“How Much Should I Charge My Clients”, Without Low Balling Yourself

Nadia Martinez
October 24, 2018
Price fixing can get really cumbersome, particularly for cleaning service providers facing a steady rise in competition every day. That’s why it’s vital that you know how much to charge for cleaning, let’s say, an 1800 sq. feet apartment considering all the hard work involved.

Continue reading for more details-

How much should I really charge?

janitorial-service-cost
Know more about your services first before you sell any.
  • It’s one of the most common questions online inquired by numerous cleaners before they bid on any cleaning contract.

Before you sit down to prepare an estimate for a client, you need to know exactly what they are demanding.

At the same time, knowing some of these crucial bits of information can actually be useful while charging janitorial fees for landing any janitorial contract.

Keep in mind that there are other factors that can influence pricing if services are taken on a one-time basis, which may include:

  • number of team members required to clean a space,
  • length of time it takes to complete the job,
  • total number of rooms served in space,
  • total number of windows present,
  • unique tools and skills required to perform the job.

The number of possible headcounts spending time in a particular area, as the number of people is directly proportional to the level of waste discharged.

Generally, ten individuals or more will be filling trashcans a lot faster compared to a space where only five individuals frequently hang out.

Furthermore, you need to know the type of floor that requires a scrub. Mainly because each category of floor requires different techniques to make it shine.

Right after setting an appointment over the phone, the next job would be to visit the site.

appointment-setting-janitorial
We schedule appointments on your behalf by calling a facility manager directly.

Once you visit a site, you will exactly know how much work is needed, and most importantly, you will be able to come up with a more satisfactory estimate.

This practice can be rewarding if you can network with facility managers and impress them.

  • $0.04 to $0.15 per square feet for an area of 30,000 sq. feet
  • You can charge a fee by the hour, usually $50 to $110 or per-square feet basis
  • Also, raise your fees a in case of a smaller area starting at $0.09 to $0.18 per sq. feet and onward.

But hold on, before you go ahead and start charging clients at these rates, you must be aware of the prices offered by other cleaning technicians operating in your area.

Basic differences between deep and regular cleaning offices. The distinction between the two results in variation in prices.

You should also note that special tools or skills come into play when your space has more rigorous cleaning standards to follow.

deep-cleaning-regular-differences-janitorial-leads-pro
Differences between deep and regular cleaning
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  • Generally, it costs between $25 to $40 if it’s a one time visit, which includes emptying the trashcan and vacuuming carpets.
  • However, the cost will rise to $40 to $65 if space requires additional services like cleaning toilets, floors, and/or restocking bathroom supplies.
 A competitive price rate is one of the keys to landing more projects over and over again. 
commercial-cleaning-space-janitorial-leads-pro
Imagine having office cleaning leads that require almost no work!

Payscale of cleaning offices during the pandemic?

Commercial Cleaning Cost Breakdown: 

          Square FeetCleaning Cost/Hours
        0–1,000 sq. ft$200–$400
        1,000–5,000 sq. ft$400–$550
      5,000–10,000 sq. ft$575–$675
      10,000–20,000 sq. ft$700–$1,150
      20,000–40,000 sq. ft$1,250–$1,650
          0–1,000 sq. ft1 hour
      1,000–5,000 sq. ft1–2 hours
      5,000–10,000 sq. ft2–3 hours
      10,000–20,000 sq. ft3–5 hours
      20,000–40,000 sq. ft5–9 hours
ServiceCleaning Cost
Tile & Concrete Scrubbing$0.12–$0.25 per sq. ft
Floor Waxing & Polishing$0.20–$0.50 per sq. ft
Marble & Terrazzo Refinishing$1.50–$4.00 per sq. ft
Carpet Shampooing & Extraction$0.08–$0.20 per sq. ft
Window Cleaning$4.00–$8.00 per piece
Commercial cleaning estimate per sq. feet area –

Most commercial buildings, ranging from big office complexes to restaurants, seem to have a significant advantage over retail cleaning providers that give them a fulfilling deep cleaning experience.

Let’s assume you are currently standing on the fifth floor of a commercial office building with thirty employees working 9 to 5.

While you’re strolling around a site you intend to clean, try finding out the pain points often experienced by a facility manager.

As a cleaning service, you must be able to address each of those problems if you wish to be hired by the same client in the future.

In such a case, the regular wage valuation would be at least

  • $50-per-hour or opt for a per-month basis, which will be $850.
janitorial-service-charges-janitorial-leads-pro
CIMS certified cleaners make more money compared to any non-certified janitor.
  • The next phase would be to come up with a feasible budget, an estimate that should not be intimidating for the prospect.

Remember, you still haven’t closed that lead yet; hence, an overestimated budget will lead to hiring a different contractor offering a lower budget.

The cleaning service industry is saturated; therefore, you need to know how much your competitors are charging so you don’t end up quoting more than the existing market.

 However, if you’re a CIMS certified, the wage rate can be more compared to a non-certified service. 

I am an optimist, so let’s assume once more that you have actually landed that contract, and now you have to know how to allocate a budget without running short during the contract period.

Another crucial factor to consider before charging janitorial fees is …

The number of new faces that will show up to clean the same space is equally important.

Clients aren’t generally happy with having new janitors every day to clean their work desks.

discounts-cleaning-janitorial-leads-pro
Price deductions can be an effective promotional strategy for retaining past clients

Moreover, as a janitorial service provider, you need to be equally flexible; meaning, you have to be willing to work for longer hours during special events.

The price you are going to charge should clearly indicate your OWN policies, whether hourly or monthly, depending on you entirely.

Appointment Setting
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The duration of a contract is necessary to look into as well, because if you are going to serve them over a long period of time then it’s important to leave room for negotiation.

And lastly, make sure you are offering discounts to your clients as a form of encouragement.

I hope this guide has proven to be a useful source of information if you’re a janitorial service and constantly giving the right level of effort.

Please state your query (if any) in the comments below, and stay with us for more information on how to land more janitorial contracts throughout the year.

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