Improve The Quality Of Your Post Construction Cleaning Proposals

There is nothing quite like a freshly finished construction job that hasn’t seen foot traffic yet. Everything is brand new, hopefully every system on site is functioning properly, all that is awaiting is the big reveal to the owner.

But wait! There is still one more phase of contract work that needs to be completed before the project is done—the post construction cleaning phase.

Post construction cleaning refers to the process of removing all remaining debris from a construction site.

Oftentimes, the contractors who have been working on the construction project will clean up some of the mess, but it isn’t their job to do detailed cleaning.

Some of the common messes post construction cleaners deal with are cleaning dirty glass after windows have been installed, removing debris from drywall installation, and thoroughly cleaning the construction dust with HEPA filtration vacuums from all surfaces of the construction site.

It sounds simple enough, but it’s a huge undertaking that requires great attention to detail. In order to stand out from the competition, you need to not only be able to make a clean construction site, you need to present a clean proposal that clearly states your qualifications, too.

This article will walk you through some useful tips to enhance the quality of your post construction cleaning proposals so you can land more bids and grow your client base faster than ever before.

Let’s get started by going over introductions.

Introducing Your Post Construction Cleaning Proposal

If you have read our other articles about proposal writing, you will recognize a familiar theme in the beginning. Every type of proposal you write should start with an introduction in the form of a brief cover letter.

Cover letters are simply letters of intent you give to someone you hope to do business with. While there are hundreds of different ways to write a cover letter, for this type of business, think of it like this; your cover letter should introduce your company and let your prospect know you’ve enclosed an estimate in the back.

Those are the only two important things to communicate. You don’t want to go over one page in length and you don’t want to talk too much about yourself, either. While saying a brief note about your business can be a nice touch, overstating your qualifications will only make your prospect lose interest. Keep it brief and friendly.

To see a more in-depth look at cover letter style tips, check out our articles on carpet cleaning proposals or pest control proposals.

For the sake of this article, we are going to assume that you’ve already done a walkthrough of the construction site (hopefully using Route’s Walkthrough Builder™!). Your cover letter could be as simple as thanking your prospect for taking you on the tour, telling them you’ve calculated the necessary supplies needed, and you’ve included the official estimate. Then sign your name at the bottom and move on to the next step in your proposal.

Summarizing Your Work

After the cover letter, you may want to draft a page or two summarizing the types of cleaning you will be doing during the post construction cleaning job.

Take some time to go over each phase of the post construction cleaning. List out each task to be performed one by one and do a brief write up describing what it is, how you will do it, and the supplies you will use.

The supplies are important because a large part of your job is dust removal. You should be using HEPA filtration vacuums with multiple filters to get all the post construction dust out of the air to ensure it is safe to breathe.

If you are cleaning hard flooring, you might be using professional floor cleaning equipment for tile and grout or laminate floors that require special cleaners or machinery rental.

Based on the notes you took in your walkthrough, you should be able to determine what areas need cleaned and how to best do it.

If you feel it is necessary to include photos of your equipment, you may do so, but in most cases, simply listing off the cleaning tasks with a description is sufficient. The main goal of this section is communicating to your prospect what they should expect from you.

Here are some examples of tasks that are commonly seen on post construction cleaning sites. Remember this list is not exhaustive, but it serves as a good guide to get you started.

Kitchens

• Clean all cabinets, inside and out
• Countertops dusted
• Sinks and backsplash cleaned
• Windows cleaned
• Floors swept and mopped

Bathrooms

• Sinks cleaned and sanitized
• Bathtub and toilet cleaned and sanitized
• Tile and grout cleaned and sanitized
• Mirrors cleaned
• Floors swept and mopped

Bedrooms

• All surfaces dusted
• Carpets vacuumed
• Closets cleaned inside and out
• Windows cleaned

Other Areas

• Mirrors cleaned
• Doorknobs and doors cleaned
• Light switch plates cleaned
• Windows and windowsills cleaned
• Air filters checked

Assessing Your Costs

Before you start writing your final post construction cleaning estimate, you’ll need to sit down and figure out what your total costs. You want to come up with an accurate bid that’s fair to your client but also allows you to make a good profit.

Some of the contributing cost factors for post construction cleaners are the size of the project, the supplies needed, the location, the overall condition and accessibility of the property, and the level of cleaning that is desired.

In addition, the article goes on to mention several other costs factors to consider.

For instance, doing a large commercial property usually means you’ll charge less per square foot than a residential property.

Also, the final phase of cleanup is the most thorough and is therefore the most expensive. This is when you might be charging up to $0.50/square foot.

You will also want to charge more for specialty services. This could include things like exterior window washing, waxing and polishing wood floors, or removing large pieces of debris.

And don’t forget to add the cost of your supplies into your estimate, too. If you need to rent large dumpsters or special cleaning equipment, like vacuums, floor burnishers, or tile and grout machines, you should bill your prospect for these charges.

Writing The Proposal

After you’ve done your research to determine your costs, the next step is easy. Writing the contract for your services can be a simple task thanks to bidding software online templates. We even designed a proposal template system within Route called the Proposal Generator.

To write a proposal using the Proposal Generator, open Route on your desktop and find the program. Once it’s open, the interface is user friendly, so you should be able to figure it out just by clicking around.

What you will see on your screen is an editor menu and a preview screen. The editor is where you will customize your contract. You will first give your contract a name, then you can add your logo if you like.

The next text box is for service charges. Here you will list all the jobs you are going to charge for and their respective price.

There may be some boxes in the Proposal Generator that you do not need to fill in, like service frequency. You can uncheck these boxes in the editor menu if you don’t want to include them in your contract.

Make sure you add in any special concerns or charges, such as travel time or logistical expenses before you write the total. Put the total price for all your services at the bottom of your estimate.

The Proposal Generator will add in the standard legal verbiage necessary to create a legally binding contract automatically; All you have to do is click the, “import legal” button at the bottom of the editor menu and you’re done! Now you can send your contract to your team or prospect. As soon as it comes back with a signature, you’re ready to get to work.

Conclusion

Post construction cleaning is a very important and specialized task that requires a lot of attention to detail.

In order to land more bids and set yourself apart from the competition, you have to be able to stand out on paper as well as on the construction site. Writing a good proposal will help elevate your services and make a good impression on your prospect.

A good proposal starts with a good introduction, so write a cover letter before going into the work and the price. Don’t go over one page in length, but do introduce yourself, mention briefly what you found during the walkthrough, and finish by saying the estimate is included at the back.

On a separate page, list a summary of the jobs you are going to complete during the post construction cleaning process. If necessary, list any equipment you are going to use, too. You want your prospect to understand what they are getting from this contract.

When assessing your costs, make sure you factor in the additional charges that come along with this type of work, such as dumpster rental, travel time, and commercial-grade cleaning equipment.

Also remember that travel time and the overall condition of the construction site will affect your price.

When writing the contract, use an online template program, like the Proposal Generator in Route. This makes writing the final contract easy and professional. All you have to do is plug in your costs into the editor and the Proposal Generator will format your contract for you so it’s ready to be signed by your prospect.

Once you’ve created a cover letter, a summary page, and an estimate, you’ve completed a well-designed post construction cleaning proposal that will help you stand out against your competitors.

Save this article as a guide for future proposals as you get the hang of writing them. Before you know it, you’ll be seeing signed contracts in your mailbox for your next post construction cleaning job.