How to bid on commercial cleaning jobs

1. Qualify the lead before you drive out

A walkthrough costs you time. Ask a few questions first:

• What type of building is it, and roughly how big?
• How often do they want cleaning, and at what times?
• Who does it now, and why are they looking?
• When does the current contract end, and who makes the decision?
• Is there a written scope or a formal bid request (RFP)?

If the answers don't fit your team size or schedule, it is fine to pass.

2. Do the walkthrough

Bring a measuring wheel or laser measure, a notepad or tablet, and a camera. Walk every room you will clean, with the person who manages the space if possible.

What to note

• Floor types: carpet, vinyl or VCT, tile, sealed concrete, wood. Each cleans at a different speed.
• Restrooms: count toilets, urinals, sinks and stalls. Fixtures matter more than square footage here.
• Break rooms and kitchens: appliances, sinks, tables, and whether dishes are included.
• Clutter: desks covered in paper take longer to dust than clear ones.
• Trash and recycling: number of bins and where the dumpster is.
• Access: keys or codes, alarm systems, elevators, parking and after-hours rules.
• Supplies: where the janitor closet is, whether there is a sink, and who stocks paper and soap.
• Special requests: glass doors, high dusting, floor care such as stripping and waxing.

Ask what the client dislikes about their current cleaning. Those complaints tell you what to stress in your proposal.

3. Measure square footage by area type

Don't rely only on a total square footage figure from the lease. Break the building into areas, because offices, restrooms and hallways clean at different rates.

• Measure length and width of each room and multiply.
• Group the results: private offices, open office, hallways, restrooms, break rooms, lobby, storage.
• Note any areas cleaned less often, such as conference rooms used weekly.

4. Estimate labor with production rates

A production rate is how many square feet one cleaner can clean in an hour for a given type of space. It is the core of most commercial bids. The method is simple:

1. For each area type, divide its square feet by your production rate. That gives hours per visit.
2. Add time for fixed tasks that don't scale with square feet, like restocking or taking trash to the dumpster.
3. Add up all areas to get total labor hours per visit.

Industry guides publish rates, but they vary a lot with building layout, clutter, equipment and crew experience. The best rates are ones you time on your own accounts. Start conservative and adjust as you learn.

Example for illustration only. Use your own tested rates.

5. Factor in frequency

Multiply hours per visit by visits per month. A building cleaned five nights a week needs far more hours than one cleaned twice a week. Daily cleaning may be a bit faster per visit since less dirt builds up. Less frequent cleaning can take longer per visit.

Many contracts mix frequencies. Trash and restrooms might be daily, while vacuuming every office is twice a week and high dusting is monthly. Price each task at its own frequency. Use an average of about 4.33 weeks per month so your monthly price is accurate.

6. Add supplies and equipment

• Consumables: paper towels, toilet paper, soap, liners. Decide whether you supply them or the client does. If you do, quote them separately or with a clear allowance, since usage varies.
• Cleaning chemicals: usually included in your price.
• Equipment: vacuums, mop systems, floor machines. Spread their cost across the accounts that use them.

7. Work out labor cost and margin

Your real hourly labor cost is more than the wage. Add payroll taxes, workers' comp, insurance, paid time off and any benefits. This is often called labor burden. Then add overhead such as vehicles, software, office costs and supervision. Talk to your accountant about what belongs in your burden rate.

Illustrative example only: using 4.5 hours a visit, 5 visits a week, that is about 97 hours a month. If your burdened labor cost is $24 an hour, labor is about $2,330. Add $150 for supplies and $250 for overhead to get $2,730 in cost. If you want a 25% margin on the price, divide cost by 0.75 for a monthly price of about $3,640. Replace each figure with your own.

Note that margin and markup are different. A 25% markup on cost gives a smaller profit than a 25% margin on price. Be clear which one you are using.

8. Write the proposal

A strong proposal is clear, short and specific. Include:

• A short summary of what you heard during the walkthrough and how you will solve it.
• The scope of work, area by area, with frequency for each task.
• The cleaning schedule, days and times.
• Monthly price, what it includes and what is extra.
• How you check quality, such as regular inspections and a contact person.
• Your insurance and bonding details, and references if you have them.
• A start date and an easy way to accept.

Sweepivo's Commercial Suite add-on handles walkthrough bids, e-signed proposals, contracts, inspections and net-terms invoices, so the bid you build on site turns into a signed contract and recurring visits in one place.

9. Set contract terms

The contract protects both sides. Common terms to cover:

• Term and renewal: length of the agreement and whether it renews automatically.
• Termination: how much notice either side must give.
• Payment terms: invoice timing, due date (for example net 30) and late fees.
• Price changes: how and when you can adjust pricing, such as yearly or when the scope changes.
• Scope changes: how extra work is requested and billed.
• Access and security: key handling, alarm codes and who is responsible.
• Liability and insurance: what each party covers.

Have a lawyer review your contract template once, and again if you change it significantly. Rules differ by state.

10. Follow up and learn from each bid

Follow up a few days after you send the proposal. Win or lose, ask for feedback. Once you start an account, time the actual work for the first few weeks and compare it to your estimate. Update your production rates so the next bid is more accurate.

Written by the Sweepivo team, October 2026. General guidance only: check your state and local rules, and talk to an accountant or lawyer about tax and legal questions.

Questions

What is a production rate in commercial cleaning?

It is the number of square feet one cleaner can clean in an hour for a type of space. You divide an area's square feet by the rate to estimate labor hours. Rates vary by building, so test and adjust your own.

Should I charge commercial cleaning by the hour or by the month?

Most commercial accounts are billed as a flat monthly price based on estimated hours, supplies, overhead and margin. Extra work outside the scope is usually quoted separately.

Do I need a contract for commercial cleaning?

A written contract is strongly recommended. It should cover scope, schedule, payment terms, termination notice and liability. Have a lawyer review your template, since rules vary by state.

Try it yourself

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