Free tool
Per-Clean vs Hourly PricingModel which pricing structure wins for your account mix.
$0.07–$0.15 per sq ft per visit is the national median commercial cleaning rate for standard office space — but the range spans $0.04 to $0.35/sq ft depending on soil level, frequency, and market. Getting this wrong by even 15% can eliminate your entire profit margin. (BSCAI 2024 Compensation & Benchmarking Report)
Build your bid before the walkthrough ends. Use the Cleaning Bid Calculator to run your numbers on-site — enter sq footage, frequency, and labor time to see your all-in cost and recommended price instantly.
Bidding commercial cleaning jobs is the single most important financial skill a cleaning business owner develops. Underbid and you win the account but lose money on every visit. Overbid and a competitor takes the contract. The goal is a bid that reflects your actual costs, targets a sustainable margin, and remains competitive for your market.
This guide walks through the complete bidding process — from your pre-walkthrough prep to the final proposal number — using the production-rate method that professional janitorial contractors use.
| Task | Sq Ft / Hour (Low) | Sq Ft / Hour (High) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vacuum carpeted office | 3,000 | 5,000 | Standard commercial carpet |
| Dust mop hard floor | 4,000 | 7,000 | Open floor plan |
| Wet mop hard floor | 2,000 | 3,500 | Includes wringing |
| Empty trash (per can) | — | — | 1.5–2 min/can incl. reline |
| Clean restroom (per fixture) | — | — | 8–12 min/fixture |
| Wipe desks/surfaces | 1,500 | 2,500 | Cluttered environments slower |
| Glass/window cleaning | 200 | 400 | Sq ft of glass surface |
Source: ISSA Cleaning Times standard; BSCAI 2024 Compensation & Benchmarking Report; Opora field data from member operators.
The Four-Step Bidding Process
Step 1: Pre-Walkthrough Research
Before you set foot in the building, gather as much information as possible:
- Square footage: Ask the prospect. Verify with Google Maps satellite view or the building's property card on the county assessor website.
- Frequency: How many visits per week/month? More frequent = lower cost per visit (labor efficiency improves) but higher monthly invoice.
- Scope: Standard janitorial only, or does it include floor care, window cleaning, or specialty services?
- Existing vendor: Who do they use now, and why are they switching? If they're leaving on price alone, be careful — they may try to negotiate you down the same way.
- Start date: If it's a month away, you have time for a thorough proposal. If they need service next week, adjust your walkthrough to focus on critical path items.
Step 2: The Walkthrough — What to Measure and Observe
Bring a measuring wheel or use a Disto laser measure. Key items to document:
Hard numbers:
- Total sq footage by zone (offices, common areas, restrooms, kitchen, lobby)
- Number of restrooms and total fixture count (toilets, urinals, sinks)
- Number of trash cans (approximate)
- Number of desks and workstations (affects surface-wiping time)
- Floor type by zone (carpet vs. VCT vs. luxury vinyl vs. tile)
Qualitative factors:
- Clutter level (high-clutter offices take 30–40% longer to clean)
- Soil level (medical facilities or manufacturing = higher soil = more time)
- Security requirements (do cleaners need escort? background check? access controls?)
- Parking and building access logistics (affects mobilization time)
Step 3: Build the Labor Cost
The production-rate method calculates exactly how long each task takes, then converts that to a labor cost.
Example: 10,000 sq ft single-story office, 3x/week
| Task | Area | Production Rate | Time (hrs) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vacuum carpet | 7,000 sq ft | 4,000/hr | 1.75 |
| Dust mop tile lobby | 1,500 sq ft | 5,000/hr | 0.30 |
| Wet mop kitchen/break room | 500 sq ft | 2,500/hr | 0.20 |
| Empty 45 trash cans | 45 cans | 1.75 min each | 1.31 |
| Clean 3 restrooms (12 fixtures) | 12 fixtures | 10 min each | 2.00 |
| Wipe surfaces/desks | 200 stations | 2 min each | 6.67 |
| Total labor per visit | 12.23 hrs |
At $18/hr loaded labor cost (wage + payroll tax + workers' comp): 12.23 × $18 = $220.14/visit
3 visits/week × 4.33 weeks/month = 13 visits/month × $220.14 = $2,861.82/month in labor
Step 4: Apply Overhead and Margin
Add your overhead allocation and profit margin:
| Component | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Labor | $2,862 | Calculated above |
| Supplies (1.5–3% of revenue) | $60 | Paper goods, chemicals, liners |
| Equipment allocation | $25 | Depreciation + maintenance |
| Overhead (18–22% of labor) | $572 | Insurance, admin, vehicle, phone |
| Total cost | $3,519 | Before profit |
| Profit margin (15–20%) | $703 | At 20% markup on cost |
| Monthly bid price | $4,222 | ~$0.09/sq ft/visit |
Rate Adjustments by Building Type
The per-sq-ft rate varies significantly by building vertical. Medical and industrial facilities command premiums because they require higher skill, specialized chemicals, and more rigorous protocols.
47% of commercial cleaning operators admit to guessing at their production rates during walkthroughs rather than using documented standards — the single largest driver of unprofitable bids. (BSCAI Operations Survey 2023)
Rate premiums by vertical (above baseline office rate):
- Medical/dental offices: +30–50% (infection control protocols, regulated waste handling)
- Industrial/manufacturing: +25–40% (heavy soil, specialized equipment required)
- Educational facilities: +10–20% (large open areas vs. complex office layouts)
- Retail: −10% (lower soil, simple scope)
- Restaurants/food service: +40–60% (grease, health code compliance)
Common Bidding Mistakes That Destroy Margins
1. Using per-sq-ft estimates without a walkthrough. A 10,000 sq ft office with 10 restrooms takes dramatically longer than a 10,000 sq ft warehouse with 2 restrooms. Never bid from square footage alone.
2. Forgetting mobilization time. If your crew drives 45 minutes each way to reach the account, that's 1.5 hours of labor cost per visit that must be captured in your bid.
3. No escalation clause. Lock in a price for 12 months, but include a clause allowing a CPI-based adjustment at renewal. Without it, you absorb every wage increase.
4. Underestimating trash. Count the actual trash cans during the walkthrough. A 10,000 sq ft office can easily have 80+ individual wastebaskets — at 1.5 minutes each, that's 2 hours of labor.
Do the arithmetic in the tools — not in a hopeful spreadsheet
The article is the process. The calculators catch the arithmetic errors that show up as unpaid overtime three months into the contract.
Your next steps
- Pick one live opportunity and walk it with a notepad — cleanable footage and frequency first.
- Run Production Rate and Bill Rate, then draft the proposal in the Bid Generator.
- Sanity-check against $/sq ft benchmarks by facility type before you send.