How much should you charge for office cleaning?

Office cleaning services usually charge $30 to $50 per hour or $130-$280 per project. However, how much to charge for office cleaning can vary per state, office square footage, and your specific business expenses.  

It can be hard to determine how much you should charge for your office cleaning projects. On top of rising supply costs and inflation, there are many other factors to consider when making your office cleaning price list. Make sure you earn the right amount by considering all these factors.  

How to estimate your office cleaning rates

Step 1: Consider the office size and transportation costs.

The size of the office can affect cleaning time. See the office to get a closer estimate of how long the job will take. 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. 

A general rule cleaners follow is that 1,000 square feet will take one hour to clean. So, if the office is 5,000 square feet, it might take more or less five hours. 

Also, factor in the location and travel time. An office that’s one hour away will definitely entail more of your time and resources. 

Step 2: Consider the type of office cleaning service. 

Check if the office needs general cleaning or deep cleaning. The latter will take more time and require specialized equipment, which means additional costs. 

Step 3: Compute labor costs

Set an hourly rate per person, whether you’re a one-person show or a team of three. Let’s take the average office cleaning cost of $50, for example. 

If you’re cleaning a 2,000-square-foot office in New York City, which will take you two hours, you may charge $100 for two hours of work. 

But let’s say the project is a 6,000-square-foot office that needs deep cleaning. You might estimate to complete the job in six hours, with two people helping you out. 

• $50 x 3 people (including you) x 6 hours = $900

Do note that hourly rates can be higher in prime locations. Check average office cleaning rates in your area. 

Step 4: Consider tax, insurance, and overhead costs.  

Tax costs 

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 

Don’t forget to factor in supply costs. For example, you might add 7% on top of your rate to cover the cost of supplies. This means charging an extra $7 for office cleaning services priced at $100.

Ultimately, how much you spend on cleaning materials is up to you. Try to set a budget and stick with it. 

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 labor. 

You can modify your rates as needed once you see your actual overhead expenses. 

Step 6: Think about your profit margin. 

Markup is a vital consideration for a cleaning business to be sustainable and thrive in the long run. Combine the costs of labor, materials, and overhead. Then, apply a markup percentage to figure out your net profit. According to Entrepreneur.com, janitorial service providers usually expect to earn a net profit of 10 to 28 percent of gross income.

Find office cleaning jobs on Airtasker. 

Knowing all the factors to consider can help you more confidently quote office cleaning services and charge a fair amount for your work. Before you say yes to any cleaning job, make sure to visit the office, estimate your working time and costs, and consider your profit margin.