I have a commercial Cleaning Bid for 40,000 square feet they are looking for someone
5 days a week to come in 2X a day morn just light cleaning empty trace , etc. And
the even lots of dusting and mopping I do live in IL and trying to figure out shall
I charge by square feet or charge by the hour. Never done a job this size. I don't
want to over bid myself or under bid myself Can someone help please.

Hi Lady,

Commercial cleaning is almost always bid with a total monthly price given to the prospect. And that is figured by using sq ft among a lot of other items beyond regular cleaning such as;

High dusting

Windows

Floor work (carpet cleaning / hard floor stripping and refinishing)

Recycling

Blind cleaning

Etc.

May I ask what experience you have in commercial cleaning as it is a different animal than residential cleaning?

Do you have a set of specifications from the prospect?

Have you calculated all you costs and profit desired?

Please respond, and we can proceed. Answers to these questions will give me an idea as to where to begin due to your experience level Lady.

I too am in Illinois, we have been doing commercial for almost twenty years.

Stringer

Yes I have experience in Commercial cleaning but never a size like this Actually I found out
after a walk through its 35,000 square feet. The job is 5 days a week 2X a day but the Morn
job is less work mostly emptying trash recycle , etc. But the second part of the day is at night and
all deep cleaning 4 washrooms 2 are bigger 2 break rooms, damp mopping floors where are needed.

No stripping or anything in that matter mostly mopping, Some vacuum No high dusting, No blinds cleaning
or window cleaning, All of our commercial jobs has been small. I don't want to over bid ourselves.

Haven't calculated anything yet but needed some ideas Thanks!

Our Business is based on Commercial Cleaning and Move-in/Out Cleaning not a Maid service.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by ladyinred2010

Yes I have experience in Commercial cleaning but never a size like this Actually I found out
after a walk through its 35,000 square feet. The job is 5 days a week 2X a day but the Morn
job is less work mostly emptying trash recycle and etc. But the second part of the day is at night and
all deep cleaning 4 washrooms 2 are bigger 2 break rooms, damp mopping floors where are needed.

No stripping or anything in that matter mostly mopping, Some vacuum No high dusting, No blinds cleaning
or window cleaning, All of our commercial jobs has been small. I don't want to over bid ourselves.

Haven't calculated anything yet but needed some ideas Thanks!

Our Business is based on Commercial Cleaning and Move-in/Out Cleaning not a Maid service.

---

I have read your response Lady. I am a little busy at the moment however I will be back later... probably with some more questions but we will work this out for sure. Thanks for being patient.

Stringer

Ok, I'm back. :)

First you need to have an understanding of exactly what your total costs are to be sure that you are covering them all; taxes, insurance, loaded labor (hourly rate, all taxes, insurance, etc), equipment, supplies, rent/mortgage, administrate (office costs; supplies, equipment, labor, repair costs, etc), vehicle/insurance/gas, profit, etc.

You need to arrive at an hourly/monthly rate. Add up all these costs and then reduce them to an hourly cost/profit. Then you can calculate a price per square foot using the same formula. Once you have these figures you have an understanding of where you stand which is vital.

You can use this rate for general use. However many times you will have to calculate into this any special needs or add ons such as the things I spoke of; windows, stripping, carpet cleaning, carpet spotting, special requirements such as treating wood desks or other items. Also, if the project is a high need facility such as medical or clean lab, etc then you need to adjust for time and additional expenses to perform properly.

As far as figuring your price for the day labor/day porters you need to follow the same procedure but only for the loaded hourly rate, possibly some supplies, your admin costs and profit. After you calculate this rate always quote it on a monthly basis. It is easier and is more professional for commercial.

What type of building is the 35,000 sq ft? What type of business, as different markets require different specs, costs and time.

Hope this helps.

Stringer

Ok thanks for the reply stringer. I see we are in the same Location Westburbs of IL
Is there anyway I can contact you by email? Since you are the expert with this?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by ladyinred2010

Ok thanks for the reply back stringer. I see we are in the same Location Westburbs of IL
Is there anyway I can contact you by email? Since you are the expert with this?

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Let's keep this on here for now as others may also benefit from any information we may provide Lady. Possibly later.

Yes, I am about 35 miles west. We cover all northern, central and west central Illinois also northwestern Indiana. We do all types of markets but specialize in medical cleaning. Requires a lot of training and compliance with all types of rules and regs.

Do you have any problems with what I explained earlier about how to calculate your pricing? Ask away if you do.

And please respond to the two questions that I asked.

Thanks,

Stringer

Yes I do have a problem with the calculation as I mention to you earlier this is
going to be my biggest job ever normally I am doing small companies. But I seriously
need help on the price quote for this one. There is no window cleaning, blinds cleaning,
nor any floor sweeping or waxing.

Detail: 2X a day morn first job is about a hr 1/2 job just small minor stuff the second
part of the day returning after the place is closed for about 3 hrs deep cleaning.

Ok, questions, please answer each as carefully as you can OK?

What type of business?

How many hours each day do the two day porters work? (or is it one person for 1 1/2 hours per day?)

What percentage of the 35,000 sq ft is carpet, hard floors (what type; concrete, wood, VCT, etc)?

Is this place busy? How many employees (approx) do they have that are there daily?

Do you have all the equipment that you will need; vacs, backpacks, brute barrels, supplies, etc?

If you have talked with them what seems to be their motivation; bad service, price or that they go out for bid on a regular basis every so many years anyway?

And....how did you arrive at the 1 1/2 hours early in the day and the 3 hours in the evening? 4 1/2 hours total daily correct? Do you clean all of the 35,000 sq ft each day?

