what to bid

[T&E Cleaning]

I have to submit a bid for a law office in Cherry Hill, NJ which is basically 2 houses converted to office space with a walk-thru. don't know sq. footage. I did a walk thru but was not able to see all the atty offices. There are 4. Space is a bit complicated, small offices, cluttered areas with files. It's 2 houses with 3 floors, lunchroom area, file area in the basement, some dead space that needs to be vacuumed and kept up for appearances. 3 bathrooms total, they provide paper supplies. mostly all carpeted area.

Not happy with current cleaning service. Not getting cleaned to their satisfaction. I think I should bit high -- may be a problem client -- lawyers can be meticulous. I spoke with office manager. Any thoughts on what to bid

[T&E Cleaning]

FORGOT TO ADD
they want to be cleaned twice a week,
Wed and weekend

[T&E Cleaning]

I estimate the job to take 2 cleaners an hour and a half, so 3 hours total.

[Kevin]

If you are going to be providing supplies, I think about $90.00 is fair per visit

[T&E Cleaning]

I guess we lost the bid. I bid 880 a month which would be 101.50 per cleaning. The office manager called to tell me that's double what she's paying now.

I explained we're going to do a much
more thorough cleaning and really it breaks down to 30-something an hour for 2 workers working an hour and a half, and that I have to factor in overhead
costs.

She said thats how long it takes her current cleaners but she pays half my proposed price. She could just keep them and ask for new cleaners.

I told her the lowest I could do it was 680 a month. She said she doesn't see why she should pay double the price to get what she should have got from
the beginning.

I said that I was trying to work w/her, I wanted her to be happy but that's the best I could offer. she said she'll think it over and
give me a call.

i guess i lost the acct. the lowest I can go was 680 a month, $78 per cleaning or $26 per hr.
you get what you pay for, that's why she's not getting cleaned to her satisfaction, and the cleaners are bringing kids to take out trash. Those
were her complaints, and she asked if my workers bring their own vacuums from home.

I just bought 2 commercial vacuums and paid for insurance. I need accts but I can't work for peanuts, i have a babysitter to pay-- don't mean to
whine but how do people work for so cheap. she must be paying something like $50 per cleaning.

[Pages Personal Cleaning]

You are absolutely right. Clients get what they pay for.
Stick to your prices. Don't let clients talk you down. You will just be sorry later that you did. You do a thorough cleaning and you are professional.
I have learned that these kind of clients want everything for nothing. The problem is they are only going to get what they pay for. Period.
I don't even deal with these kind of clients any longer.
I have found that they are so much more trouble than they are worth. There are so many people looking for a professional cleaning service and they are willing to pay for to get what they want.

[Kevin]

The current cleaning company for starters probaly does not have a babysitter to pay for. They could be dealing in multiple accounts creating a full eight hour shift, with one emplyoyee that does buildings per night on that night 4x50=$200.00 or two workers at 7.50 hr x 8 equals $120.00 and they still make $money$ roughly $60.00 profit. To me it sounds like its just the family cleaning service thats taking care of it, bringing the kids so they do not have to pay for a babysitter (teaching the kids the business at an early age), It also sounds like they are not insured, bonded, paying taxes or reputable and the awardee of the contract is only concearned with price and not performance. Which is not good for you in the future, because as soon as another smiling cleaning service salesperson comes through the door offering a discount your days will be numbered. I suggest returning the commercial vacumms and holding onto the money. To this day I have never bought a commercial vacumm! I use hoovers, dirt devils $49.00 specials, I also have made a deal with the local vacumm repair to by decent working vacumms at discounts, when one breaks I take it back to him, if repairable get another discount and loaner.

E, What did you end up paying for your insurance?

[T&E Cleaning]

Insurance was $980 for the year for sole proprietor, and $100 for the bond

[Kevin]

Wow!! Thats High Our insurance for the year was $425.00 including bond, What type of coverage did you receive, are your vehicles included also?