How to Quote a Commercial Cleaning Job Without Underbidding

Underbidding is how cleaning companies stay busy and broke. A commercial quote that looks competitive on paper can erase profit once you add real labor hours, supplies, travel, and the nights you staff for call-offs.

This guide gives you a repeatable way to quote commercial cleaning jobs with confidence.

Why commercial quotes fail

Most bad bids come from guessing square footage, copying a competitor’s price, or forgetting the soft costs that show up after you win.

• Labor is usually 50–70% of direct cost
• Supplies, trash liners, and equipment wear add up monthly
• Access delays, elevators, and after-hours security slow production
• One underpriced building can lock you into a bad contract for a year

1. Collect the right inputs before you write a number

Do not quote from a phone call alone. Get:

1. Approximate cleanable square footage by area type (office, restrooms, break rooms, common areas)

2. Frequency (nightly, 3x/week, weekly)

3. Scope inclusions and exclusions

4. Access window and hard deadlines

5. Current condition photos or a walkthrough

If the buyer will not allow a walkthrough on a larger account, price a contingency or decline.

2. Build production rates by area, not one magic number

Use production rates (sq ft per hour or minutes per restroom) tailored to your team’s real speed.

• Open office vacuum/dust vs dense cubicles
• Restroom fixtures and traffic level
• Kitchen/break room intensity
• Entrance glass and lobby standards

Multiply hours by fully loaded labor cost (wage + taxes + workers’ comp allocation), then add supplies and supervision.

3. Add margin and risk — do not apologize for them

After direct costs, add:

• Target gross margin (many operators aim for 30–40%+ before overhead, depending on market)
• Risk buffer for dirty starts, incomplete specs, or surge traffic
• Overhead allocation if your bid model requires it

A clean explanation beats a race-to-the-bottom price.

4. Present the quote like a professional scope package

Your proposal should include:

• Scope checklist by area
• Frequency calendar
• Exclusions (stripping floors, construction dust, etc.)
• Start date and notice terms
• Price as monthly and/or per-clean for clarity

Ambiguous quotes create disputes. Clear quotes win trust.

5. Protect yourself after you win

• Take baseline photos on night one
• Confirm keys/badges and alarm procedures in writing
• Review the first 14 days of labor hours vs bid assumptions
• Raise a change order if scope reality differs from the RFP

Action checklist

• Build a walkthrough form with area types and frequencies
• Maintain production-rate tables for your markets
• Quote from loaded labor + supplies + margin + risk
• Deliver scope + exclusions with every bid
• Audit hours in the first two weeks

Quote to stay profitable — not just to win the handshake.