch up with your regular cleaning routine

8. Proper cleaners in Auckland are Fully Equipped

By hiring professional cleaners you will save your cleaning products as cleaners are fully equipped to handle all sorts of cleaning for you.

9. Cleaning service can help you to get ready to host a big event

While you concentrate on decorations, food and entertainments for your event or party, cleaners will make your home ready for your guests.

10. Cleaning service will help to get bond back

If you moving from one property to another, cleaning service will be very helpful and often even crucial in terms of getting the bond back from landlord. Read more about End of tenancy checklist and end of tenancy cleaning prices Auckland Here: END OF TENANCY CLEANING COST NZ/AUCKLAND/MOVE OUT CLEAN CHECKLIST

11. Guaranteed that by hiring good cleaners, you will feel better and less stressful

Often, we feel exhausted, demotivated and unhappy with some things in life, that we have to do, no matter what. Cleaning is one of that duties that not everyone loves and enjoys. We all know how clean home can change the way you feel. Everyone wish to have a clean home with no effort. Fortunately, cleaning is the duty that can be easily delegated. By delegating cleaning, you will be able to enjoy free time as well as shiny clean hygienic home.

If you are following latest scientific research, you might have already known, that clean and hygienic home positively impact mental health. Keeping you home clean and tidy will not solve all problems in life. However, it can be a key to maintaining your mental and physical wellbeing. Decluttering and cleaning promotes a positive mental attitude and can have an energizing effect, allowing you to focus better on important things in life. 

Cons:

1. More Expensive than DIY. 

Whenever you hire a professional, there are certain costs that come with it. Cleaning services are not too expensive and most of the time affordable, but they do bring a cost many homeowners skip by doing it themselves.

Cost of cleaning services in Auckland can vary. Some people argue that the cost of cleaning is too high in Auckland, but fortunately, most people understand that a very low cost of cleaning might be suspicious sometimes, and in fact, can be not a really good sign. Be careful with this please. Check if cleaners you going to use are insured and background checked.

Cost is a relative thing. However, think about it this way: NZ$400 for cleaning, is it expensive? Well, to clean 1 bedroom home, yes! Expensive! For 4 bedrooms home it doesn’t seem that expensive anymore. So, it all depends on home size and what is included.

Cleaning and housekeeping is a big and constant work. Smart housekeeping takes time, effort and skills on how to do things properly. Well – organised and smart housekeeping will improve mood, health and sleep cycle as minimum. Moreover, it will help if you allergic or sensitive to an external stimuli. Also, you and your family will breath in clean air.

NZ$400 – is this too expensive for all you get instead? Not at all.

2. The Trust

Trust is one of the main concern that stops people from hiring professional cleaners. Some people, even have an anxiety about letting someone they don’t know into their homes.

It is all make sense! It is normal to make sure that people who you let in your home are harmless and professional.

Many homeowners have cleaning services come during the day while no one home. However, whenever you have a stranger come, you’re putting a huge amount of trust in their hands.

You have to be 100% certain that they operate with the utmost respect and honesty that comes with any professional service. This is why it is highly recommended to discuss all questions that you have with cleaning service that you are going to use.

Good communication – is a key. Communicate with them over the phone first, make sure they are responsible, read reviews, etc.

Follow this active link to find out more about how to choose good and reliable cleaners in Auckland : Checklist How to Find Good and Reliable home cleaners in Auckland

3. They Don’t Know “Your Way”

Housekeepers clean bathrooms, kitchens, floors and walls their way. They like to use the same materials and cleaning methods.

Well, these materials and methods might be not be what you’re used to. Some solutions may have funky smells. You could be allergic to them. Since these maids don’t know your cleaning tendencies, they may get it wrong.

Also, maids also like to place items where they think is best. Well, that may not be where you like it. Once again, it will take getting use to. This is why an open and honest relationship throughout the entire process is vital.

If you know that you are allergic or just more sensitive to a cleaning chemicals then others, ask cleaners to bring eco cleaning products or provide your own cleaning solutions. You might get NZ$10 off if you provide your own cleaning products.

Follow the active link if you want to get homemade cleaning solutions that are really work: Homemade cleaning solutions that work!  

4. Consistency is Not A Guarantee

Depending on the size of your housekeeping cleaning service, you could get a different maid each week or month. No maid has the exact same methods and schedule. This could cause a confusion.

