Given the variety of janitorial services on offer, the range of companies offering services, and the types of consumers seeking these services, accurately estimating janitorial costs can be very challenging.  By extension, it is also very difficult for business owners to budget for janitorial services when they initially seek them.  In fact, sometimes janitorial companies themselves struggle to properly price their services.  So how do you go about budgeting for professional cleaning?

Know Your Needs

First and foremost, it’s important to have a clear picture of what you need as far as janitorial services are concerned.  Depending on the type of facility being cleaned, janitorial costs can vary significantly.  The size of the space, the type of flooring, the types of rooms being cleaned, special cleaning services, and whether you need indoor and/or outdoor services are all factors that your janitorial company will need to know before accurately estimating cleaning costs.  Even factors such as the number of people who use your facility can impact cleaning costs as more people create more trash and require more amenities (such as toilet paper and hand soap).

Honesty is the Best Policy

If you require special cleaning services or you already know that there are some difficult asks for any janitorial company, be up front about this when contacting potential cleaners.  For example, if your facility handles hazardous waste, your janitorial service providers need to know so that they can provide safe and effective services.

Get Quotes

Before you begin budgeting for janitorial services, seek quotes from reputable professionals in your area.  Contacting a few local companies to provide quotes for the cleaning services you need will give you a good idea of the range of costs.  Ideally, you’ll also want to arrange for site visits from your list of prospective janitors.  A site visit is fundamental for an accurate quote, so if you speak with a janitorial company that offers a quote site-unseen be wary.  A thorough site visit will also help you better understand your cleaning needs as reputable professionals will make recommendations for services based on their inspection of your facility.

Communication is Key

Ultimately, each business owner will have unique cleaning needs related to the nature of the business and each janitorial professional will offer unique services related to their area of expertise.  Effective communication and written, signed contracts ensure that you receive the highest quality services on a budget you can manage.  Be clear about your expectations and listen carefully to what the professional is willing and capable of providing.  And remember to always put any cleaning contract in writing so that if problems arise you have a legal document to reflect on and protect your rights as a business owner.