Hiring a live-in maid is no small investment.

Most of the time, the need arises when there's just too much to do at home, and introducing an extra pair of hands is the most cost-effective strategy to handle it all.

What's more, a domestic worker is able to help you any time of the day, take care of your kids, pets and ageing family members when you're away.

If you need to hire a live-in maid, you have to know where to go to get professionals. You'd want help you can rely on and have faith in to get all the work done. After all, cases of theft and abuse are all too common.

To allow you to make a more informed decision, we have done a price comparison (excluding the monthly levy of $60 to $300 set by the government, and the cost of MOM's orientation programme at $35 to $60 for new employers).

These are the 7 most reliable maid services in Singapore.

AN OVERVIEW OF THE BEST MAID AGENCIES IN SINGAPORE 2020

1. WESTRAMA

With offices in Singapore, India and Dubai, and a cumulation of 40 years in the industry, Westrama is a reputed maid agency that specialises in providing Indian housekeepers and caretakers - a rarity in a market where most agencies offer maids that hail from Indonesia and the Philippines.

Ideal for Tamil-speaking families, these trained workers are able to cook, clean, babysit and care for elderly members.

Address: 150 South Bridge Road, #03-08 Fook Hai Building, Singapore 058727
Opening hours: 9am to 7pm (Monday to Friday), 9am to 2pm (Saturday), Closed on Sundays
Contact: +65 6535 3839
Price: $400 to $550 per month

2. 1ST ALLBEST

Offering a diversity of maids with varying skill sets, levels of experience, and salary expectations, 1st AllBest provides an online catalogue of candidates, each profile detailing everything you'd need to know from their employment history to their religion.

The firm, which only sources individuals from MOM-approved countries, also runs training centres in India, Manila, Yangon and Surabaya, so clients will receive top-notch service.

Address: 545 Orchard Road, #04-15 Far East Shopping Centre, Singapore 238882
Opening hours: 11am to 7.30pm (Monday to Saturday), 11am to 4pm (Sunday)
Contact: +65 6733 0407
Price: $550 to $700 per month

3. MAID POWER

Launched in 1984, Maid Power is known for its reliability and personalised service, which starts with an in-person consultation to ascertain your needs as an employer.

Besides 'matchmaking' you with a suitable domestic worker, it also educates first-timers through the Employer's Orientation Programme, and handles passport renewals, work permit renewals, work permit cancellations and home leave processing.

If you're going to be away from the house for a period of time, you're free to request the agency to maintain regular communication with the employee for your peace of mind.

Address: 304 Orchard Road, #06-15/16 Lucky Plaza, Singapore 238863
Opening hours: 9.30am to 7pm (Monday to Friday), Closed on weekends
Contact: +65 6339 6161
Price: From $550 per month

4. MAID AVENUE

Not to be confused with Maid Power, Maid Avenue is a slightly younger company that's no less trustworthy, operating with total transparency with regard to the fees.

It offers three different packages for transfer maids, ex-Singapore maids, and new maids. The last two includes an agency fee of $580, insurance, and a few months of the maid's loan that will be deducted from their salary.

For transfer maids, the agency fee costs $880. You'll also have to pay for insurance and the MOM fee, but there won't be any maid loans.

Address: 5001 Beach Road, #08-30 Golden Mile Complex, Singapore 199588
Opening hours: 12pm to 9pm (Monday to Friday), 1pm to 6pm (Sunday), Closed on Saturdays
Contact: +65 6970 7155
Price: From $550 per month (excluding a $580 agency fee)

5. MAGNUM MAID AGENCY

Magnum Maid Agency, a recipient of the Singapore Enterprise Medal of Honour as one of the Top 100 SMEs in the country, is considered an established, dependable company.

With a widely diverse portfolio, its candidates are mostly in their 20s and 30s, who originate from Myanmar, Indonesia, and the Philippines.

Some of them have also worked for households in Brunei and Saudi Arabia, making them highly adaptable to new environments and a lot more experienced than their Singapore-bound counterparts.

Address: 170 Upper Bukit Timah Road, #03-14 Bukit Timah Shopping Centre, Singapore 588179
Opening hours: 11am to 9pm (Daily)
Contact: +65 6463 6388
Price: $460 to $700 per month

6. RAYMOND MAIDS

Boasting five offices and four in-house trainers, Raymond Maids, one of Singapore's largest maid agencies, puts its candidates through a four-step screening process with several interview rounds to sift out the best talents.

Once you've chosen a helper to join the family, it takes just one to two weeks to deploy them. The domestic workers themselves are also entitled to complimentary counselling sessions, courtesy of the agency.

Address: Multiple outlets
Opening hours: 10.30am to 8pm (Monday to Friday), 11am to 5pm (Saturday and Sunday)
Contact: +65 6345 6788
Price: From $450 per month

7. PEANUT JOB

Claiming to be the first online platform and mobile app in Singapore that provides foreign domestic workers, Peanut Job simplifies the process for new employers and breaks down the steps from hiring to letting go of your live-in helper.

While the helpers themselves get access to the profiles of potential employers, and are able to put up their resumes without the middleman (agencies), employers can enjoy the convenience of chatting with prospective candidates through the app.

Address: 170 Upper Bukit Timah Road, #01-42 Bukit Timah Shopping Centre, Singapore 588179
Opening hours: 10am to 8pm (Monday to Friday), 10am to 6pm (Saturday and Sunday)
Contact: +65 6970 9425
Price: $460 to $650 per month (excluding the agency fee, starting from $299)

This article was first published in SingSaver.com.sg.