Planning & costs
How to choose a commercial cleaning company: a practical buyer’s checklist
A cleaning quotation is only useful when you can see what sits behind the price. Two contractors can quote for the same building and propose very different services. Use this checklist to understand what you are buying, who will manage it and how problems will be put right.
What to take away
- Give every contractor the same brief before comparing prices.
- Ask how staff absence, quality checks and issues will be managed.
- Choose a specification you can check, rather than a promise you cannot measure.
Start with the building, rather than a headline price
Before asking for quotations, list the rooms, approximate floor areas, surfaces and typical occupancy. Include washrooms, kitchens, meeting rooms, reception areas and any spaces used outside normal hours. Note access restrictions, secure rooms and times when noisy equipment would cause disruption. A contractor who understands these details can propose a workable schedule. One who prices without them may be making assumptions that emerge later as missed tasks or additional charges.
Ask for a room-by-room cleaning specification
A useful specification says what will be cleaned, how often and who is responsible. ‘Clean the office’ leaves too much open to interpretation. Ask whether desks must be cleared, whether internal glazing is included and how periodic carpet or floor care will be handled. Agree how washroom supplies are checked and whether replenishment is included. Keep the specification somewhere your team can refer to when reviewing the service.
- Which tasks are included in each routine visit?
- Which tasks are periodic, separately priced or excluded?
- Who provides equipment, products and consumables?
- How will changes to rooms, occupancy or hours be agreed?
Look at the staffing plan
Ask how cleaners are inducted into your building, who supervises them and what happens during sickness or annual leave. Training should cover the actual site, not simply a generic induction. Discuss any access checks or safeguarding requirements relevant to your premises. Ask how replacement staff will receive keys, alarm instructions and the current checklist without relying on your receptionist to organise everything.
Find out what management means in practice
A named account manager is valuable when there is a clear way to reach them and an agreed process for following up concerns. Ask to see an example audit format and how actions are tracked. An inspection should lead to specific improvements where needed. Ask how service information will be shared, how often reviews happen and how your team can distinguish an issue that has been logged from one that has actually been resolved.
Compare the whole service before deciding
Put each proposal into the same comparison sheet. Record visit frequency, staffing assumptions, periodic work, consumables, supervision and the arrangements for reviewing the price. Clarify VAT treatment, payment terms, notice periods and the proposed start date directly with each contractor. A low initial figure can be poor value if essential work sits outside it. Equally, a larger specification may contain work you do not need. The best fit is a clear, manageable service matched to your building.
Your next step
Walk the site with your shortlisted contractor and ask them to explain a typical cleaning visit from arrival to departure. This quickly reveals whether the proposed service fits your day. Kezlin’s contract cleaning is supported by tailored plans, dedicated account management, monthly audits and quarterly reviews. A site visit gives us the information needed to put together a relevant proposal, rather than a generic package.
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