Frequently Asked Questions
Costs & Fees
What does it cost to hire a nanny or housekeeper in Orange County?
Experienced household staff in Orange County typically earn $30 to $50 per hour, depending on the role, experience level, and responsibilities. Rates trend toward the higher end in coastal communities such as Newport Beach, Newport Coast, Corona del Mar, and Laguna Beach. A full-time position at 40 hours per week generally works out to roughly $62,000 to $104,000 per year in gross wages, before employer taxes and benefits.
What does Mansfield Domestics charge?
For standard long-term placements lasting more than four months, our one-time placement fee is 15% of the employee’s gross annual salary with a 3-month replacement period, or 18% with a 6-month replacement period. Short-term placements of one to four months are a one-time fee of 30% of total wages. Newborn Care Specialist placements of four months or less are a flat rate equal to two weeks of the employee’s salary; longer contracts follow the 15% or 18% structure. A $250 start fee opens your search.
Is there an upfront fee?
Yes — a $250 start fee opens your search and gives you access to curated candidate profiles in your private portal. Beyond that, no placement fee is due until you actually hire someone. You can review, interview, and fully vet candidates before committing to anything further. The placement fee is due upon hiring, and no later than the employee’s first day of work.
What will a placement actually cost me in total?
As an example: hiring a full-time housekeeper at $35 per hour for 40 hours per week works out to roughly $72,800 in annual gross wages. Our 15% placement fee would be about $10,920, plus the $250 start fee. A part-time nanny at $30 per hour for 25 hours per week is roughly $39,000 in annual gross wages, with a 15% fee of about $5,850, plus the start fee. On top of wages, household employers should budget for payroll taxes, workers’ compensation coverage, and paid sick leave.
Why do agencies charge a percentage instead of a flat fee?
A percentage keeps the agency’s incentive aligned with yours. The fee scales with the seniority and compensation of the role, which reflects the work involved in sourcing and vetting for it — finding an experienced estate manager takes considerably more effort than filling a part-time position. It also means you are not paying an estate-manager-sized fee for a part-time housekeeper search.
Do live-in positions cost more or less than live-out?
Live-in positions often carry a somewhat lower cash wage than equivalent live-out roles, because room and board form part of the total compensation. Total cost to the household is not necessarily lower once you account for the space, utilities, and food involved. California has specific rules about lodging credits, meal periods, and overtime for live-in household employees, so it is worth confirming the arrangement with a payroll specialist before finalizing terms.
What if I only need someone temporarily?
Short-term placements of one to four months are charged as a one-time fee of 30% of total wages. This suits maternity coverage, summer help, travel support, or bridging a gap while you search for a permanent hire. We can also often provide temporary coverage while conducting a full search for a permanent placement.
Are there any costs beyond wages and the placement fee?
Yes. As a household employer you should budget for employer payroll taxes, workers’ compensation coverage, and paid sick leave, and many families also use a household payroll service to handle filings. A common planning rule of thumb is to budget somewhat above gross wages to cover employer-side obligations. We can introduce you to payroll specialists who will give you exact figures for your situation.
Figuring Out What You Need
Do I need an agency, or can I find someone myself?
You can absolutely hire directly, and many families do. An agency makes sense when you want candidates who have already been interviewed, reference-checked, and background-screened; when you do not have time to source and vet a pool yourself; when you want a replacement guarantee if the placement does not work out; or when you are hiring for a senior role where a bad hire is expensive. Direct hiring usually costs less upfront and takes more of your time and risk. There is no universally right answer.
What’s the difference between a nanny, an au pair, daycare, and a nanny share?
A nanny is your employee, works in your home, and provides care shaped entirely around your family’s schedule and preferences. An au pair is a young person from abroad on a cultural exchange visa who lives with you, works limited hours under program rules, and is generally the lowest-cost live-in option but comes with a fixed term and program requirements. Daycare is a licensed facility with group care, fixed hours, and the lowest cost per child, but no flexibility and no care when a child is sick. A nanny share splits one nanny between two families, roughly halving the cost while adding coordination overhead. Families who value schedule flexibility and individual attention usually land on a nanny; families optimizing for cost usually land on daycare or a share.
What’s the difference between a nanny and a babysitter?
A nanny is a professional childcare employee in an ongoing role, typically working a consistent weekly schedule with defined responsibilities that often extend beyond supervision — meal preparation, children’s laundry, school runs, activity coordination, and developmental support. A babysitter provides occasional, short-term supervision, usually paid hourly with no ongoing employment relationship. If you need someone regularly and consistently, you are hiring a nanny, with all the employer responsibilities that carries.