Once again, an open line of communication between you and your maid service is vital. If they’re not going to send the same person or team each time, they have to let you know. However, some cleaning companies can afford to offer the same cleaning team for you regular weekly, fortnightly or monthly cleaning. Just ask them.

7 Ways how to save money on one-off house cleaning in Auckland 

The best tips how to save money on house cleaning in Auckland no matter how much does cleaning cost 

 

When you need professional help with your cleaning duties but can’t afford it, you can always find the way how to reduce your cleaning cost and at the same time get professional help.

1. Individual house cleaners

Individual house cleaners often charge less than professional maids in Auckland however, professional cleaning services  are usually well organised,  have more standardised pricing models, and they are more likely to be bonded and insured Also, quite often (if not always) proper cleaning companies perform background checks on their cleaners as well as office employees. Convenience and trust of working with a proper cleaning company is often worth the cost.

Many cleaning companies have uniforms for their staff, company cars, and standard procedures and processes for cleaning homes. You are more likely to receive formal written quote or estimate and booking confirmation with a larger company than an individual, who might operate more informally. 

Although many individual house cleaners don’t have formal systems such as cleaning checklists or spec sheets of what the clean is include and they usually don’t provide any formal written documents confirming the clean as well. Even if they don’t offer, it’s always makes sense to ask for a written agreement with your independent cleaner.

2. Purchase your own supplies

Professional Auckland cleaners usually bring their own equipment and cleaning products to clean a client’s home. However,  you can bring the cleaning cost down by NZ$5-$10 by asking cleaners to use cleaning products provided by you. It is also a good idea to provide your own cleaning solutions if you are sensitive to chemicals, allergic or just don’t like the smell of some cleaning products and at the same time NZ$5-$10 stay in your pocket. 

3. Choose only certain rooms to be professionally cleaned

You can cut your cleaning cost by excluding the cleaning of certain areas like: laundry, garage, living room etc. It can save cleaners time and save you money.

For example, if you have 3-bedroom house with 1 living room, 2 bathrooms, kitchen and laundry, you can save around $50 just by removing laundry and living room cleaning from your enquiry.

4. Clean home on a regular basis

Taking care of your home on a regular basis help control allergies caused by indoor irritants and make for a happy, healthy home. Moreover, cleaning price, also, depends on a home’s condition. It takes more time to clean messy home rather than the one that have been regularly taken care about.

5. Use companies that have a refund policy

Many cleaning companies in Auckland provide price in estimate only because every home is different and has different conditions. However, if a company has a refund policy, it means that you can get a refund if they complete the clean earlier than it was quoted.

6. Do a light clean by yourself

If you find a cleaning cost too high and you can’t afford to pay for the whole clean, you can do a light cleaning by yourself first, and then, leave difficult and less pleasant tasks for professionals to handle. If a company has a refund policy, and cleaners managed to finish job earlier you can get refund and the whole clean will be cheaper in the end.

You can also, ask for a general one-off clean instead of deep one off clean. General one-off clean includes less tasks. It will be a great option to finish your clean with professional general one-off clean.

7. Ask for a minimum charge clean

Not many cleaning companies in Auckland provide a minimum charge cleaning , which might cost around $100-$190. When a cleaning business have minimum charge, it is one of the sign that a company is quite successful and has lots of clients. Some companies have a minimum charge, that is a kind of filter for the company. Minimum charge cleaning night be 2 – 4 hours which might be enough for your cleaning needs. Some cleaning services also allow to prioritise important tasks for cleaners, so they can follow your list of tasks and clean as much as they can within this minimum charge rate. This way, you will still receive a great help, and cleaning cost will be significantly lower and easier to afford with tight budget. 

 

If you need help with your Auckland Home cleaning or Windows cleaning Call Us (09) 909 6560 for a free estimate.

