Have you ever gotten cleaning service price quotes that were quite different? It's common to receive multiple janitorial service quotes with big differences in their prices. Have you ever wondered why this happens?
Well, most of the time, it's because each cleaning company estimates how many staff hours they'll need to get the cleaning job done. But more things go into these cleaning proposals. Here are six items that every cleaning proposal should have:
Direct Staff Wages
This is the biggest part of your cleaning service cost, usually about 60%. Cleaning companies figure out two things: how long it'll take to clean your place (the number of staff hours) and how much they need to pay their cleaners (the market hourly wage). The more info you give them about your cleaning needs, the better they can estimate.
Direct Staff Taxes & Benefits
Besides payroll taxes, there are other costs for the cleaning staff that cleaning companies should include in their price. This covers things like vacation pay, employee benefits (e.g. insurance and retirement plans), background checks, drug tests, and uniforms. The costs for these things can vary depending on the cleaning company and where you are.
Supplies
Cleaning companies need certain items to do their job, and there are two types: cleaning supplies (like chemicals and rags) and consumable items (like toilet paper and soap). Most cleaning quotes include cleaning supplies in the base price. You can also ask them for the price per unit for consumable supplies, and many local cleaning companies can offer good deals on these items.
Equipment
To clean your place, cleaning companies might need special equipment. The cost and how much they need can vary depending on what needs cleaning. They also consider the cost of wear and tear on their equipment when figuring out their price.
Indirect Costs (Overhead)
Cleaning companies have other costs, like managing bills and payments, human resources (including hiring), insurance, and supervision. These costs don't change much from one customer to another. So, cleaning companies have a set percentage they add to each customer's bill to cover these expenses.
Profit
Cleaning companies need to make a profit to stay in business and provide good service. Companies with a healthy profit margin usually offer better service and stick around longer. It's a good idea to choose companies that have been around for a while and have good references.
If you get cleaning quotes that don't include all these items, be sure to ask about them. Otherwise, you might choose a low-cost option that doesn't cover everything you need, and you could regret it later.
