Compare scope before price
- Request a written scope from every provider naming each task along with its frequency.
- Find out how many hours of labor each price assumes per visit.
- Confirm which supplies the price includes and which are charged separately.
- Check if periodic jobs, floor care among them, are covered by the price or quoted apart from it.
Contract terms to confirm
| Contract term | What it should say |
|---|---|
| Scope of work | Every task, area and frequency, written out. That written scope is the standard you can measure the provider against. |
| Schedule | The cleaning days and hours, plus the holiday schedule. |
| Price and inclusions | The amount owed each month or each visit, the supplies that amount covers, and the sign-off needed before extra work gets billed. |
| Insurance | Proof of liability insurance from the provider, along with workers compensation coverage when it has employees. |
| Keys and security | Which crew members receive keys or codes for the alarm, and the provider's plan if one is lost. |
| Quality checks | How frequently inspections happen, and the way you flag a missed item so the provider corrects it. |
| Term and cancellation | The duration of the agreement, plus the notice required from either party to end it. |
Signs of a weak quote
- A price quoted without a walkthrough or any questions about the space.
- A scope that is verbal only, or a written one that leaves out task frequencies.
- Excuses instead of proof of insurance when you ask for it.
- A lengthy term that you cannot leave even if the cleaning declines.