I am invited to bid for a post-construction clean-up. I am reqested to give the lump sum and the breakdown lump sum. The building is roughly 45000 sqft.; 3 floors. I need to specify on doors, toilets, partitons, mirrors, lights etc. Can anyone explain to me how to go about it? Examples or samples would be useful as well. What forms does one use for these bigs and how does one present the bid?

It sounds like you don't have any idea about how to bid or price this but they let you bid? This forum is not the place for this type of answer since we have no idea about details, people you will have to pay, where you are located, union or non union etc. How did you determine a bid before or is this your first job? Bonded? Insured?

Dama, is your first commercial janitorial job?

When is this bid due?

Where are you located?

Give me some additional information please;

What type of building? Office, warehouse, factory, retail store, medical building, etc? Do you have to clean any windows? If so, how high are these windows?

Do you have specifications telling you exactly what you are to clean and to what standard?

Are you to strip and re-coat any hard floors? Clean any carpet/s?

Please answer all these questions and possibly I can help. Please get back to me as soon as possible as I will be traveling on business this coming Monday and will not be available.

Ma is correct in that if this is your first project there is a lot to learn.

Stringer

Thank you Stringer for you help,

I have about 4 years of cleaning experience, but this is the first time that I had to use the breakdown method. The bidding is due in a couple days and we are located in Canada. What I need is an example of a breakdown (lump sum) for things like the restrooms (and accessories), floors, and general dusting, etc.

The project is final cleaning for an educational institution. There is no stripping or re-coating necessary. The building itself had three floors and windows are not included.

Dama, this is difficult in that I have not seen the building.

However, as a format try this;

Break out each project by the time it will take to complete it doing your best to compute it as accurately as possible.

Example, take each item; floors, dusting, washroom cleaning, lunchroom/kitchen, lighting, partitions, etc.

After you have this time breakout attach a time factor to to each one. Then calculate your loaded hourly rate; labor, taxes, equipment, supplies, admin, etc. (Figure everything and break it down to this 'loaded rate' per hour.

Once you have this rate you will be able to assign a total breakout for each task.

Stringer

I also need to know the difference between a breakdown lump sum and the total lump sum price (for the project)
Thanks

Confused Dama...

A lump sum is just that a 'lump sum', a total $ figure.

A breakout is a list of these items (breakout) with individual price/s then a grand total of these items/tasks.

I hope this helps, what they are asking for then is an oxymoron.

My suggestion is to call them and ask for a specific explanation. This should not be a problem in that this is confusing even to the best of us.

If I have missed the point let me know.

Stringer