Office cleaning cost per month is the per visit price times the number of visits in a month, plus supplies and any one time first clean. Square footage, restrooms, headcount and frequency set how long each visit takes, and labor time drives the price. To compare quotes, convert each one to the same monthly number for the same scope.
Is the quote per visit or per month?
Read the first line of the quote. A per visit quote charges each time the crew comes, so a month with more visit days costs more. A monthly quote spreads the year evenly across twelve bills. Both are common. Neither is cheaper by itself, so convert one into the other before you compare.
The conversion uses the weeks in a year. There are 52 weeks and 12 months, so a month averages about 4.33 weeks. That gives these average visit counts:
| Schedule | Visits a year | Average visits a month |
|---|---|---|
| Weekly | 52 | 4.33 |
| Twice a week | 104 | 8.67 |
| Three times a week | 156 | 13 |
| Five nights a week | 260 | 21.67 |
A quote that says "four visits a month" for weekly service is a few visits short over a year. Ask whether the monthly price is based on 52 weeks or on 48.
What changes with square footage, restrooms, occupancy and frequency?
Each one changes how long the crew spends per visit, and time is most of the price. More square feet means more floor to vacuum and mop. Each restroom adds fixtures to clean and restock. More people means more trash and more touched surfaces. More visits a week raises the monthly total, though each visit may be shorter.
Cleaning companies estimate that time in a few standard ways. ISSA, the cleaning industry association, describes cleaning times as square footage divided by a production rate per hour for each task, or as a count of fixtures times the minutes per fixture. That is why two offices of the same size can get different quotes.
Things that add time to a visit:
- Restrooms, especially ones shared with other tenants
- Hard floors that need mopping, compared with carpet that only needs vacuuming
- Glass walls, glass doors and storefront entries
- Break rooms with appliances, sinks and a dishwasher
- Clutter on desks and floors that slows dusting and vacuuming
- Distance between the parking lot and the suite, elevators and security checks
Are paper supplies, liners, glass and an initial deep clean included?
Not always, and these are where quotes differ most. Some quotes include toilet paper, paper towels, hand soap and trash liners. Others expect the office to buy them. Interior glass may be every visit or monthly. A first deep clean to bring the office up to standard is often a separate one time charge. Check each line.
Southern Charm Cleaning brings its own cleaning products, vacuums, mops and cloths. Paper products and liners for your restrooms can be yours or ours, and the quote says which. For a full list of what is usually included, optional or excluded, see what is included in office cleaning.
How do two quotes with different visit counts compare?
Turn both into a monthly number and a per visit number, then compare the scope line by line. A quote with more visits can cost more per month and less per visit. The question is which schedule your office needs, which you can answer by headcount, restrooms and customer visits, before price enters the picture.
Here is a worked example with letters in place of prices. It is hypothetical, not a Southern Charm price.
- Quote A charges a per visit price, call it A, for twice a week. Monthly cost is A × 8.67.
- Quote B charges a flat monthly price, call it B, for three visits a week. Per visit cost is B ÷ 13.
- If A × 8.67 is close to B, Quote B buys about four more visits a month for a similar bill.
- If Quote A includes paper supplies and Quote B does not, add your own monthly supply spend to B before comparing.
Then check frequency against need. If your restroom and trash are fine with two visits, the third visit in Quote B is a cost you may not need. The guide on how often an office should be cleaned helps decide.
How do you calculate commercial cleaning cost per square foot?
Divide the monthly price by the cleanable square footage. That gives a monthly cost per square foot you can compare across offices or quotes. You can also divide a per visit price by the square footage for a per visit figure. Always use the same unit for both quotes, and use the same footage the cleaner used.
Office cleaning cost per square foot is a useful check, but it hides the details. A 3,000 square foot office with three restrooms and a large kitchen takes more time than a 3,000 square foot office of open carpet. Online guides to commercial cleaning cost per square foot usually give broad ranges that are not specific to Dallas or Fort Worth. Read them as a rough check, not as the office cleaning price for your space.
Is an hourly rate a fair way to compare cleaning quotes?
Only if both quotes state the hours and the same scope. An hourly rate tells you the cost of labor time but not how much gets done in that time. A slower crew at a lower rate can cost more per month. Compare the monthly total and the written task list, then use hours as a check.
Ask each company how many crew hours they plan per visit and how many people come. If one quote plans half the hours of another for the same checklist, ask which tasks get less time.
What information is needed for a written quote?
A cleaner needs the square footage, a list of rooms, restroom count, floor types, headcount, how often customers visit, the days and hours you want, and how the crew gets in. With those, the quote can list every task, its frequency, who supplies paper goods and the price per visit or per month.
Use this worksheet to compare quotes side by side:
| Item | Quote 1 | Quote 2 | Quote 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Per visit or per month | |||
| Visits per week | |||
| Average visits per month | |||
| Monthly total | |||
| Per visit cost | |||
| Cleanable square feet used | |||
| Restrooms included | |||
| Paper goods and liners included | |||
| Interior glass frequency | |||
| First deep clean, included or separate | |||
| Crew hours planned per visit | |||
| Visit days and hours | |||
| Notice needed to change the schedule |
Frequently asked questions
Why do office cleaning prices vary so much between companies?
Each company plans a different amount of labor time, includes different supplies and sets a different scope. One may include restocking and interior glass while another leaves them out. Put the quotes on one worksheet with the same visit count and the gaps usually explain the price difference.
Should I sign a long contract for office cleaning?
Ask how much notice each side needs to change or end the schedule, and get it in writing. Southern Charm Cleaning quotes the schedule you ask for, and changing that schedule later is a text away.
Can I get a quote without a walkthrough?
For small offices, photos and the square footage are often enough to quote. Larger spaces or offices with unusual floors and many restrooms usually need a walkthrough so the quote matches the work. Southern Charm Cleaning does both.
Does a first deep clean change the monthly price?
It usually appears as a separate one time line. After it, the recurring visits keep the office at that level. Ask whether the monthly price assumes the first deep clean is done, and what it costs if you skip it.
How do I get an office cleaning quote?
Text the business name, square footage, restroom count and how often you want visits to (469) 383 8216, or use the quote form. Southern Charm Cleaning quotes recurring office cleaning per visit or per month after a walkthrough, across Plano, Dallas, Frisco and the rest of Dallas and Fort Worth.
For a task list to attach to your request, use the small office cleaning checklist. See all services.