Map occupancy before estimating the work
Ask how many people normally use the building, which days are busiest, whether hybrid schedules change traffic, and whether visitors, events, or multiple shifts alter the cleaning window. Confirm the number of buildings, floors, tenants, entrances, elevators, stairwells, and restricted areas included in the request.
Do not treat total square footage as equally cleanable space. Private offices, open workstations, conference rooms, restrooms, kitchens, lobbies, corridors, storage, and mechanical or restricted areas create different tasks and access conditions.
Walk the office as service zones
Record each zone, its surface mix, visible condition, fixture or workstation density, traffic pattern, and requested frequency. Note what must be completed every visit and what can be scheduled periodically.
- Entrances, lobby glass, reception, elevators, and public-facing touchpoints
- Private offices, open workstations, conference rooms, and shared equipment areas
- Restroom fixture counts, shower or locker areas, and refill responsibilities
- Break rooms, kitchens, appliances, sinks, vending, and food-waste expectations
- Carpet, resilient flooring, stone, tile, mats, stairs, and periodic floor care
- Waste, recycling, cardboard, confidential disposal, and collection locations
Confirm the responsibilities that change cost
Clarify who provides liners, paper, soap, chemicals, equipment, dispensers, keys, badges, storage, water, electricity, and parking. Ask whether the contractor receives a dedicated closet and whether elevators, loading areas, or trash rooms are available during the service window.
Separate routine janitorial work from interior glass, exterior windows, carpet extraction, floor refinishing, upholstery, high dusting, events, emergency calls, day porter coverage, and tenant requests. Each included periodic service needs a stated frequency or pricing treatment.
Build the price from your approved operating plan
Estimate the hours required for the agreed zones, tasks, frequencies, service window, supervision, and quality controls using methods your company can defend. Then apply your actual wage, payroll burden, supplies, equipment, travel, overhead, contingency, minimums, and margin decisions.
Benchmarks may help challenge an assumption, but they do not know the building. Record the source of every material input and show open questions before selecting the final price. The proposal should state assumptions, exclusions, escalation terms, and how added areas or frequencies are approved.