Commercial cleaning rates per square foot
Your commercial cleaning rate per square foot is your monthly price divided by the cleanable square feet. Build the monthly price from labor hours first, then divide. In our worked example, a 17,900 sq ft office cleaned 5 nights a week prices at $3,625 a month (Better package), which is about $0.20 per sq ft per month using Outscoped default numbers.
How visits a week change the rate
Same building (Lakeview Office Park, 17,900 sq ft), same default numbers, Better package:
| Visits | Hours a month | Better price a month | Per sq ft per month | Per sq ft per visit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 a week | 114.6 | $3,625 | $0.203 | $0.0093 |
| 3 a week | 79.1 | $2,505 | $0.140 | $0.0107 |
| 2 a week | 59.6 | $1,885 | $0.105 | $0.0121 |
| 1 a week | 34.4 | $1,090 | $0.061 | $0.0140 |
These come from the same math as the calculator. They are not market averages. Your wage, burden, overhead and production rates set your real rate.
Why quoting from a per square foot number is risky
- A building with many restrooms or exam rooms takes far more hours per square foot than open office space.
- Visits a week change the hours a lot.
- Your labor cost depends on your state's taxes and workers' comp. See labor burden.
Build from hours, then quote the per square foot number if the client asks for it.
Common questions
What is the average commercial cleaning rate per square foot?
There is no single right number, because the rate depends on visits a week, the mix of areas, your wage and your overhead. Build your own rate from hours. In the worked example on this page, a 17,900 sq ft office cleaned 5 nights a week comes to about $0.20 per sq ft per month with Outscoped default numbers.
How do I calculate cleaning cost per square foot?
Price the job from hours first (square feet divided by production rate, times visits, times your true cost per hour, plus margin). Then divide the monthly price by the cleanable square feet.
Why does the price per square foot drop when visits go down?
Fewer visits means fewer labor hours a month, so the monthly price and the price per square foot drop. Each visit takes a little longer, though, because the building gets dirtier between cleanings.