How to estimate cleaning supplies usage?

[rpa]

HI, I'm working on my first bid for an office building. I have worked as a housekeeping manager for many years and a have a degree in Hotel and restaurant management. I have decided to start my own business. Any way I was given a company that I must buy all the products from. I have there price list. I'm getting stuck on how to go about estimating how much cleaner I will need. My ideas is to go Thur each tasks that is request and estimating how much product will get used on that task. For example one task is to clean 64 average sized windows. So I estimate that about 1oz of window cleaner will be used on each window so I will need 64oz of window cleaner a day. Is that the right track?

[logan5127]

First , it seems odd that you have to buy from a particular supplier. For the 64 windows, I would use a concentrated window cleaner with a bucket and squeegee. If not over dirty , it would take me 2 to 4 ozs to do 64 average size windows. Perhaps you cannot get concentrated from this supplier. I like to get all the cleaner that I can in concentrate form with labeled bottles to fill. It is a lot cheaper per ready to use solution.

It should be fairly easy to figure how much cleaner you will use in a week. Know how much traffic will be going through. Know how many trash cans will be emptied each night and how many bags will be replaced. How much bowl cleaner will you use per each commode; How much disinfectant cleaner will you use per restroom; how much polish, air fresher, drain maintainer, and so on will you use on each visit. If you have done a walk thru then you probably will be able to estimate pretty close. The main difference in price will be if you use concentrate or ready to use. Also make sure they specify what tissue they want as prices vary from low to high of different ones.

Another thing that may change your price will be if you have a secure area to keep your supplies. You will be amazed at how much stuff comes up missing if it is not locked up and you are the only one with a key. Also if toilet tissue is not in a lock dispenser , that will also be disappearing fast.

If at all possible we never supply chemicals, paper products or trash bags.

[Grizzly]

Remember as well, that the price of these things especially paper products has been very volatile. We have seen price variations in paper products in the last year of almost 15% up and down. Generally I just add 5-10% of the bid price as materials cost. I 'd rather be high than low and as Dan says, unless you have a locked closet you will find a lot go missing. One of our banks is going through a renovation and the manager let the construction company into our closet. 3 cases in one day and the price of inventory was built into the contract. The manager heard from me the next day.

Bill

[logan5127]

We have one big office that we clean whereas we do have a locked storage area. However , it is in a broiler room. Maint at this resort has to have a key. The sales supervisor has a key. And the front desk has to have a key. Luckly they furnish supplies. We order trash large trash bags with 200 in a case. We use approx 35 of those large bags a week. No one else should be using them. We are going through a case every two weeks. If we did furnish the supplies there, I would have to let this client go due to all the loss of supplies. They even request us to leave extra rolls of tissue in the restrooms which to me is a big NO NO.

The best you can do is have a storage room that no one else has a key to. Even then if there are people in that building while your cleaning, be sure to lock it back while your cleaning.