Imagine being asked, out of the blue, "How much does it cost to clean an office building?" Sounds simple, right? Not really. Quoting for office cleaning service has layers. Anyone who’s tried it will tell you: the difference in numbers can be massive, depending on all sorts of surprising details. People expect a tidy workspace, but behind that sparkling desk is a puzzle of square metres, cleaning tasks, building schedules, legal requirements, and sometimes, a cheeky kitchen with a mysterious lingering odour. If you play fast and loose with the quote, you risk undercharging, losing cash, or scaring off clients with a sky-high number. Step into the numbers game with an open mind—you'll be surprised at what actually affects that bottom line.
Breaking Down Costs: What Actually Impacts the Quote?
Let’s crack open an actual job: say, a three-floor Bristol tech startup office. The obvious question is how big the place is. Floor area rules everything. Most providers measure by square metres. But size alone isn’t enough: the kind of cleaning matters, too. If a manager only wants bins emptied and a quick vacuum, it’s a different beast than deep-cleaning a kitchen after Friday’s all-hands pizza disaster. There’s daily, weekly, or fortnightly cleaning—frequency ties directly to labour hours. Bathrooms? Always include those, and don’t guess. An office with 60 staff and 2 loos will need more TLC than one housing 8 remote workers who pop in twice a week.
Special requests pile on extra costs. Cleaning IT rooms, glass partitions, or that plush “just bought” meeting room carpet? All these add time and chemical costs—plus a touch of skill. You’ll often get curveballs: allergy-friendly, eco-safe products, out-of-hours schedules to dodge the work crowd, or even confidential-waste removal. If the building is old or loaded with hard-to-reach spots, expect longer job times. And geography sneaks in—different UK cities can see price swings. Here in Bristol, you’re paying less than central London, but usually more than a small Welsh town.
One hidden cost: insurance and legal compliance. Commercial cleaning companies in the UK need employer’s liability insurance, up-to-date health and safety training, and sometimes enhanced DBS checks for staff. Clients want to know they’re covered if something goes wrong. And there’s the great debate on who provides consumables like loo roll, hand soap, bin bags—that can swing a quote by hundreds of pounds per year.
The industry average for 2025? In the UK, regular office cleaning typically starts at around £15–£25 per hour, depending on the complexity and location. Deep cleans and eco-services push this higher. And of course, larger jobs sometimes mean discounts—but only up to a point. If you’re paying less than £13 per hour for commercial cleaning, be very wary: it’s likely corners will be cut, or worse, the team isn’t paid fairly, which leads to high staff turnover and patchy service.
What Details Should Every Cleaning Quote Include?
If you’ve been handed a one-page quote that just says "Monthly office clean: £230", run for the hills. A professional quote is clear and detailed. It spells out exactly what’s being cleaned (and what isn’t), how often, by how many people, and at what times. Every major cleaning company will want a site visit first. There’s no substitute for walking the office: spotting coffee stains in the boardroom, sussing out if there’s lift access, or counting every mug in the company kitchen. Photos and notes from this visit help make an accurate breakdown.
The best quotes separate one-off tasks (window cleaning, floor stripping, annual carpet shampooing) from regular jobs. They include a schedule—say, "Mondays and Thursdays, 6:30 am." There’s a breakdown: areas (washrooms, kitchens, offices, stairwells), tasks (hoovering, mopping, empty bins, disinfect surfaces), and even the supplies provided. Need a full-on waste-report for sustainability? If you ask, the quote should be adjusted to reflect that eco-reporting service.
Extras matter. Think about who’s supplying consumables. An office of 30 staff can burn through £40–£60 a month in paper goods and hand sanitiser. Not all cleaning providers include that; some clients prefer to handle it themselves to control brands or costs. Quotes should clearly indicate if monthly costs are fixed (covering holidays, sick cover) or variable (based on attendance). Cancellation policies, holiday cover, replacement staff guarantees—these should all be up front. The more upfront, the fewer headaches later.
Legally, quotes must include information like company registration number (in the UK), insurance certificates, and references from other businesses. If your quote is missing these, or seems vague, push for details before signing anything. And if the cleaning staff visit out of regular hours, sometimes a lone working policy or signed building access log is included in the quote details.
Pro Tips for Getting—and Giving—Accurate Cleaning Quotes
First, always start with a site survey. In 2025, loads of cleaning companies offer free, no-commitment site visits—don’t ever skip this. Take notes yourself of high-traffic areas, places that get grimy quick (the kitchen bin, for example). Tell the provider exactly what matters to you: allergy-safe products, sustainable cleaning, no-bleach chemicals, or after-hours cleans. If staff regularly eat at desks, flag this up—desk cleaning takes longer if there’s biscuit crumbles wedged between laptop keys.
Want to keep your office eco-friendly? Ask for green-cleaning options. Products now exist that actually work (and don’t just smell like weak citrus). These services cost around 8–15% more, but Bristol companies with green credentials are in demand. Some even provide certifications for your business’s own environmental policy statements.
Always compare apples to apples. Get at least 2–3 quotes, with all services listed. If one is half the price of the others, something is missing—either fewer hours, a smaller scope, or no consumables included. Break down all the numbers yourself, including hidden bits like "minimum charge per visit," travel fees, weekend surcharges, or window cleaning extras.
As a bonus, if you’re gathering quotes for several sites—or need full commercial building cleans (think multiple tenants)—ask for consolidated management. Coordinated cleaning companies sometimes knock off up to 10% for handling multiple contracts under one roof. But beware of any operation that won’t offer a service-level agreement or ghost you for days after you ask basic questions. Good cleaners are in demand; they respond promptly.
- Always check insurance. Ask for a certificate; never just take their word for it.
- Look at reviews, but focus on detailed comments, not just star ratings.
- Too cheap? Watch out for minimum wage violations or rushed jobs. Responsible providers should be Living Wage employers.
- Request a trial period. A rolling contract (with 1 or 3 months’ notice) is standard for peace of mind about service quality.
- Get everything in writing, including what happens if the manager changes or the cleaning team has high turnover.
When quoting for an office cleaning service—whether you’re the cleaner or the client—clarity beats smooth talk any day. The best results come from honest communication about building quirks, busy times, must-clean areas, and extras that make everyone’s job easier. And if you ever find a cleaning company happy to give you a blind quote over the phone, without seeing your coffee-stained carpets, the best response is: "Thanks, but I think I’ll wait for the site visit." Hard to argue with the facts you can see (and sometimes smell) for yourself.
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