I started a new construction business in March of this year and I have been asked to bid on a 75,000sf hospice home. I am blind as of what to charge them. Windows needs to be clean both inside and out, the place is full of windows and french doors with large lobbies area. I will have a team of 10 to 14 people and I was thinking of bidding .20 sf for both rough and final clean, including bathrooms, kitchens, mopping, vacuuming, etc and charge windows separately at $10. Project should be completed in approximately a week to 2 weeks; is this a fair charge?

Hi Jen,

That is a good sized building for only being in this business about four months congratulations on your opportunity to bid it.

Have you had any jobs prior to this bid? And if so, how did you price them?

A few questions;

Do you have written specifications?

Are the any large items to be removed from the site by you, will you need a dumpster (additional cost)?

Is this a multilevel building? If so, do you have the equipment or will you have to rent a scissor lift?

Hopefully you have liability insurance.

Is any hard floor or carpet cleaning involved?

As far as the windows we usually charge $2.50 per frame per side or $5.00 per window, this is competitive and fair. If you need scissors then you have to incorporate that cost in the charge. This would be in addition to the cleaning charge.

How many rooms? Do these rooms have small kitchens and do you have to clean these appliances and wipe the walls?

Actually $.20 sounds about right plus any carpet cleaning and stripping and refinishing of hard floors and windows. Although you should figure in a 'risk charge' of $.005 to $.0075 for unseen things and surprises. Construction clean ups can offer up these surprises.

Have you done a thorough walk through with the client or job sup?

Remember (important) after your work is complete either by section or the entire job ----walk the job with the person in charge and get their approval AND a written 'sign off' that they are satisfied, or they can come back later and complain or do additional work and could possibly hold payment.

Please answer my questions and good luck.

Remember that pricing is always your own decision in the end.

Stringer