How to use the Commercial Cleaning Bid Calculator

Bid offices and medical suites by square feet and space type, and see the monthly price, profit and price per sq ft. Here's every step, with screenshots from the real spreadsheet.

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Version 1.0 · 7 tabs · Excel and Google Sheets · Free Lifetime Updates

At a Glance
StepHow long
1Before you start1 min 2Set up your rates15 min, once 3Bid a buildingSee step 4Compare and sendSee step
Messages explainedSee them →

Before you start

The one rule: yellow cells with blue text are yours to fill in. Gray cells calculate on their own and are locked, so you can't erase a formula by accident.
  1. Your download is a zip with two files. Double-click it to open it. Start with the one marked with examples to see how everything works, then use the blank one for your business.
  2. Open the file in Microsoft Excel. Using Google Sheets? Upload it to Google Drive, then open it with Google Sheets.
  3. Start on the Start Here tab. It has the same steps, right inside the file.
  4. The sample data is there so you can see how everything works. Type over it with your own when you're ready.

Here's how to set your rates once, then bid a building in about 5 minutes after the walkthrough.

1Set up your rates (one time, about 15 minutes)

Commercial Cleaning Bid Calculator My Rates tab in Excel and Google Sheets. My Rates, where you set pay, overhead, margin and production rates for each kind of space.
My Rates, where you set pay, overhead, margin and production rates for each kind of space.
  1. Open My Rates. Add your business details, pay, payroll extras, after-hours premium, overhead, margin and supplies per 1,000 sq ft.
  2. Check the production rates: square feet one cleaner covers in an hour for each kind of space. Time your own crews and change them.

2Bid a building

Commercial Cleaning Bid Calculator Bid tab in Excel and Google Sheets. The Bid tab prices each area by square feet and space type, counts restroom fixtures and shows the monthly price.
The Bid tab prices each area by square feet and space type, counts restroom fixtures and shows the monthly price.
  1. Walk the building with the Site Survey checklist and get the square feet of each area.
  2. Open Bid. Enter cleanings per week, service level and whether it's after hours.
  3. List each area with its space type and square feet, count the restroom fixtures, and add any periodic work.

3Compare and send

Commercial Cleaning Bid Calculator Visit Options tab in Excel and Google Sheets. The same building at 1 to 7 cleanings a week, with monthly price and profit.
The same building at 1 to 7 cleanings a week, with monthly price and profit.
  1. Visit Options shows the building at 1 to 7 cleanings a week.
  2. Customer Bid prints the proposal with the areas and the monthly price.

What the messages mean

The tool watches your numbers and tells you in plain words when something needs a look. Here's every message you might see.

✖ You lose money at this price.
What it means: The monthly price doesn't cover the cleaning.
What to do: Check your rates or raise the price.
⚠ An area has square feet but no space type.
What it means: That area isn't counted.
What to do: Pick a space type.
⚠ Over 10 hours on site for each cleaner.
What it means: The building is too big for the crew in one shift.
What to do: Add cleaners or split it into shifts.
ℹ Under 5 cents per sq ft a month.
What it means: That's very low for most buildings.
What to do: Double-check the areas and rates.

Using Google Sheets or your phone

  • To use Google Sheets, upload the file to Google Drive, then right-click it and choose Open with, then Google Sheets.
  • Dropdowns, colors, and every calculation work the same in Google Sheets.
  • On a phone, the Google Sheets and Excel apps work for quick changes. For setup and printing, a computer is easier.
  • Want to start fresh? Type over the yellow example cells. Don't delete rows, since other tabs may be reading them.

Ready when you are

Like what you see? Get the office bid calculator for $19, with every future update free. Want to try the math first? The free version covers the basics, no sign-up. Need more than one tool? Save with the toolkit.

Common questions

Why count restroom fixtures?

Restrooms take far more time per square foot than offices. Counting fixtures keeps the bid honest.

Is periodic work in the profit?

It's billed monthly at its price and counted at cost, so the profit shown is from the routine cleaning.

Quick reference from the Start Here tab

Welcome

Offices, medical suites, gyms and churches aren't priced like houses. This calculator bids by square feet and how fast you clean each kind of space, counts restroom fixtures separately, adds after-hours pay and periodic work like carpet cleaning, and turns it all into a monthly contract price with your profit and price per square foot.

Setup (About 15 Minutes, One Time)

1

Open 'My Rates'. Add your business info, then your costs: cleaner pay, payroll extras, after-hours premium, overhead, target margin and supplies per 1,000 sq ft.

2

Check the production rates: how many square feet one cleaner covers in an hour for each kind of space. Time your own crews and change them. The examples are placeholders, not advice.

Bidding A Building (About 5 Minutes)

1

Walk the building with the 'Site Survey' sheet. Measure or get the square feet of each area.

2

Open 'Bid'. Enter the client, cleanings per week, service level and whether it's after hours.

3

List each area with its space type and square feet. Count the restroom fixtures. Add any periodic work.

4

Read the top: monthly price, monthly profit and price per square foot. 'Visit Options' compares 1 to 7 cleanings a week, and 'Customer Bid' prints the proposal.

Handy Tips

Restrooms take far longer per square foot than offices, so they're counted by fixture: toilets, urinals and sinks.

Price per square foot per month is how many building managers compare bids. It's shown on every bid so you can sanity-check yours.

Using Google Sheets? Upload this file to Google Drive and open it with Google Sheets. Everything works the same.

Your License

This file is licensed to one business, including everyone who works there. Please don't share, resell or post it online.

© 2026 EasyWorkTools. All rights reserved. easyworktools.com

Every tab

This file has 7 tabs, in this order:

  1. Start Here
  2. Bid
  3. Visit Options
  4. Customer Bid
  5. Site Survey
  6. My Rates
  7. Pricing Help
Still stuck on something? Ask us. We answer within one business day, and we'll add the answer here for everyone.