What’s the difference between a housekeeper, a house manager, and an estate manager?
A housekeeper handles cleaning, laundry, and day-to-day upkeep of the home. A house manager takes on responsibility for how the household runs — scheduling vendors, managing supplies and inventory, coordinating repairs, and often supervising other staff. An estate manager operates at a higher level again, overseeing one or more properties, managing budgets and household staff, coordinating with contractors and service providers, and handling administrative work for the household. The distinction is largely scope and authority: cleaning the home, running the home, or running the operation around the home.
What’s the difference between a Newborn Care Specialist, a night nurse, and a postpartum doula?
A Newborn Care Specialist is trained specifically in newborn care — feeding routines, sleep conditioning, and infant development — and typically works overnight or in extended shifts during the first weeks or months. “Night nurse” is a term commonly used to describe the same role, though it is a misnomer unless the person actually holds a nursing license. A postpartum doula focuses on supporting the parents rather than primarily the baby: recovery, feeding support, household help, and emotional support during the transition. Many families use a Newborn Care Specialist for overnight infant care and a doula for daytime parental support.
How do I know how many hours I actually need?
Start by mapping the hours you genuinely cannot cover yourself, then add buffer for the edges — commute overruns, school closures, illness, and travel. Families routinely underestimate this and end up renegotiating within a few months, which is disruptive for everyone. It is generally easier to hire for slightly more hours than you think you need than to expand a role after the fact. We work through this during the initial consultation.
Should I hire live-in or live-out?
Live-in works well for families needing early-morning or late-evening coverage, frequent travel support, or overnight availability, and requires appropriate private accommodation. Live-out suits most families with predictable schedules and preserves household privacy. Live-in arrangements carry specific California requirements around lodging, meal periods, rest, and overtime, so the terms need to be documented carefully.
About Our Services
How long have you been in business?
Mansfield Domestics Agency was founded in Orange County in 2014 by Tiffany Mansfield. Tiffany has 22 years of experience in domestic service — she worked as a nanny, personal assistant, and estate manager before founding the agency, and she personally interviews every candidate we place.
What types of domestic staff do you place?
We place nannies and childcare providers, Newborn Care Specialists, housekeepers, personal assistants, private chefs, estate managers, elder care providers, drivers and chauffeurs, household maintenance staff, and security personnel. We handle placements in private residences, estates, family offices, and corporate settings.
What areas do you serve?
Orange County and the surrounding Southern California region, including Newport Beach, Newport Coast, Corona del Mar, Irvine, Laguna Beach, Costa Mesa, Dana Point, Mission Viejo, Huntington Beach, Tustin, Lake Forest, Aliso Viejo, and San Clemente.
Do you offer both full-time and part-time placements?
Yes — full-time live-in, full-time live-out, part-time schedules, and temporary placements for special events, travel, or coverage gaps.
What makes Mansfield Domestics different from other agencies?
Three things, concretely. Tiffany personally interviews every candidate — you are not working through a rotating team of recruiters. Our fees are published in full on our website rather than quoted only on a call. And we place across the full range of household roles, so as your needs change you are not starting over with a new agency.
How should I choose between household staffing agencies?
Ask each agency: what exactly does your screening include, and who conducts the candidate interview? What are your fees, in writing, including any upfront charges? What is your replacement guarantee and what specifically triggers it? How many candidates will I see? What happens if there is a problem after placement? An agency that will not give you clear answers on fees and guarantees before you commit is telling you something useful.
The Hiring Process
How does your placement process work?
Our process has five steps. Discover: an in-depth conversation about your household, schedule, and what you need. Connect: we present pre-screened, well-matched candidates. Select: you interview and choose. Welcome: we support the transition and onboarding. Support: we stay available after placement. A typical search takes two to four weeks.
How long does it take to find someone?
A typical placement takes two to four weeks from initial consultation to hire. Timing depends on how specific your requirements are, how quickly interviews can be scheduled, and current candidate availability. For urgent needs we can often arrange temporary coverage while the permanent search continues.
How many candidates will I see?
We typically present three to five pre-screened candidates who match your criteria. The intent is to give you genuine choice without overwhelming you — every candidate presented has already been interviewed by Tiffany personally, had work history verified, and had references checked.
Can I meet candidates before committing to anything?
Yes. The $250 start fee opens your search and gives you access to candidate profiles in your private portal. You can review profiles, interview candidates, and fully vet anyone you are considering before any placement fee becomes due. The placement fee is only charged when you decide to hire.
Can we do a trial period before hiring permanently?
Trial arrangements are common and we can structure them. Bear in mind that a paid trial is still work performed, which means normal employment obligations apply for those hours. We can discuss how to set this up appropriately during your consultation.
