Getting a janitorial quote is easy. Getting a fair one that you can actually compare against another bid takes a little preparation — and it happens before anyone walks through your door.
Know Your Actual Square Footage
Rough estimates lead to rough quotes. If you have a floor plan or a number from your lease, have it ready. Also know which spaces are and are not included — storage rooms, mechanical rooms and server rooms are often excluded from a standard scope.
Write Down What You Actually Need Before the Walkthrough
Before inviting anyone in to quote, list which rooms, which tasks and what frequency matters to you, plus any non-negotiables. This keeps a bidder from quoting a stripped-down scope that looks cheap on paper and prevents you from accepting something that will not keep your facility clean.
Get More Than One Quote
One quote gives you a number. Two or three give you a market. If bids for what should be the same scope come back wildly apart, ask each bidder to walk you through exactly what is and is not included — the gap is almost always in the scope, not the crew.
Ask What Is Not Included
Always ask a bidder to name what falls outside the quoted price. Floor care, consumable restocking and window cleaning are commonly quoted separately — better to know upfront than after your first invoice.
Insist on a Written Scope
A verbal quote with no task list behind it gives you nothing to hold anyone to. We write a scope of work after every walkthrough, before we quote a price — you should expect the same from any provider you are considering.