 

AREAS OF HOME CLEANING SERVICES IN AUCKLAND

Auckland Central Cleaning Services :

• Arch Hill
• Auckland CBD
• Avondale
• Blockhouse Bay
• Balmoral
• Blackpool
• Eden Terrace
• Eden Valley
• Ellerslie
• Epsom
• Freemans Bay
• Glendowie
• Glen Innes
• Grafton
• Greenlane
• Grey Lynn
• Herne Bay
• Hillsborough
• Kingsland
• Kohimarama
• Lynfield
• Meadowbank
• Mission Bay
• Morningside
• Mount Albert
• Mount Eden
• Mount Roskill
• Mount Wellington
• Newmarket
• Newton
• New Windsor
• Onehunga
• Oneroa
• Onetangi
• One Tree Hill
• Orakei
• Ōtāhuhu
• Owairaka
• Panmure
• Parnell
• Penrose
• Point England
• Point Chevalier
• Ponsonby
• Remuera
• Royal Oak
• Saint Heliers
• St Johns
• Saint Marys Bay
• Sandringham
• Stonefields
• Tamaki
• Te Papapa
• Three Kings
• Waikowhai
• Wai o Taiki Bay
• Waterview
• Western Springs
• Westfield
• Westmere

North Shore City Cleaning Services :

• Albany
• Bayswater
• Bayview
• Beach Haven
• Belmont
• Birkdale
• Birkenhead
• Browns Bay
• Campbells Bay
• Castor Bay
• Chatswood
• Devonport
• Fairview Heights
• Forrest Hill
• Glenfield
• Greenhithe
• Hauraki
• Highbury
• Hillcrest
• Long Bay
• Mairangi Bay
• Marlborough
• Milford
• Murrays Bay
• Narrow Neck
• Northcote
• Northcote Point
• North Harbour
• Northcross
• Okura
• Oteha
• Paremoremo
• Pinehill
• Rosedale
• Rothesay Bay
• Schnapper Rock
• Stanley Bay
• Stanley Point
• Sunnynook
• Takapuna
• Torbay
• Totara Vale
• Unsworth Heights
• Waiake
• Wairau Valley
• Westlake
• Windsor Park

South Auckland Cleaning Services :

• Airport Oaks
• Beachlands + travel charge
• Botany Downs
• Brookby
• Bucklands Beach
• Burswood
• Chapel Downs
• Clendon Park
• Clevedon
• Clover Park
• Cockle Bay
• Dannemora
• East Tāmaki
• East Tāmaki Heights
• Eastern Beach
• Farm Cove
• Favona
• Flat Bush
• Golflands
• Goodwood Heights
• Half Moon Bay
• Highland Park
• Hillpark
• Howick
• Huntington Park
• Māngere
• Māngere Bridge
• Māngere East
• Manukau
• Manukau Heights
• Manurewa
• Maraetai + travel charge
• Mellons Bay
• Middlemore
• Northpark
• Ormiston
• Ōtara
• Pakuranga
• Pakuranga Heights
• Papatoetoe
• Randwick Park
• Shamrock Park
• Shelly Park
• Somerville
• Sunnyhills
• The Gardens
• Totara Heights

West Auckland Cleaning Services

• Cornwallis + travel charge
• Bethells Beach + travel charge
• Glen Eden
• Glendene
• Green Bay
• Henderson
• Henderson Valley
• Herald Island
• Hobsonville
• Huia + travel charge
• Karekare + travel charge
• Kaurilands
• Kelston
• Konini + travel charge
• Laingholm + travel charge
• Lincoln
• McLaren Park
• Massey
• New Lynn
• Oratia
• Parau + travel charge
• Piha + travel charge
• Rānui
• Royal Heights
• Sunnyvale
• Swanson
• Te Atatū
• Te Atatū Peninsula
• Te Atatū South
• Titirangi
• Waiatarua
• Westgate
• West Harbour
• Western Heights
• Whenuapai

Rodney Cleaning Services : 

• Algies Bay + travel charge
• Arkles Bay + travel charge
• Army Bay + travel charge
• Big Omaha + travel charge
• Dairy Flat
• Gulf Harbour + travel charge
• Hatfields Beach + travel charge
• Helensville + travel charge
• Huapai
• Kaukapakapa + travel charge
• Kumeū + travel charge
• Manly + travel charge
• Millwater + travel charge
• Muriwai + travel charge
• Orewa + travel charge
• Point Wells + travel charge
• Red Beach + travel charge
• Riverhead
• Silverdale
• Snells Beach + travel charge
• Stanmore Bay
• Taupaki + travel charge
• Tindalls Beach + travel charge
• Waimauku + travel charge
• Wainui + travel charge
• Waitoki + travel charge
• Waiwera + travel charge
• Whangaparaoa + travel charge