The quality of the quote you get back depends heavily on the quality of the information you provide upfront. A little preparation before a walkthrough produces a number that's actually comparable across bids.
Know Your Building Before the Walkthrough
Have square footage, approximate restroom count, tenant mix, and current cleaning frequency ready. If you have a current scope of work from an existing provider, share it — it gives the new contractor a baseline to quote against rather than guessing.
Be Specific About What Isn't Working
“Cleaner needed” produces a generic quote. “Lobby floors look streaked by Wednesday and the third-floor restroom runs out of paper towels by Thursday” produces a quote that actually addresses your problem.
Ask for a Written, Itemized Scope
A verbal price with no written scope isn't comparable to anything. Ask every contractor for a written scope of work — areas, tasks, frequency — alongside the price, so you're comparing the same thing across bids.
Confirm What's Included vs. Add-On
Floor care, window cleaning, and deep-clean services are commonly quoted separately from a nightly program. Confirm what's baseline and what's extra before comparing two numbers that may not actually cover the same scope.
Watch for Quotes That Are Significantly Lower
A quote that comes in well below the others on your list is usually cutting scope somewhere — lower frequency, fewer restocked supplies, or less experienced staffing. Ask what's different before assuming it's simply the better deal.
Get It in Writing Before You Decide
Request a written quote outlining scope, frequency, and pricing. If a contractor is reluctant to put it in writing, that's worth noting before you sign anything.