by Robin Tidwell

Created on: February 07, 2009   Last Updated: May 11, 2009

When writing a client estimate for your cleaning business, it's important to begin by arriving on time, appearing professional, and being prepared. Confirm the time and date of the appointment; be neat and clean in dress and polite in manner. Know your services and your prices, and communicate clearly with the potential client.

Create a form to use. It should clearly, at either the top or bottom, state the name of your business and all your contact information. Have a list of the services you provide which are included in the bid, and a list of other services which the client can request, and their accompanying prices.

Be sure to have a section on the form where you can let the client know when you are available and when you can start the job. There will be differences depending upon whether the client is looking for commercial or residential services, or perhaps a one-time only cleaning, such as a move-out or a move-in. You can design one form to be used for all types of jobs.

Please do carry a calculator, or at least have an additional piece of paper on which to write notes and total your costs; once you have signed the bid sheet and handed it to the client, you could be obligated to perform the service(s) for the amount stated. And, if possible, give the potential customer a copy of the bid before taking your leave. This will encourage him to engage you immediately, as opposed to having to wait or be forgotten or having another contractor swoop in and steal your client.

Cleaning bids are typically calculated with regard to size, number of rooms, and frequency of visits. The less frequently one services a client, the higher the cost; this is simply due to more labor involved. In other words, if you clean once a month it is exponentially more labor-intensive than if you were cleaning on a weekly basis.

Residential cleaning bids are often calculated by the number of rooms, as in a set amount per room, again depending on the frequency. A typical three-bedroom, two-bath home with a living room, dining room, laundry room, and kitchen could be assessed at $18.00 per room (first-time cleaning), $15.00 per room (monthly), $12.00 per room (bi-weekly), or $10.00 per room (weekly).

Another factor would be pricing "extras", such as cleaning an oven or a refrigerator, or doing laundry. Be sure to include these in your total, at the customer's request, and differentiate between those and regular cleaning.

Commercial jobs can be priced in a similar

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