What if the placement doesn’t work out?
Standard long-term placements include a replacement period — three months at the 15% fee, or six months at the 18% fee. If the placement ends within that window, we conduct one replacement search. We also stay involved after placement and will help mediate issues before they reach the point of ending the arrangement, which often resolves things.
What if I need someone urgently?
Tell us at the outset. We maintain a pool of pre-screened candidates and can often move faster than the typical two to four weeks, and we can arrange temporary coverage while a thorough permanent search continues. We would rather place someone well in three weeks than place someone poorly in three days.
Screening & Safety
How are candidates screened?
Every candidate completes a detailed personal interview with Tiffany Mansfield, the agency owner — not a recruiter or an assistant. We verify work history directly, check references by speaking with previous employers rather than relying on written letters, confirm legal work authorization, and require demonstrated experience in the field they are applying for. A background check covering national criminal records, the sex offender registry, and driving records is run on hire.
What exactly does the background check cover?
National criminal records, the national sex offender registry, and driving records. This is run in addition to the work history verification and reference checks completed during screening.
Do you actually speak to references?
Yes. We contact previous employers directly and speak with families who have worked with the candidate. Written reference letters alone are not sufficient — a short conversation reveals things a letter never will.
Can I run my own additional background check?
Yes, and some families do, particularly for senior household roles. If you run your own check you will need the candidate’s written consent, and there are legal requirements around how background information can be obtained and used in hiring decisions. A payroll or HR specialist can advise on doing this properly.
What if my employee will be driving my children?
Driving records are part of our standard background check. For any role involving driving, confirm the candidate’s license status and insurance arrangements, and speak with your own auto insurer about coverage for a household employee driving your vehicle or transporting your children in theirs. This is a detail families frequently overlook.
Are candidates legally authorized to work?
Yes. We verify legal work authorization as part of screening. As the employer, you are also responsible for completing work authorization verification at the point of hire, which a household payroll service can walk you through.
Your Responsibilities as a Household Employer
Am I legally an employer if I hire a nanny or housekeeper?
In almost all cases, yes. If you control when someone works, how the work is done, and you provide the workspace and equipment, that is an employment relationship under California law — not an independent contractor arrangement. Most household workers are legally employees.
Can I just pay my nanny as a 1099 contractor?
Almost certainly not. Classifying a household employee as an independent contractor is one of the most common and most expensive mistakes families make. The classification is determined by the nature of the working relationship, not by mutual preference or convenience, and getting it wrong creates back-tax and penalty exposure that is far more costly than doing it correctly from the start.
What am I responsible for as a household employer?
Generally: payroll taxes including Social Security and Medicare plus federal and state unemployment obligations; workers’ compensation coverage; paid sick leave; compliance with California wage-and-hour rules including overtime and rest breaks; proper itemized pay statements and record-keeping; and work authorization verification at hire. The specific thresholds and rates change year to year, which is why most families use a specialist payroll service.
Do I need workers’ compensation insurance?
California has specific workers’ compensation requirements for household employees. Some homeowner’s policies provide limited coverage and others do not, and the limits are often lower than families assume. Confirm this directly with your insurer before your employee’s first day — this is one of the more common gaps we see.
What about overtime, breaks, and sick leave?
California wage-and-hour rules apply to household employees, and the specifics differ depending on the role and whether the employee lives in your home. Paid sick leave is required for employees in California, including household employees. Because the rules vary by situation, a payroll specialist is the right resource for your exact circumstances.
Do I need a written employment contract?
It is strongly recommended. A written agreement covering schedule, compensation, overtime, duties, paid time off, holidays, confidentiality, and termination terms prevents the majority of disputes we see between families and household staff. We provide interviewing questions and hiring guidelines as part of every placement.
How do most families handle payroll?
Most use a household payroll service rather than managing filings themselves. These services register your tax accounts, run payroll, handle withholding and filings, and produce year-end documents. We work with GTM Payroll Services and HomeWork Solutions, both specialists in household employment, and can introduce you to either.
This information is general and not legal, tax, or accounting advice. Household employment rules change and vary by situation. Please consult a qualified payroll provider, CPA, or employment attorney about your circumstances.
Nanny-Specific Questions
What qualifications do your nannies have?
Our nannies come with various qualifications including early childhood education degrees, CPR/First Aid certifications, previous nanny experience, and many have additional specializations in areas like newborn care, special needs, or multilingual capabilities.
Can I find a nanny who speaks a specific language?
Yes, we have multilingual candidates who speak Spanish, French, Mandarin, and other languages. We can prioritize language requirements in our candidate matching process.
