How to Bid a Commercial Cleaning Job, Step by Step
How do you bid a commercial cleaning job?
Walk the building and list every area and task, turn that list into hours per visit, cost those hours with your labor, supplies, and overhead, and add your margin. Then write the bid as a quote that states the scope, frequency, exclusions, price, and contract term.
A bid is a quote for a recurring job. The work is in the walkthrough. If you get the hours right, the rest is arithmetic.
The walkthrough checklist
Bring a notepad or phone and record:
- Every room type and count: offices, restrooms, break rooms, lobby, conference rooms
- Floor types: carpet, tile, sealed concrete
- Fixtures: toilets, sinks, urinals, glass doors
- Trash and recycling: number of bins, where it goes
- Frequency asked for, and which tasks happen every visit vs weekly or monthly
- When you can be in the building, and access or alarm details
- Who supplies paper goods, soap, and liners
- Anything unusual: high dusting, kitchens, sensitive areas
Turn the walkthrough into hours
Assign a time to each task and add them up. Use times from jobs you have done. Add travel and setup. If you are unsure, time a sample area. This gives you hours per visit, which is the most important number in the bid.
Cost the hours
Hours per visit x loaded labor cost, plus supplies, plus an overhead share, gives you break-even per visit. Multiply by visits per month. The commercial cleaning calculator guide walks through it with one labeled example. Then add the margin you choose.
Write the bid as a quote
The bid should be easy to say yes to and hard to misread:
- Scope by area. What gets done in each area, and how often.
- Frequency and schedule. Days and time window.
- Exclusions. For example: windows outside, carpet extraction.
- Consumables. Who supplies what.
- Price. Per month, one number.
- Term. Start date, length, and notice to end.
- Your contact details.
See the free cleaning quote template for the layout.
Follow-up
Ask when they plan to decide, and follow up on that date. If they come back with questions about scope, answer by pointing to the written scope. If they ask for a lower price, change the scope or frequency rather than cutting below break-even.
Send it as a quote
Binderlane helps with the cost math and texts the client a branded quote with your logo. First three free, no card.
Know your number before you send the quote.
A few quick questions. See your break-even and your price. Then text the client a quote with your logo on it. First 3 quotes free to send. No card.
Run your numbers freeRelated: How much to charge for house cleaning · Cleaning business profit margin · Cleaning proposal template · Cleaning contract template
Questions owners ask
- How long should a commercial cleaning walkthrough take?
- Long enough to see every area and ask about frequency, access, and supplies. Rushing it is how hours get missed.
- Should I bid per square foot?
- Use square footage to sanity check, but price from hours. Time and tasks drive cost.
- What if the client wants a lower price?
- Offer to change the scope or frequency. Keep the price at or above your break-even for the work you agree to do.
- How do I bid a cleaning job I have never done?
- Use the walkthrough to time tasks you know, time a sample area for the rest, and set a review point after the first month in the term.
- What should a commercial cleaning contract term include?
- Start date, length, notice period to end it, and what happens if the scope changes. For legal wording, check with a lawyer.