Why janitorial bids are hard to compare directly
Most facilities managers who collect three janitorial bids end up comparing a number from one contractor against a number from another, without a clear way to evaluate what those numbers actually include. The lowest bid almost always wins the business, and six months later the building looks exactly as bad as the price suggested.
The problem is that janitorial bids do not come in a standardized format. One contractor quotes per-visit labor only. Another includes chemicals but not paper goods. A third includes everything but has built in a 20% buffer for inconsistency. Comparing their totals is not meaningful without knowing what each total covers.
Step 1: Normalize the scope
Before you request bids, produce a scope document of your own. It does not need to be detailed — a room-by-room list noting floor type, restroom configuration, and service frequency is enough. Send the same document to all three contractors and ask each to quote against that scope specifically, rather than against their own default checklist.
This step alone eliminates most of the apples-to-oranges comparison problem. If a contractor will not quote against your scope and insists on using their own, note that — it predicts future conversations about what was and was not included.
Step 2: Separate labor, supplies, and paper goods
Ask each contractor to break out their quote into three line items: labor cost per visit, cleaning supplies, and paper goods. Some contractors supply all three and factor them into a monthly rate. Others quote labor-only and expect the facility to stock supplies. Neither model is wrong, but you need to compare them on the same basis.
In the Hamel area, expect to spend roughly $80–150 per month on paper goods (toilet paper, paper towels, hand soap) for a 5,000–10,000 sq ft office with 25–40 occupants. If one contractor includes those in their quote and another does not, the apparent price difference may be smaller than it looks.
Step 3: Ask about crew assignment
Ask each contractor directly: will the same crew service our building on every visit, or will crew assignments rotate? A rotating crew model is cheaper to operate and almost always produces worse results. A building-specific crew learns the layout, the preferences of facilities staff, and the areas that need extra attention — things that take months to develop and reset entirely with every new crew.
The answer to this question is a better predictor of service quality than the price.
Step 4: Evaluate the response to scope deviations
After you have a written quote from each contractor, ask each one: "If something in the scope is missed, what is the process?" A credible contractor will describe a return-visit policy and a written correction log. A less credible contractor will describe a general commitment to quality without a specific protocol.
The right comparison frame
Rather than comparing monthly totals, compare: scope coverage (what each quote actually includes), crew model (dedicated vs. rotating), documentation (what is in writing), and insurance (certificate available or not). Price should be the last variable you evaluate, not the first.
If two contractors score identically on the four factors above and one is meaningfully cheaper, the cheaper one may simply be running a tighter operation. If one contractor is cheaper and scores worse on crew model and documentation, the price difference is a cost you pay later in supervision time and scope disputes.