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Meeting the Needs of Cleaning Contractors

Independent cleaning contractors play a vital role in maintaining clean and healthy environments across various sectors. From residential spaces to commercial establishments, their expertise and services are in high demand. As independent contractors, they face unique challenges and have specific needs that must be addressed to ensure their success. In this article, we will explore three essential requirements and considerations for independent cleaning contractors.

1. Flexible Work Schedule: One of the primary needs of independent cleaning contractors is a flexible work schedule. Many contractors choose this profession because it allows them to set their own hours and manage their workload. Flexibility is crucial for balancing personal commitments and accommodating the needs of clients. Offering flexible scheduling options can attract and retain skilled cleaning contractors. By eliminating the need to travel to clients, Virtual Bid allows contractors to have more flexibility in their work and personal life.

2. Client Acquisition Support: For independent cleaning contractors, acquiring new clients and building a customer base can be a significant challenge. They may need assistance creating an online presence and establishing a reputation in the industry. Virtual Bid provides contractors with a pool of clients ready to hire, helping contractors grow and expand their business!

3. Fair Compensation and Timely Payments: Independent cleaning contractors deserve fair compensation for their services and timely payments for their work. Establishing transparent and equitable payment structures helps build trust and reliability. With Virtual bid, contractors can promptly address payment issues and provide support with billing and invoicing for their clients.

Learn more by downloading the Virtual Bid app on the Apple Store or Google Play Store!

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The Benefits of Virtual Price Estimates

In the digital age, technology has revolutionized various industries, including the cleaning sector. Independent cleaners now have the option to provide virtual price estimates to their clients, offering numerous advantages over traditional in-person assessments. Here are 3 benefits of giving virtual price estimates.

1. Time and Cost Savings: One of the primary benefits of virtual price estimates is the significant time and cost savings it offers to both independent cleaners and clients. In traditional methods, scheduling an in-person assessment requires coordinating availability, traveling to the location, and spending valuable time on-site. By utilizing virtual platforms such as video calls or online forms, cleaners can quickly gather necessary information without the need for physical travel. Clients can also save time by avoiding multiple appointments for estimates, streamlining the process and making it more efficient for everyone involved.

2. Enhanced Convenience for Clients: Virtual price estimates offer unparalleled convenience for clients. They can provide necessary information about their cleaning requirements and desired scope of work without the need to be physically present at the location. Clients can share details about their space, specific cleaning needs, and any unique considerations through online forms or video calls. This convenience eliminates the need for clients to rearrange their schedules or wait for cleaners to arrive, making the process more convenient and accessible.

3. Transparent Communication: Virtual price estimates foster transparent communication between independent cleaners and clients. Through virtual platforms, cleaners can explain their pricing methodology, outline the services included, and address any questions or concerns the client may have. Clients, in turn, can provide feedback, discuss their specific requirements, and seek clarification in real-time. This transparent communication builds trust and ensures that both parties are on the same page regarding the pricing and scope of work.

Learn more by downloading the Virtual Bid app on the Apple Store or Google Play Store!

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How to start a cleaning business

There are many ways to start a cleaning business, I did with $20.00 and a lot of hard work the most important thing is having the skill to clean some of us were just born with it in our DNA. I have found that we are essential just like a doctor when people are sick or an electrician when the lights go out or a plumber when the sink is plugged or a handyman when you need a screen door installed. All the fields I just mentioned are essential and one statement I heard over and over during COVID 19 was you are essential to our family, so you are entering into a very promising business that has been around for centuries. I will give you a few key pointers that will help you successfully start and operate a cleaning business.

Things to consider

  1. Are you going to do the cleaning or hire staff?
  2. Are you going to supply the equipment and products?
  3. Who are your customers and how do you to get in front of them?

These are all things you need to really think about before starting I started by myself and learned in one month that I wanted and needed to hire staff to help me! Cleaning is a very physical job, and it takes strength to do this job everyday. I was a single mom and I wanted to be at home with my kids not work all day and still earn a decent living and I love cleaning!

4 Things to consider before starting a cleaning business

  1. Marketing: I started pre digital era in 1995 so print ads and yellow pages were how we reached our clients. You now must have a Website a Google business page, A Facebook business page. Vista print makes it affordable to produce marketing products such as business cards, magnets for your car, fliers to promote your business in the areas you will clean.
  2. Staff: This is where the rubber meets the road your company will never be better than the staff you hire to provide the service you must have trustworthy reliable help. Your commitment will always be greater than your staff no matter how loyal or how long they stay in the end it will be you running the show so be prepared for all that goes with running a service business. The better the staff the less problems you will face.
  3. Structure: What will be your legal name and how will you file taxes will you have a sole proprietorship, or a LLC or a S corporation. To be honest in 27 years I have been all 3 at first, I was small my income was fair but minimal but as I grew, I had to shift to a different structure a good tax advisor will know when that needs to happen.
  4. Tax liabilities: I cannot over emphasize the importance of this know what your state requires get your federal and state tax id’s and know if you are supposed to have a sales tax permit in Minnesota cleaning companies are required to collect sales tax from their clients. Employees versus subcontractors there is a lot to consider. Residential or Commercial cleaning.

I had no idea what I was doing when it came to bidding or how to find good help or how I should charge or any of the things I mentioned but as I kept moving and did my homework pretty much trial and error it all fell into place to be honest you will have to figure it out step by step which is how all good businesses are but I can tell you 27 years later I am still running a successful cleaning company that I started with $20.00.

Now go and take a bite out of grime!

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How to give an accurate cleaning estimate

There are many ways to give an accurate residential cleaning estimate, but the most important part of an estimate is having all the proper information from your potential customer to give an accurate bid.

Cleaning clipboard list with house clean product on wood table
Cleaning Checklist

Basic Questions:

  1. How frequent will you be cleaning?
  2. Does your customer have pets and if so, how many?
  3. How long has it been since their home was cleaned? 
  4. What type of floor surfaces?

After getting that info from the customer you can start putting together a mental idea of what things you will have to factor in your estimate.

I will tell you why these 4 questions have always been part of my pre-clean survey.

  1. How frequent lets you know how long the job will take most monthly accounts take more time where biweekly jobs are less time frequency really determines time.
  1. Pets are loved by all of us, but their dander takes more time to get off floors, furniture etc. again it is a time factor question.
  1. How long since it’s been clean tells you an idea, without seeing it, of what you may be walking into. A tip I have is to ask on a scale of 1 to 10 ten being the worse where would they say their home falls. This determines the cost for initial cleaning.
  1. The types of floors you clean are important. I am using a 2000 sq ft home as an example here. Consider the process to provide the service with all wood floors you must sweep and mop whereas, with carpets floors it’s a one step process vacuum only which takes a lot less time.

Number 4 is most important because if you add in, pets and the house rated as a 7 in how dirty it is and it has wood floors that 2000 square feet house will take 1 person 4 ½.

I have always sent at least 2 people to an assignment which turns the above job into a 2 hour and 10-minute job. Bringing more staff means you can clean more homes per day and provide a great customer experience and gain repeat business.

Bedrooms and bathrooms also play a factor in your cleaning estimate but these 4, will help you to identify the key things you need to ask when preparing an estimate for your customer.

 The cost for the above job would be $290.00 for the first cleaning and $180.00 biweekly and $210.00 on a monthly schedule.

Now go and take a bite out of grime!