Commercial cleaning company with a small crew

Property managers, school and daycare operators, business owners and facility managers who outsource cleaning.

Monthly contract fees per site, priced from labor hours, supplies and travel, with extras for floor care, carpet cleaning and window work.

• Managing and scheduling people
• Writing quotes and bids
• Quality checks and client communication
• Basic bookkeeping

• Workers' compensation insurance and payroll taxes once you hire; check whether your workers are employees or contractors under IRS and state rules
• Larger clients may require insurance certificates, background checks or bonding, and schools may have extra requirements; check each contract
• Check with your city or county about business license requirements
• Thin margins if you underprice, so track hours per site
• Staff turnover and missed shifts can put contracts at risk
• Chemical safety training and equipment such as floor machines

Startup costs are typically estimated at around $3,000 to $15,000, depending on your equipment, such as floor machines, and the size of your first contracts. Margins can be thin if you underprice, so track hours per site.

Check workers' compensation and payroll taxes, and whether workers count as employees or contractors under IRS and state rules. Larger clients may require insurance certificates, background checks or bonding, and schools may add requirements, so check each contract.

Monthly revenue is typically estimated at around $4,000 to $20,000, depending on the contracts you win and your crew size. Plan for at least about 30 hours a week. Staff turnover and missed shifts can put contracts at risk.