To choose a commercial cleaning company, define your scope in writing first, then shortlist providers that serve your building type and area, verify insurance, bonding and background checks, insist on a walkthrough, compare proposals by labor hours and scope rather than price alone, ask how quality is inspected and how access is controlled, and check references from similar buildings. The process below works whether you manage one office or a portfolio, in Fargo–Moorhead or anywhere else.
Step 1: Know what you are buying
Most bad vendor relationships start with a vague request: "We need a cleaning company." Before calling anyone, write down:
- Spaces: offices, restrooms, breakrooms, lobbies, conference rooms, warehouse or clinic areas
- Frequency: how often each area needs attention
- Priorities: the three things that matter most to you
- Problems: what went wrong with your previous provider
- Requirements: insurance limits, background checks, after-hours access, restricted rooms
- Exclusions: anything you do not want cleaned or touched
A written list lets every bidder price the same work. Our janitorial scope of work template gives you a format.
Step 2: Shortlist the right kind of provider
The cleaning market includes very different businesses:
| Provider type | Typical strengths | Watch for |
|---|---|---|
| Owner-operator | Low price, personal attention | No backup when the owner is sick; limited insurance |
| Residential cleaners doing some commercial | Flexible, often affordable | Little experience with commercial access, scope or QA |
| National franchise | Brand recognition, systems | Quality varies by franchisee; owner may be remote |
| Local commercial specialist | Local supervision, commercial focus | Check that capacity matches your building |
| Facility services company | Cleaning plus upkeep under one contact | Confirm which services they actually perform in-house |
Shortlist three or four that match your building type and are genuinely local to your area.
Step 3: Verify trust credentials
Before anyone walks your building, confirm:
- Insurance. Ask for a certificate of insurance showing general liability and workers' compensation at minimum. The SBA describes these as common business coverages. See bonded vs insured.
- Bonding, if the vendor claims to be bonded. Ask what the bond covers.
- Background checks. Ask whether every person with access is screened, and how. The FTC explains employers' obligations when using background reports. See janitorial background checks.
- Business registration in your state.
Vendors who hesitate to provide these are telling you something.
Step 4: Require a walkthrough
A provider who quotes without seeing your building is guessing. A walkthrough shows whether the vendor asks good questions about access, restrooms, floor types, traffic and priorities, or just measures square footage. Pay attention to how they listen.
Step 5: Compare proposals properly
Line proposals up side by side and compare:
- Scope: are all your tasks listed, with frequencies?
- Labor hours: how many hours per week does each price assume? This is the single most revealing number.
- Staffing: will the same people clean your building? Who supervises them?
- Consumables: included or separate?
- Term and cancellation: how long is the commitment, and how can either side exit?
- Price: only after the above.
A bid that is much cheaper than others almost always assumes fewer hours. Our commercial cleaning cost guide explains why.
Step 6: Ask how quality is checked
Every vendor says they deliver quality. Ask how they know:
- Is there a written checklist per visit?
- Who inspects the work, how often and against what standard?
- How are deficiencies tracked and closed?
- Can you see inspection results?
If the answer is "call us if there is a problem," quality is being measured by your complaints. Our guides to janitorial QA inspection scoring and APPA cleanliness levels describe what good looks like.
Step 7: Ask how access is controlled
The cleaning vendor may be the only outside party in your building at night. Ask:
- Who will have keys and codes?
- How are credentials logged and recovered?
- How is lock-up verified?
- What happens if a key is lost?
See vendor key and access control.
Step 8: Check references from similar buildings
Ask for references from clients with buildings like yours, such as clinics if you run a clinic, or warehouses if you run a warehouse. Ask them how long they have used the vendor, how problems are handled and whether crews are consistent.
Step 9: Read the contract
Review term, cancellation, price increases, scope change process, insurance and indemnification, and who supplies consumables. Our janitorial contract terms guide explains each clause.
Step 10: Plan the transition
If you are replacing a vendor, plan notice, key handover and the first two weeks. See switching janitorial companies.
A quick scorecard
| Criterion | Weight |
|---|---|
| Scope completeness and clarity | High |
| Labor hours realistic for the scope | High |
| QA and inspection process | High |
| Security and access procedures | High |
| Insurance, bonding, screening | Required |
| References from similar buildings | Medium |
| Price | Medium |
| Responsiveness during the sales process | Medium |
Frequently asked questions
What is the most important factor when choosing a cleaning company?
Whether the proposal's labor hours and written scope realistically match your building. Price only makes sense once those are comparable.
How many quotes should I get?
Three or four from providers that match your building type and are local to your area is usually enough to compare meaningfully.
Should I choose the cheapest commercial cleaning bid?
Not automatically. Bids far below others usually assume fewer labor hours, which tends to produce missed tasks, turnover or mid-contract increases.
What documents should a cleaning company provide?
A certificate of insurance, bond information if bonded, a description of background checks, a written scope and a contract.
Sources
Published · Updated · Northmark Facility Services.