This will get us started. But please remember that any help or pricing I suggest is just that a 'suggestion' as in the end pricing is always your own decision.

Stringer

[B]What type of business? (A Accountant Firm)

How many hours each day do the two day porters work?
(the first part of the day 1 hr 1/2 the night shift about 2 1/2 to 3 hours)

What percentage of the 35,000 sq ft is carpet, hard floors (what type; concrete, wood, VCT, etc)?
(Most are tiles some spots has a few carpet but not much of it. No hard wood floors)

Is this place busy? How many employees (approx) do they have that are there daily?

(The place is busy during the later hours of the day which is why the even needs mostly the
Deep cleaning)

Do you have all the equipment that you will need; vacs, backpacks, brute barrels, supplies, etc?
(Yes we have our own supplies)

If you have talked with them what seems to be their motivation; bad service, price or that they go out for bid on a regular basis every so many years anyway?
(they mention to me that they had many issues with their prior cleaning service)So they were looking for someone else. The person I spoke to was very interested in our cleaning service and wants me to submit a quote So I need to do that by tomorrow)

This will get us started. But please remember that any help or pricing I suggest is just that a 'suggestion' as in the end pricing is always your own decision.I agree I was just looking for suggestions

For an office scenario generally you can clean between 3,500 to 4,000 sq ft per hour. This equates to almost 9 hours per day total. This includes vacuuming, sweeping and mopping. This is an industry standard.

As you can quickly see this is 4 1/2 hours more per day than you listed. How did you get those hours?? If you are cleaning all of the 35,000 sq ft then you would be cleaning almost 8,000 sq ft each hour... almost impossible to do it right.

Are you cleaning all of the 35,000 sq ft each day or only part of it?

Stringer

I am sorry for so many questions Lady however I don't want to just throw out a price and find that all things were not considered as they should be each time.

Stringer

Not the whole 35,000 square feet they showed me 2 break rooms 4 bathrooms 3 small offices
The rest are all open spaces. But as far as the floor goes in the work area only mop when
Needed. The bathroom and break rooms are cleaned daily and empty all trash cans but looking
At the place the morn part would be quit easy but during the night after hours is the more
Cleaning. But I would think it would take 3 people to work in the night shift and during the
Mornings not so bad only one person can do that.

I was looking at at-least 3-4 hours detailing the place at night. With all the cleaning and
Empty and taking out trash and refilling the dispensers its going to take more then 2 hours
They haven't really opened up the place fully yet but in a couple of weeks they will.

Lady,

It has been a long day, I am going to put my feet up and head to the bedroom. I waited for a while to see if you responsed.

I have an appointment at 8 am in the morning but should be back around 9:30 or 10 am I will check to see if you had a chance to answer my questions. If so, we can get this done.

Good night Lady, sleep tight.

Stringer

I did reply for some reason we are getting the reply slow.

Forgot to mention I did not come up with the hours they came up with them. But like I
Mention looking at the place from my prospective it's going to take at least 3-4 hours
With 3 people working with me.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by ladyinred2010

Not the whole 35,000 square feet they showed me 2 break rooms 4 bathrooms 3 small offices
the rest are all open spaces. But as far as the floor goes in the work area only mop when
needed. the bathroom and break rooms are cleaned daily and empty all trash cans but looking
at the place the morn part would be quit easy but during the night after hours is the more
cleaning. But I would think it would take 3 people to work in the night shift and during the
mornings not so bad only one person can do that.

I was looking at at-least 3-4 hours detailing the place at night. With all the cleaning and
empty and taking out trash and refilling the dispensers its going to take more then 2 hours
They haven't really opened up the place fully yet but in a couple of weeks they will.

---

Ok, I am going to make a suggestion based upon the hours that you gave me: Figured annually and broken down to monthly (best and most accurate way)

1 1/3 hours daily during the day.

4 hours per night for the detail cleaning.

5.5 hours per day / 5 days per week.

260 days annually divided by 52 weeks = 260days divided by 12 months = 21.7 days average per month (use 22 days rounded) times 5.5 hours each day = 121 hours per average month

I assume that you have to remain competitive so I suggest a loaded hourly rate of $17.00 per hour times 121 hours (monthly) =

$2,057.00 suggested bid price per month. This would cover all the hours (day and night, 5 days per week).

I say average monthly price because you do not want to get involved with calculating you price each month due to the number of days in that month and this includes the reduction of all holidays; Christmas, Easter, etc.

Good luck, please let me know how it goes. And when you give them your proposal/contract tomorrow ask them when they will make a decision.


EDIT !!! Are you talking about 5.5 hours Lady or 17.5 daily counting yourself???? I asked earlier if 5.5 was correct however if you are saying that it is 1 1/2 during the day and 16 hours each night counting yourself then the above figures are wrong.

Indeed if 17.5 hours are to be used daily then please use this suggested pricing:

17.5 hrs daily / 5 days per week / 379 hrs per month x $17.00 = $6,443.00 per month.

Lady please add up all the hours that you expect to use per day and let me know.....



Stringer

"Lady please add up all the hours that you expect to use per day and let me know....."

Once you have that figure (total daily hours) extend it to annual days (260) and divide by 12 (months) and take that times the $17.00 for a suggested monthly price.

Gott go... by the way I love the song one of my favorites.

Stringer

I Calculated 5 hours per day/5 days a week giving me a total of 25 hours That's what I have came up with.

Thanks Stringer for all of your help I will come back soon to let you know how
It goes.