Do I Need A Office For My Cleaning Service?

[Kevin]

Kevin,
Do we need a office for our cleaning service?

Thank You.
Tammy, NV

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Tammy,
I have had a commercial office since about the 2nd year in business. I meet with distributors, salespeople, advertising companies, employees, subcontractors.... etc.. I prefer to do business out of a office and not my home (even though I have a study, concentration center at home)

Never once has a customer or potential customer came to my office other than dropping off a check or buying gift certificates. There has never been a big bid meeting scheduled at our office. I would say it is safe to say, you will always go to the customers location. Why? because you have to look at things that need to be cleaned.

There are always options though, for not doing business at home. You can meet sales agents, employees at a local diner, restaurants, taverns... etc.

Do not be embarrassed if you decide to be or if you are home based. It really is the in thing, to do business from home while enjoying your family and personal surroundings.

Many people in the world admire you for having such a luxury!

[FreedomClean]

I love doing business out of my home. I can only see one hinderance to the home based office, and that would be employees. Once we get a couple, what will happen? Will they have to come to my home to pick-up/drop-off keys, paychecks, timecards and such? Does anyone have info on such a scenario?

[logan5127]

cleaningmike said:

I love doing business out of my home. I can only see one hinderance to the home based office, and that would be employees. Once we get a couple, what will happen? Will they have to come to my home to pick-up/drop-off keys, paychecks, timecards and such? Does anyone have info on such a scenario?

Mike, we do a couple of things to address your question.
1. I have a shop by my house. There is a lock box for key drop off and pick up.
2. I either hand deliver the checks or have direct deposit to some of the employees. By hand delivering checks you have a chance to check out their work while you are there.
3. I only have time cards at one location , which I pick up once a week and again an inspection while I am there.
4. Each employee that is not on a time card is required to fill out a time sheet. Some fax it to me, some turn them in at the job sites when I am there, and some bring them to me at my front door.
5. I have a small office set up in garage. This is one place we take applications and interviews. We also do interviews at unemployment office, local restaurants and have even picked up apps in parking lots. Another friendly competitor of mine cleans a small office building in town. He worked out a deal for partial payment to be the use of an empty office to do his interviews and apps.
6. I usually meet vendors at restaurants ( most of the time they pay for the meal). From there if I am having a problem with a particular item they will go to a job site with me to see if they can solve any cleaning need I have.

IF a person does not want to use their home address , you can also get a post office box number. There is nothing wrong with working out of your home or working out of an office building. For some reason though , I still desire an office away from the home base. I know it would require extra cost which I am not willing to pay yet. I know it would be nice to have a secretary and better organization. I know it would be a big convenience to me. However , I have worked out of my home or garage for over twenty years with minimal problems as a result.

[cleansweeppc]

I plan to do business from my home as long as possible, that's one reason I wanted to go into business for myself, and since I will be my only employee for the first couple months, that will work out nicely. I look forward to the day when I may have to have an office though.
Amy

[ariesinred]

Hi Tammy,
I have worked from an extra bedroom converted into a home office since I started and, since our work is in the field, I haven't really needed an actual "office". I have shelves, etc., in the garage for equipment/supplies storage. Paychecks/timecard exchanges are done at the jobsite, (so I can check out the work on a regular basis . As for a business address (for letterhead, mail, advertising/marketing, etc.,) I have an off-site, 24-hour access mailbox so I have control over who has my home address. AND..... since I check/pick up my mail first thing in the morning and send outgoing mail at the end of the workday, that part of my daily routine helps to keep track of "commuting" for reporting purposes. Good Luck.

Jai Bee in VB

[ECBS Clean Team]

Have had an office twice in different cities. It was nice for what Kevin mentioned vendors etc. But after weighing out the pros & cons, I choose a home office as the best thing for us. You can run the cleaning business from home for a long time.

We take applications online only anyway.

There are so many ways ( good ones already mentioned ) to be creative for supplies, meetings, etc.

I think the big thing in having the offices, was having the sign above our office or lettering on the door that made me feel like we really did it.........but that faded & started feeling like a chore to go into the office.

We use online phone system ( suggested by Kevin ) that has multiple extensions & forwards calls to me or my wife or a manager etc.

I have to admit the kids drive me crazy & I worry about the dogs barking if they are near etc. But again the benefits of doing business in my PJ's win me over.

