Tips for Choosing a Commercial Cleaning Company
Most businesses hire a professional cleaning company rather than an in-house janitor: the crew comes in after your staff leave, brings its own equipment and supplies, and covers absences itself. There are many companies to choose from, and the cheapest quote is rarely the best value. These are the things worth checking before you sign.
At a glance:
- Compare quotes on scope, not just price
- Check WSIB coverage and insurance
- Read the contract
- Take experience into account
- Ask for references
- Look at the crew, not just the company
Compare Quotes on Scope, Not Just Price
Get two or three quotes, and make sure each one says exactly what is included: which rooms, which tasks, and how often. Vacuuming, mopping, dusting and washrooms are standard; carpet extraction, floor refinishing and window cleaning are often extra. A quote that looks cheaper may simply cover less. A company that walks your building before quoting will price it more accurately than one that quotes by square footage over the phone.
Check WSIB Coverage and Insurance
If a cleaner is hurt on your premises, or something is damaged, you want the cleaning company’s coverage to respond, not yours. Ask for a current WSIB clearance certificate and proof of commercial liability insurance, and ask whether staff are bonded.
Read the Contract
Look at the term, the notice period to cancel, and what happens if you are not happy with the service. A company confident in its work does not need to lock you in for years; a reasonable notice period protects both sides. Before you sign, check the quote and the agreement against our commercial cleaning quote checklist, so both describe the same tasks, schedule, supplies and exclusions.
Take Experience Into Account
A company that has been cleaning commercial buildings for years has seen most of what can go wrong, and has kept clients long enough to know how to keep them. Ask how long it has been operating and what kinds of buildings it cleans now.
Ask for References
An established company should be able to put you in touch with current clients in buildings like yours. Call them, and ask about consistency and how problems are handled, not just whether the place looks clean.
Look at the Crew, Not Just the Company
The people who come into your building every night matter as much as the company’s name on the contract. Ask:
- Will it be the same crew each visit? A regular crew learns your building and your expectations.
- How are they trained and supervised? Someone should be inspecting the work against the scope.
- How are keys and alarm codes handled? Crews should be vetted before they hold access to your building.
- Who do you call? One account contact who knows your site makes problems quicker to fix.
Good cleaners are reliable, discreet in a space full of other people’s work, and used to working as a team to finish a building on time. Those qualities show up in the results long after the contract is signed.
Evergreen Office Cleaning has cleaned commercial buildings in Toronto and the GTA since 1989, with the same crew at every visit and one account executive for each client. Request a free walkthrough and we will quote your building in writing. Our guide to how office cleaning is priced in Toronto shows how to compare cleaning quotes on the same scope.
If Evergreen is on your list, our office cleaning page sets out what a routine visit includes, so you can hold us to the same checks as everyone else.