Updated September 2026 by Kunz Janitorial, Inc., Phoenix, Arizona. Commercial cleaning since 1971.
1. Insist on a walkthrough before a number
Any company willing to quote a Phoenix office, clinic, or school without seeing it is quoting a guess. A walkthrough surfaces the things that drive cost: restroom count, floor types, breakrooms, after-hours access, and how many people move through the building each day. Kunz does not send pricing until someone has walked the space.
2. Ask for the scope in writing
The scope of work is the contract that matters. It should list every area, the task performed in it, and the frequency (nightly, three times a week, weekly, monthly). If two bids differ in price, the scope usually explains why. A cheaper bid that skips restroom restocking, high dusting, or floor care is not cheaper.
3. Find out who actually cleans the building
Ask whether the same crew is assigned to your account or whether labor rotates. Assigned crews learn the building, know where the supply closet and alarm panel are, and notice when something is off. Rotating labor resets that knowledge every week. Ask what happens when a crew member is sick or leaves.
4. Verify insurance and training
Request a certificate of insurance naming your company, with general liability and workers compensation current. Ask how staff are trained for your facility type, particularly for medical offices (bloodborne pathogen and disinfection protocols) and schools (background checks, products used around children).
5. Check references from buildings like yours
A reference from a warehouse tells you little about how a company will handle a dental practice. Ask for two accounts of similar size and type, and ask those references how problems were handled, not just whether they are happy.
6. Read the contract for exits and escalation
Look for the term length, the notice period to cancel, how missed service is credited, and who you call when the standard slips. A company confident in its work will offer a short notice period. Owner-operated companies tend to put the owner's own number on the contract.
7. Compare bids against the same scope
Give every bidder the same written scope and ask them to price it. Then ask what they would change. That conversation tells you more about competence than the number does.