Do not give work to companies that are not willing to invest the time to do a formal walk through. Rather than just giving a bid based on square feet it is essential for the following reasons:

1) Age of the building – older buildings are going to take a little longer the clean properly.

2) Number of people working in the building – more people = more mess.

3) The building layout. A two story building is probably going to be a little harder to clean than a one story. Also, some layouts are more conducive to janitor service than others.

4) How many restrooms they will be responsible for. This is a big one as it takes more time to clean restrooms than another room of the same size.

5) What you use the building for. A hospital is going to need much more time than a retail store.

6) They need to know what types of supplies they are going to need. They more it will cost them in supplies, the more it will cost you.

It is important that they give you a solid bid so they will not cut corners in the future to make up for a low bid. In order for them to give you a good bid, they need to do the walk through.

You should get a written estimate before you hire any janitor service. This is insurance for you if they are doing a bad job. You will usually be hiring on a contract basis, which means you are responsible for keeping their service for a certain length of time. It will be a real headache for you if they do a lousy job and you are in a contract with them.

You should receive a formal bid within 24 to 48 hours. Your decision should be based on this estimate as well as all of your previous experience with the company in your research process. Be picky! This is a big decision that will either save you hours or cost you hours & hassle.

Do not feel obligated to a company once you have gotten a written estimate. You should be getting at minimum 2 written estimates (and up to 5). Pick the best company. A company that is willing to take the time to do a formal walk through and give you a solid written estimate are more inclined to work hard to protect the investment they have made in you as a client.

With several written estimates you are picking the best janitor service from the best companies out there (that fit your needs). This is a great place to be.

On-site walk through

Before you can get a written formal estimate, you need to do a formal walk-through with a representative, preferably the owner or manager, of the company you will potentially hire. This walk-through serves two purposes.

1) This gives them an opportunity to inspect the job you have for them. They can see the size and the full scope of cleaning that you need to have done on a regular basis. It is essential for them to be able to know what a fair price to charge you will be.

Be wary of anyone who tries to give you an estimate without a full walk through. This mean that either they don’t know what they are doing, are very lazy (which will be reflected in their work), or they charge hourly. You will want to stay away from a janitor service that charges on a hourly basis because it is in their best interest to take longer on the job and therefore costing you more. However, on the same note, it is okay if they charge hourly for special & additional assignments you give them on an occasional basis.

2) The walk through is also a chance for you to interview them. Get to know as much as you can about their character, how the business runs, and the janitor service you are hiring.

Be sure to ask the company you are getting an estimate from to bring references (if you have not already gotten them) and a copy of their business licenses, bonding (if desired), and insurance for you to verify.

A quick note: It is a good idea to have qualified the cleaning service through their references before getting to this step so you don’t feel obligated toward them for the time they spent on the estimate. However, if you had no way of getting references before this time, DON’T forget the now!

Shortly after doing the walk-through, the janitor service should present you with a written estimate. You can compare this estimate with the others you got based on services provided, price, and over all quality of business.

Even though it can seem like there is a lot to do to find and hire the right janitor service, remember that hiring is the easy part. Dealing with sub-par service is a lot more tiresome. In the end you will be glad you took a bit more time in the beginning because you will get what you want without the hassle of having to deal with people that don’t meet your standards or don’t know what they’re doing.

When you first sit down to find a good janitor service, the first step is to make two separate lists.

On the first list:

Write down the minimum services you need for your business. For example you may need vacuuming, bathroom cleaning, trash removal, etc.

On the second list:

List of all the additional services you would like the janitorial service to offer. Perhaps you would like them to offer carpet & curtain & upholstery cleaning. But if they don’t it doesn’t mean you won’t hire them because you can always hire a separate company to do these things when they are needed.

When you call and talk to different janitor services, keep the lists with you and keep track of which janitor service can meet your needs. Some specialize and only service hospitals or manufacturing plants for instance. Since this is the first step, weed out any janitor services that can’t meet your business needs or standards.

Set appointments with 2 to 5 companies to give you an accurate written estimate. We suggest a minimum of 2 companies, and a maximum of five. It may be a good idea to ask other local businesses or associates whom they higher, and who they would recommend. Be sure when you do make a decision, that the company is reputable and can meet the needs of your business.