How much to charge for office cleaning

Office cleaning service rates in Australia range from $20 to $35 per hour, or $5.50 per square metre. For a 2,000-square-metre office, cleaning can cost $1,100-$2,800 per month. However, commercial cleaning services rates can still vary per region, office size, and your specific business needs. Figuring out how much to charge for office cleaning isn’t as simple as comparing your rate against competitors; It’s better to do your own estimates. 

Knowing how to price your services will ensure you’re earning enough money without overpricing and driving customers away. Below are factors to consider when pricing your office cleaning services. 

How do I charge for cleaning an office?

Step 1: Consider the area size and cleaning time.

The bigger the area, the more time it may take to clean. Make sure to visit the office you’ll clean so you can more accurately quote your service. Checking the size and condition of the office will help you estimate how long it will take you to clean. This step will also help you set your customer’s expectations so they don’t underestimate the time it will take to clean their office. 

How many square metres can be cleaned in an hour?

Professional cleaners can possibly clean around 300 square metres of office space in an hour. As a general rule, 1,000 square metres may take more or less 3 hours to clean. So, if the office is 3,000 square metres, it might take around 8-9 hours to clean the space.  

Of course, the time it takes to clean an office depends on the cleaner’s skills, equipment, number of staff, and the type of cleaning service.  

Overcommunicate with your client.

When estimating the time to do a job, don’t hesitate to be transparent with your client. Being honest and accurate with how long it will take to clean their office will save you any miscommunications and misunderstandings down the road.

Step 2: Identify the type of cleaning the office needs. 

When you visit the office, check if the space needs a deep clean or general cleaning. Deep cleaning tends to take longer and will cost more. Try to identify which areas need a deep clean to make your cost computation easier.

Step 3: Consider the transportation costs. 

It may seem like a no-brainer to calculate how many square metres you’ll mop, scrub, and dust. But don’t forget to also factor in the travel time. An office that takes you five minutes to get to will cost differently from an office that will require a 30-minute or one-hour drive. The latter will entail more of your time, effort, and resources. 

Step 4: Compute labour costs.

Whether you’re a one-person show or an entire cleaning team, establish your hourly rate. As mentioned above, the hourly rate for office cleaning is $20-$35.

If you (and only you) are going to clean a 200-square-metre office in New South Wales, and it will take you two hours, here’s a sample computation:

• $35 x 2 hours= $70

But let’s say the project is for an 800-square-metre office that needs a deep cleaning. We can estimate the cleaning time to be around 8 hours, plus you may need two more people to help you.

• $35 x 3 people (including you) x 8 hours = $840 

Step 5: Factor in taxes, benefits, supplies, and overhead.

If you have people working with you (or for you) and you’re in charge of payroll, consider taxes in your business costs. It’s best to hire a tax accountant so you know how to properly compute taxes.You’ll also have to factor in additional costs like health insurance, dental, and paid vacation leaves. 

Supply costs 

Since you’re cleaning offices, don’t forget to factor in supply and equipment costs. This consideration will vary depending on factors like the type of materials, how often you replenish, and any specialised services. 

Remember: You get to decide how much you spend on cleaning supplies and equipment. Set a budget and try your best to stick with it when buying supplies. Just make sure cutting costs won’t keep you from doing quality work. 

Overhead costs 

Remember to also include overhead in your fee. Overhead refers to tasks not directly associated with office cleaning but are crucial to your overall business e.g., marketing, transportation fees, office rent, and the like.

To give you a general idea, overhead for janitorial services can cost 20% to 50% of labour costs. You can modify your rates as needed once you see your actual overhead expenses. 

Step 6: Consider your profit.

Markup is a vital consideration for your cleaning business to be sustainable and thrive in the long run. 

• Combine the costs of labour, materials, and overhead. 

• Apply a markup percentage to figure out your net profit. According to Entrepreneur.com, cleaning services usually expect to earn a net profit of 10 to 28 per cent of gross income.

Find office cleaning jobs on Airtasker. 

Before you say yes to any cleaning job, make sure to visit the space, estimate your working time and costs, and consider your profit margin. Considering all these factors can help you make sure you charge the right amount for your office cleaning services.