Building cleaning: compare quotes and prices

What does building cleaning include?

Building cleaning is an umbrella term. Routine upkeep, intensive cleaning and specialist glass or façade work need not be included in the same contract. Technical maintenance, repairs and comprehensive caretaking are separate responsibilities too. Have the boundaries stated explicitly.

Routine, deep and specialist cleaning

Routine cleaning removes recurring dirt on an agreed schedule. Deep cleaning is a more intensive, separately defined task. Construction work leaves different residues; a property handover needs a clear final standard and, if wanted, an agreed guarantee.

For medical practices, food areas, laboratories and other sensitive uses, asking for a thorough clean is not an adequate specification. Share the operational requirements and check the company's suitability. An ordinary cleaning contract does not replace an appropriate hygiene plan or the necessary expertise.

A simple task plan prevents misunderstandings

An outline is enough for the initial request. Before commissioning the work, specify where each task is done, how often and what result is expected. Different areas can have different schedules: a rarely used utility room does not automatically need as many visits as a busy entrance.

An enquiry for a residential building might read: “Our building has 12 apartments, a ground floor, three upper floors and a basement. We would like the entrance, stairs, landings, handrails and lift cabin cleaned weekly, and the basement corridor monthly. The glazed entrance door should be cleaned twice a year on both sides, including the frame. The stairs and landings are tiled. We do not yet know the exact cleaning area, but have a building plan. Apartments, the underground car park and the façade are excluded. Please price any additional initial clean separately.”

This is an example of describing the work, not a recommendation for fixed frequencies. The company should check with you whether the schedule and scope suit actual use. Give periodic tasks their own dates so monthly or twice-yearly visits are not overlooked.

Which area matters for the quote?

Where possible, give the area actually requiring cleaning. An apartment building's total living area is misleading if the assignment covers only stairs and the basement corridor. For stairs, storeys, flights and landings may be more useful than an unverified square-metre figure.

Floor, glass and façade areas are different quantities and should not be added into one total. Approximate scale is enough initially; detailed measurements and room lists can follow with the companies. Small divided rooms, numerous sanitary fittings or extensive furniture may require more work at the same floor area.

Compare costs: what unit sits behind the price?

An hourly rate, a square-metre price per visit and a square-metre price per month mean different things. Check period, visit count, included tasks and whether charging is per person or team. Without these details, a general building-cleaning price range would be unreliable.

Check products, equipment, travel, minimum charges, access equipment and applicable VAT. For ongoing work, include initial cleaning, periodic extras and scope changes in the comparison. A smaller monthly charge may cost more overall if tasks are billed separately.

• Use the same basis. B is CHF 180 cheaper per year in this example. These are invented calculation figures, not market prices. The comparison assumes identical tasks, visit frequencies and tax treatment.
• Clarify uncertain items. For hourly work, ask for expected worker-hours and approval before overruns. A fixed fee should clearly address exclusions, holidays or operating closures and additional visits.

Coordinate access with normal operations

Discuss when surfaces are available and how cleaning fits around occupants. In busy areas, access routes and any necessary closures need coordination. Machinery, sensitive documents and rooms without permission remain outside the agreed access scope.

Arrange keys, access rights, alarms, water, electricity and storage directly with the company. Security details should not be included in a public request. Multiple buildings later need a site list and clear responsibilities, not just a combined area figure.

When changing providers, coordinate the outgoing company’s last visit with the new company’s first. At handover, record existing damage, stubborn residues and outstanding work. This helps distinguish an additional initial clean from routine upkeep. Also establish who receives and returns keys and who arranges cover if a visit is missed.

Judge quality against the agreed work

First check whether the commissioned tasks were completed. A short checklist by area makes concerns more specific than simply saying it is not clean enough. Record location, task and observation, distinguishing remaining dirt from damage or lasting wear.

Agree an accessible contact person, a correction process and occasional joint reviews for ongoing contracts. If use, area or occupancy changes, update the plan too. References and supporting documents can help selection but do not replace a clear agreement for your own building.

For the building in the example, the first inspection can be specific: have the stairs and landings been cleaned as agreed, the handrails wiped and the specified lift surfaces cleaned? For the basement corridor and glazed door, also check whether their scheduled cleaning was due. Record the inspection time and last cleaning visit to help distinguish newly tracked-in dirt. If an area was inaccessible, ask for an update explaining the next steps. Agree when missed tasks will be completed and whether any additional charges apply.