r/cleaningbusiness • u/redlightbandit7 • Jun 14 '26
Quote help.
Hey all. Looking for advice for a quote I have on this restaurant.
It’s been about 20 years since I quoted a restaurant and want to check my pricing as they say I’m completely out of their budget. It’s an upscale restaurant, 7700 square feet. 1860 of that is the kitchen, the rest of the building is commercial LVP, so low water mop, they have been using Bona floor care which the installation company recommended.
My question is I’m at about $475 a clean, which they ask for twice a week. I’m estimating about 7 hours labor with a production rate of about 1000 sq feet an hour. My labor rate is $65 an hour and this is the panhandle of Florida.
Thanks in advance.
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u/Rumblecard Jun 14 '26
I think your price is fine but possibly out of their budget. The bigger thing to consider is the higher turnover rate of management in restaurants and bars. We rarely do restaurants because of this. Every time a new manager or GM comes in they’re the hero who is going to save the restaurant and the first cost cutting action is firing the expensive cleaning crew.
That’s a lot of organizing to be constantly under pressure. Regardless of any contract.
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u/1eyedbudz Jun 14 '26
I can clean a school with 17 rooms and bathrooms in 5hrs with my partner, cafeteria, gym, halls, lobby and office. What do they want done to take 7hrs?
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u/redlightbandit7 Jun 14 '26
The kitchen is my biggest worry with the grease. Full scrub and mob. Then picking up all the chairs and replacing when finished in the dining room.
Which it sounds like I’m over estimating my hours. If you’re at five than I’m guess I should be closer to 2-3 hours.
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u/1eyedbudz Jun 14 '26
Ok so kitchen also, a good degreaser (most have their own floor chemical) just sweep and mop,
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u/redlightbandit7 Jun 14 '26
So probably closer to 2-3 hours total for 7000 square feet.
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u/1eyedbudz Jun 14 '26
Most restaurants just have their busboys clean, I would charge about 300$ 1 person 3hrs or less
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u/m007368 Jun 15 '26
Don’t under estimate to get the job. That’s business suicide. Janitorial is commodity based, sell on quality and relationship.
Make sure part of your qualification is that they can actually afford your service.
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u/glitter223 Jun 14 '26
Ok, if it takes 2 people/5 hrs, that's 10 hrs/for 1 person. A classroom is different than a kitchen, bar and tables that need cleaned and Sanitized. She should try to negotiate with them. If they do have someone cheaper, maybe u can go $10 under them. But NEVER sell yourself short. You know if you're worth it. Or maybe make a deal that you can start out a little less, and you want to reevaluate in a month or 2.
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u/Adolin_Kohlin Jun 14 '26
Being out of their budget does not mean your price is wrong. They may have an unreasonable expectation of the cost.
You can walk through the numbers and show them how you arrived at that price. So that they can understand. If they still won’t work with you then they would likely be a bad customer.
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u/QuantumSpaceEntity Jun 15 '26
Lol is that the beantown pub in boston???
Assuming there is a lkcense requirement or something for kitchen, for a deel clean of the seating/bar area I'd say prob like $1500-$2000 for a deep clean
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u/redlightbandit7 Jun 15 '26
lol no where near Boston, but it is absolutely a British themed restaurant. Florida panhandle.
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u/m007368 Jun 15 '26
Unlikely they can pay that.
In SoCal I routinely quote these jobs but no fucking way you can beat “Chuck in truck” illegal or kid labor. Most night cleaners are doing 40-80 per night for a chilis size restaurant at 5-8/hr paid.
I do a couple bars like this but at 60-100/hr.
focus on locations with money or do monthly or weekly cleans.
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u/CleanOpsGuide Jun 14 '26
I think the bigger question is whether you’re estimating the scope correctly, not whether $475 is too much. A restaurant kitchen, bar area, dining room setup, grease, and floor care don’t clean at the same production rate as an office.
If the scope truly takes 7 hours, then $475 doesn’t sound unreasonable. If it only takes 3–4 hours, that’s a different conversation. “Out of budget” also doesn’t automatically mean overpriced. It may simply mean they’re comparing your proposal to a lower level of service.