[ECBS Clean Team]

Well I thought I would bring this topic back...

I found a reason to think about an office out side of my dogs barking to death!

Motivation. It does help motivate you compared to being at home. At home it is way to easy to get distracted.

I guess I go back & forth on the idea. No way is it necessary to have an office to run this type of business, but it does have is benefits.

That being said, I need to find a deal. Kevin, do you have some contacts that you can refer to me in looking for a typical "Contractors Office" ? ( small office space with some warehouse space in the back. ooking in Brighton.

[ECBS Clean Team]

Well checked out a handful in the last couple of days. Prices were about $1300 - $1500 for 1500- 2000 sq ft this was for small front office ( one open room no walls ) & a back warehouse area. The one we were working on also had an unfinished loft in the warehouse.

We talked to the guys realestate agent & told him we wanted to pay $1000 month on a 12 month lease & that we would need the loft finished.

He came back with $1100 per month on a 18 month lease & yes he will finish the loft which will take 2 weeks.

What do you think Kevin??

[Kevin]

Sounds pretty good. Is it in Brighton? What road? Do you have area for signage? File for your signage permit before you sign the lease, to make sure your approved. Make sure you know what your getting into. Utilities probably around $250-300 month, building maintenance heating, cooling, repairs, unless it is provided, lawn care, snow removal etc... Insurance on building $800 yearly, alarm system -$29.95 to $39.95 monthly.

Is the loft a residential unit, can you rent it out? Or rent it out as a second space?

Also commercial leases are always heavily weighted down with benefits to the landlord. Make sure to have the leased reviewed by an attorney. You might also want to consider opening another LLC, ECBS property division. Sign the lease in that name, then turn around and re-rent it to yourself. Talk with your accountant for this strategy and tax benefits.

[ECBS Clean Team]

admin said:

Sounds pretty good. Is it in Brighton? What road? Do you have area for signage? File for your signage permit before you sign the lease, to make sure your approved. Make sure you know what your getting into. Utilities probably around $250-300 month, building maintenance heating, cooling, repairs, unless it is provided, lawn care, snow removal etc... Insurance on building $800 yearly, alarm system -$29.95 to $39.95 monthly.

Is the loft a residential unit, can you rent it out? Or rent it out as a second space?

Also commercial leases are always heavily weighted down with benefits to the landlord. Make sure to have the leased reviewed by an attorney. You might also want to consider opening another LLC, ECBS property division. Sign the lease in that name, then turn around and re-rent it to yourself. Talk with your accountant for this strategy and tax benefits.

Parking lot maintenance is included. It is in Hartland Commerce Center. No real signage just around the door area. Loft is in the warehouse area & would be used by us. Thanks for your feedback kevin.

[Kevin]

More than welcome. If my mind serves me correctly, isnt that right off the freeway? How much of the square feet is office, and how much is warehouse?

[ECBS Clean Team]

It is very close to US-23 & 6 miles North of I-96

The paperwork reads: tot bld sq ft 1744 office space 608 sq ft

Then there is the mezzanine office.

I called & left a voicemail offer of My original $1000 per month but offered to sign a 2 years lease.

The history was I asked for $1000 / 12 moonth lease. He countered at $1100 / 18 month lease.

We will see.

this is one of them media.homestore.com/mls/HTLKHWYW-3-VIRTUAL_TOUR.htm?

[Kevin]

Very Nice! Love the loading door in the back for pulling in vehicles.

So close to 23 and 96 you can really expand your territory.

Hardball for $100 Good For You!

Just make sure your not stopping the entire parade to pick up a dime.

[ECBS Clean Team]

hey hey that $100 is $1800 over his 18 month contract, call me cheap but that $1800 can buy some things to decorate that new space.

On that note : does anyone have pics of their office space to post here I know I saw some awhile back...........POST em if ya Got um people

[ECBS Clean Team]

Hey we just looked at one in Howell that was very different. It was in a nice office plaza , but the unit was used previously leased by architechs & the design was kinda outside the norm as far as light fixtures & wall colors. Price came in the same & offered more sq ft & was closer to home. We had the real estate agent that we bought our house from to work it out. He is working the numbers this weekend & submitting it Mon. If we get it we will post pics.

On a related note; Kevin, do you know where I can get used or discounted office panels to create a couple of work areas in the open part of this unit if we get it.