Do you place nannies for newborns?
Yes. We place Newborn Care Specialists and nannies with specific training in infant care, feeding schedules, sleep conditioning, and postpartum family support.
What about nannies for multiple children?
Many of our nannies have extensive experience managing households with multiple children of various ages. We specifically match candidates based on your family size and children’s ages.
Household Staff Questions
Do your housekeepers provide their own supplies?
This is negotiable and depends on your preference. Some families prefer to provide all cleaning supplies and equipment, while others prefer staff to bring their own eco-friendly products. We can accommodate either arrangement.
Can I hire someone for just cooking or meal preparation?
Yes, we place private chefs and meal preparation specialists who can handle everything from daily family meals to special dietary requirements, meal planning, grocery shopping, and kitchen management.
What about estate managers for larger properties?
We have experienced estate managers who can oversee larger properties, coordinate with other household staff, manage maintenance schedules, and handle various administrative duties.
After the Placement
How do I onboard someone into my household?
Write down what you expect before the first day — schedule, duties, house rules, emergency contacts, and how you prefer to communicate. Most early friction comes from assumptions that were never stated rather than from genuine disagreement. Plan a check-in at two weeks and again at thirty days while the arrangement is still easy to adjust. We support this transition as part of every placement.
What’s standard for paid time off, holidays, and raises?
Practices vary, but most full-time household positions in Orange County include paid vacation, recognized holidays, and required paid sick leave, with an annual review of compensation. Setting these terms in writing at hire prevents awkward conversations later. We can advise on what is customary for the role and market during your consultation.
What happens if my employee gets sick or takes vacation?
We can arrange backup coverage from our network of pre-screened temporary staff so your household routine continues. It is worth planning for this at hire rather than improvising during the first conflict.
What if there’s a problem with my employee?
Contact us. We stay involved after placement and will help mediate. A significant share of issues come down to unclear expectations rather than genuine incompatibility, and an early conversation frequently resolves what would otherwise become a failed placement. That is also why the replacement guarantee exists — but we would rather fix the placement than replace it.
How do I end employment properly if I need to?
California has requirements around final pay timing and accrued unused time that apply to household employees. Handle the practical side correctly, document the reason, and give notice where possible. Your payroll service can walk you through final-pay requirements. If you are within the replacement period, contact us — we can begin a replacement search.
Do you provide ongoing support after placement?
Yes. We maintain relationships with both families and placed candidates, remain available for questions, and will mediate if issues arise. Our interest is in placements that last, not placements that close quickly.
For Candidates
Does it cost anything to apply as a candidate?
No. Candidates never pay a fee to register with or be placed by Mansfield Domestics. Our fees are paid by the employer.
How do I apply?
Complete the candidate application on our website with your availability, the type of work you are seeking, and your resume. If your experience matches what our families need, we will arrange a personal interview with Tiffany.
What experience do I need?
You must have demonstrable professional experience in the field you are applying for. We verify work history and check references with previous employers, so your background needs to be genuine and verifiable.
What happens after I apply?
If your experience fits, you will have a detailed interview directly with Tiffany. We verify your work history and speak with your references. Once you are approved, your profile is presented to families whose requirements match your experience and availability, and we coordinate interviews from there. A background check is run when you are hired.
What kind of positions do you place?
Nanny and childcare roles, Newborn Care Specialist positions, housekeeping, personal assistant and family assistant roles, private chef positions, estate and house management, elder care, driving, and household maintenance — full-time, part-time, live-in, live-out, permanent, and temporary.
What do these positions pay?
Experienced household professionals in Orange County typically earn $30 to $50 per hour depending on role, experience, and responsibilities, with senior estate management and specialized roles commanding more. Compensation is set by the employing family; we advise on market rates for the role.
Will I be a W-2 employee?
In most cases yes — household workers are generally legally employees of the family, not independent contractors. Families we work with are directed to household payroll specialists to set this up properly, which means proper withholding, pay statements, and year-end tax documents for you.
Getting Started
What information do you need from me to begin?
We’ll discuss your family’s schedule, children’s ages and needs, household routines, preferred candidate qualifications, budget parameters, and any special requirements or preferences during your initial consultation.
How do I schedule a consultation?
Contact us at 714-369-8293 or tiffany@mansfielddomestics.com to schedule your complimentary consultation. We can meet in person, conduct a video call, or have a detailed phone discussion based on your preference.
Ready to get started? Contact Mansfield Domestics today at 714-369-8293 or tiffany@mansfielddomestics.com to schedule your complimentary consultation and take the first step toward finding the perfect addition to your household team.