Has anyone here worked with janitorial companies?
Yes. Be ready to accept low prices, have sporadic scheduling, and fight for payment. That’s my experience anyways.
It seemed like every company I’d take work with thought I too was a janitor but with a squeegee.
No offence to any janitors! I started in the field and still have fond memories of my time working my own contracts.
Yeah I just hope they give constant work. What are there low prices like?
Their prices depend on which area of the continent you are located.
I guess with pricing they are much like any other contractor. They need a margin to be profitable and they don’t fully understand their subcontractor’s industry.
Sure, it can be good or bad. I’m assuming that you’re talking about a LOCAL company? Not an national FM? Because, in general, FM’s suck.
A lot of the time, the janitorial just doesn’t want to do the work so they’ll sub it out and it’s a win-win.
Lessons I learned:
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They’re not your friends. Don’t give them the “friend” pricing.
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Get everything in writing. If the company says they’re going to rent you a lift, GET IT IN WRITING.
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For CCU’s get a deposit at least 30%-50%. It’ll take them a long time to get paid and you’re the bottom of the food chain. So to cover employee’s and your time, get the deposit or walk.
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If they want you to “blade” something, get a scratch waiver signed for each job.
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Invoice promptly and often but know that it’ll take you some time to get paid. Be sure to take that into account before doing big jobs.
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I keep rereading this. Trying to memorize. On my way right now to the meeting…
Can you clarify the ccu 30 to 50% meaning?
I think he means if you bid a price of $1000 for a construction clean up, ask for $300 to $500 up front.
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National companies are tough to work with due to prices commonly are too low for what we would do it for. Also getting paid often is a pain and delayed.
Local janitorial companies can be a good relationship to develop. What works for me is I tell them a pane price , I don’t visit the job to bid, they do.
I have had a relationship with 3 local janitorial companies for 15 years, I get many reoccurring jobs from each annually and they get their foot in the door for other services they provide. They do the legwork on solicitation.
I do believe finding these good relationship janitorial companies are harder to come by but out there.
Okay so I got the contract with them. They never offered window cleaning before. So I am their first window cleaning company. They want me to go out and bid the job and then they approve the quote. They told me that I get paid once I come back from the job and I go to there office. Sound like bullshit or no? Idk because this is my first time too. Not a large company. Just local but is in high demand for window cleaning
Sounds good to me. Especially if they’re going to pay you right after the job! If they’ve never offered window cleaning, this might just help them out by offering a fuller service. AND if you submit the bid to them, they can pad it for themselves.
Also, I’m willing to pay maid services a 10% finders fee.
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That sounds like a much better deal than what I have with a local cleaning services company. They have a “30 windows for $150” deal, inside & out glass only, and I take 80%…
I’ve done 3 2-story homes so far; the first was worth it for me because they tacked on 2 skylights at $25/ea. and ceiling fan dusting @ $25 so I was OK with that one; 2nd one was a 2-story home with Pella style casement (the clip-on interior glass panes) that I opened 3 to do completely… first time annual in at-least 3 years for $165 to the customer and again I get 80%…; third home was a large 2-story home (3 story reach in the rear) on a hill, peel & clean with massive dirt buildup on the outsides and they’re looking for $150 in & out with peeling film on: 19 DH’s + 4 large picture windows and 5 sliding doors, Edit and 8 garage door windows (remove plastic outers, clean, reinstall).
I did a 1-story condo this morning, in & out + 8 screens for $140 and they were very pleased. Think I’m done with my current sub-contractor work for bucket-bob prices.
Telling you this so you know 2 things: 1) the offer you have is a good one, 2) there are worse offers given and taken…
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Yes I hope he doesn’t flake on this though and say some BS later on…
Anyways, the properties he does in more commercial buildings and not residential. They go up higher than 10 stories… they want me to price the job. Should I go as high as possible since this guy doesn’t know pricing for window cleaning? That way him and I would make the most money possible? Not sure how to price condos in downtown chciago…
Do you do highrise?
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Why would you want to go to their office. Give me the job address, I’ll give you a price and schedule the job. I do the job on the scheduled date and send you an invoice and you mail a check. If I start doing a lot of jobs for you then I can invoice at regular intervals for all the job during that period i.e. Once a week or once a month etc. Going to their office after every job or every day is an employee not a sub contractor.
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How can they be in high demand for window cleaning but never have offered the sevice.
Yes
They couldn’t get to the high rise outside
