TL;DR: Most Houston nanny agencies charge a search fee up front and then a placement fee of about 10% to 20% of the nanny’s first-year pay, with replacement windows that usually end after a few months. Southwest Domestics charges a one-time $175 registration fee, no finder’s fee, and free interviews. Our nannies are our W-2 employees, we handle payroll taxes, and replacements are free and unlimited until you are happy.
How Houston nanny agencies usually charge
Agency pricing in Houston falls into a few common models. These are general market ranges from published agency fee pages as of November 2026, not quotes from any one agency.
- Search or registration fee: usually about $100 to $450, paid before the search starts. It is often non-refundable, and some agencies credit it toward the placement fee.
- Percentage placement fee: about 10% to 20% of the nanny’s gross pay for the first year, often with a minimum of roughly $3,000 or more. Live-in and specialty roles tend to sit at the top of the range.
- Multiple of weekly pay: some agencies charge a set number of weeks of the nanny’s gross pay, which works out to roughly 11% to 12% of a year’s pay for a full-time role.
- Who the employer is: with these models, the family usually becomes the nanny’s employer and runs payroll and household employment taxes. See nanny taxes in Texas.
How Southwest Domestics charges
- Registration: a one-time $175 fee, due at the start of service.
- No finder’s fee: the $175 registration is the only one-time fee on our rates page.
- Interviews: free, in person, at our Stafford office.
- Full-time rates (35 to 40 hours a week): Class A $25 to $30 an hour, Class B $23+ an hour, Class C $20+ an hour.
- Part-time rates (4 to 34 hours a week): Class A $30 to $35 an hour, Class B $25 to $30 an hour, Class C $20 to $25 an hour. Part-time rates are set case by case, with a 4-hour minimum per visit.
- Overtime: live-out assignments over 40 hours a week are billed at an overtime rate.
- Payroll: our nannies are Southwest Domestics W-2 employees, and we handle the payroll taxes.
A worked example: one full-time nanny for a year
Say you want a live-out nanny for 40 hours a week. At $25 an hour for 52 weeks, that is $52,000 in pay.
Through a percentage-fee agency
- Search fee: about $100 to $450
- Placement fee at 15%: $7,800
- As the employer, you also owe your share of Social Security and Medicare (7.65%, or $3,978 on $52,000), plus federal and Texas unemployment tax, and you file the payroll forms
Through Southwest Domestics
- Registration: $175, one time
- No finder’s fee
- An hourly rate for the experience class you choose (for example, Class A full-time is $25 to $30 an hour)
- We are the employer, so we handle payroll taxes
These figures are an illustration, not a quote. Your total depends on hours, experience class and schedule. Our Houston nanny cost guide has more detail.
Replacement guarantees: what to ask
Published replacement windows at Houston agencies range from none to about 30 days, 90 days, four months or six months. Some agencies charge part of a new fee for a second search once the window closes. Before you pay anything non-refundable, ask:
- How long does the guarantee last, and when does it start?
- Is it a new search, a refund or a credit?
- Is there a fee for a second search after the window ends?
- What voids the guarantee?
At Southwest Domestics, replacements are unlimited and free. If a nanny is not the right fit, we keep looking until you are happy.
How long a search takes
With Southwest Domestics, placement typically takes under one week. After a consultation about your schedule, duties and family, we line up four or five pre-screened candidates. You interview them in person at our office in one visit. Each interview usually lasts 10 to 20 minutes, and the whole visit usually takes an hour to an hour and a half.
What the fee should cover: screening
Whatever an agency charges, ask exactly what its screening includes. Every Southwest Domestics placement includes a criminal background check, sex offender registry search, driving record check, reference checks, and Social Security number and identity verification, and we rerun them for every placement. All of our providers are bonded and insured, and we only present providers with previous experience and verifiable references. See how we screen nannies.
How to compare nanny services in Houston
Whether you are looking for a nanny agency, a nanny service or a broader domestic staffing agency in Houston, the same questions sort them out:
- Are all fees in writing, including registration, placement, hourly rates, overtime and minimums?
- How long is the replacement guarantee, and what does it cost to use it?
- What does the background check cover, and is it rerun for each placement?
- Who employs the nanny and handles payroll taxes, the agency or you?
- How long does a typical placement take?
- Can you meet candidates in person before anyone starts in your home?
- How long has the agency been in Houston? Southwest Domestics was founded in 1990.
Our 7-point checklist for choosing a Houston nanny agency covers each one, and the Houston nanny FAQ answers the most common follow-ups.
When an agency may not be the right fit
We have a 4-hour minimum per visit, so we suit regular part-time or full-time care. For a one-off evening of a couple of hours, a neighborhood sitter or a sitter app is usually simpler. See Care.com alternatives in Houston for how the options compare.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a nanny agency cost in Houston?
Many Houston nanny agencies charge a search or registration fee of about $100 to $450, then a placement fee of roughly 10% to 20% of the nanny’s first-year gross pay, often with a minimum of about $3,000 or more. Southwest Domestics charges a one-time $175 registration fee and no finder’s fee, and you pay an hourly rate by experience class.
Does Southwest Domestics charge a placement or finder’s fee?
No. We do not charge a finder’s fee. The only one-time fee on our rates page is the $175 registration fee, and interviews are free.
What is the $175 registration fee?
It is a one-time fee to open your account with Southwest Domestics. It is due at the start of service.
What replacement guarantee does Southwest Domestics offer?
Replacements are unlimited and free. If a nanny is not the right fit, we keep finding replacements at no charge until you are happy.
How long does it take to find a nanny through Southwest Domestics?
Placement typically takes under one week. You meet four or five pre-screened candidates in one visit to our Stafford office.
What does your background check include?
Every placement includes a criminal background check, sex offender registry search, driving record check, reference checks, and Social Security number and identity verification. We rerun these checks for every placement.
Who employs the nanny and pays the payroll taxes?
Our nannies are Southwest Domestics W-2 employees, and we handle the payroll taxes. You do not run nanny payroll yourself.
How do I pick the best nanny agency in Houston?
Ask every agency for its fees in writing, its replacement terms, what its background check covers, who employs the nanny, and how long a search usually takes. Then meet candidates in person before anyone starts in your home. Our 7-point checklist walks through each question.
Contact Southwest Domestics
Southwest Domestics
13847 Stafford Rd, Stafford, TX 77477
(713) 789-5437
Mon-Fri, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
southwestdomestics@gmail.com
Ready to start? Call (713) 789-5437 or start a new client request, and we will set up a free consultation and interviews at our Stafford office.