How to get janitorial contracts: direct, subcontract or franchise

Janitorial contracts are the recurring base of most cleaning companies: the office cleaned every night, the clinic done after the last patient, the lobby kept tidy by a day porter. The question for most owners is not whether the work exists but which route gets them to it. There are three, and each suits a different stage of business. This guide on how to get janitorial contracts compares them honestly, then goes deep on the direct route, which is where the margin is.

If you want the broader picture across all commercial work, including project cleans, read how to get commercial cleaning contracts. This page is about recurring janitorial service.

What are the three ways to get janitorial contracts?

The three ways are selling direct to buildings, subcontracting under a bigger contractor, and buying a franchise that supplies accounts. They differ in who finds the client, who owns the relationship and who keeps the margin.

None of these is wrong. Many companies subcontract for a year to keep crews busy, while building direct accounts that eventually replace the subcontract work.

How do you win direct janitorial contracts for nightly office cleaning?

You win direct nightly office contracts by targeting a tight radius of similar buildings, contacting the office or facilities manager directly, and proving on the walk-through that your crew will be reliable after hours. Offices buy janitorial service to stop hearing complaints. Your pitch should be about reliability and communication, not about chemicals.

What do office buyers actually worry about?

Office buyers worry about four things: missed nights, security, the same complaint coming back, and not being able to reach anyone. Address each on the walk-through:

• Missed nights. Explain how you cover sick calls and vacations. Name the backup.
• Security. Explain key and alarm code handling, background checks and who is in the building after hours.
• Repeat complaints. Show how complaints are logged and fixed, and how quickly.
• Communication. Give one named contact with a mobile number, and offer a monthly check-in.

These worries are real because the labor side of janitorial work is hard. A CleanLink report on the BSCAI and Contracting Profits frontline labor research noted that before 2020 the industry reported 100 to 400 percent annual turnover, though it adds those extremes are now more the exception than the rule. A buyer who has lived through a revolving door of cleaners will pay for stability.

How should you structure a nightly office quote?

Structure the quote as a monthly price for a defined frequency, with the task list by area and a separate price for periodic work. Offer two or three frequency options so the buyer chooses between your options rather than between you and a competitor.

Example frequency options (template)

Count visits properly: five nights a week is about 21.7 visits a month, not 20. The full labor and margin method is in how to bid a janitorial job.

Where do you find office decision-makers?

You find office decision-makers by building a list of businesses in your radius, then identifying the office manager, operations manager, facilities manager or owner for each. For multi-tenant buildings, the property manager handles common areas and can introduce you to tenants. Our page on office cleaning leads covers who signs in different office types, and the upcoming guide on office cleaning contracts goes further.

How does subcontracting janitorial work actually work?

Subcontracting works by a prime contractor holding the contract with the building owner and paying you to perform some or all of the cleaning. Primes include national facility services companies, regional contractors that have won more work than they can staff, and firms holding government contracts.

Public contracts create a lot of subcontracting. Federal buyers set aside work for small businesses based on size standards. The SBA's size standard for NAICS 561720, Janitorial Services, is $22 million in average annual receipts in the table effective March 17, 2023. Larger primes often bring in smaller local firms to cover sites across a region.

What should you check before signing a subcontract?

Check payment terms, scope, insurance and the non-solicitation clause before you sign. A subcontract that pays in 90 days can starve a small company of cash. Use this checklist:

Subcontract checklist

• Rate per hour, per visit or per month, and when it is reviewed
• Payment terms (net 30, net 60, net 90) and whether you are paid when the prime is paid
• Exact scope and frequency for each site, in writing
• Who supplies chemicals, equipment and paper
• Insurance minimums, additional insured requirements and bonding
• Non-solicitation clause: can you ever bid the building directly?
• Termination notice on both sides
• Who handles client complaints, and how you are told about them
• Inspection standards and any penalties for missed work

Subcontracting keeps crews busy and teaches you the standards of larger buyers. It rarely builds the business's value, because the client relationship belongs to someone else.

Should you buy a janitorial franchise to get contracts?

You should consider a janitorial franchise if you want accounts supplied and a system to follow, and you accept paying fees and royalties for them. Some systems are explicit about this. Jan-Pro's franchise page, for example, says franchisees do not have to do any selling because the company finds customers and provides customer accounts.

Before you buy any franchise, the FTC's Franchise Rule requires the franchisor to give you a Franchise Disclosure Document. The FTC's guide says you must receive it at least 14 calendar days before you sign or pay. Read it with a franchise lawyer and ask:

• What accounts are promised, at what total monthly billing, and within what time?
• What happens if an assigned account cancels? Is it replaced, and on what terms?
• What royalties, management fees and other ongoing charges apply to your billing?
• Can you find and sign your own clients, and do the same fees apply?
• What do current and former franchisees in your area say? The FDD lists them.

The honest summary: a franchise can be a faster start, and the brand can help with larger buyers. Over time, an independent company with its own direct accounts keeps more of each dollar and owns an asset it can sell.

How do independent companies compete with franchises and nationals?

Independent companies compete by being closer, faster and more personal. A local owner can walk a building the same day, answer the phone at night and fix a complaint before breakfast. Lean into that:

• Give the buyer your mobile number, not a call center
• Offer a short initial term so they can try you without risk
• Show local references from similar buildings
• Keep crews stable on each site so the client sees the same faces
• Respond to enquiries within the hour

How do you keep a steady flow of janitorial contracts coming in?

You keep contracts coming by running prospecting every week, even when the schedule is full. Accounts end for reasons you do not control: companies move, budgets are cut, buildings are sold. A pipeline of walk-throughs protects you from those surprises. How to scale a commercial cleaning company covers the systems that keep that flow steady as you grow.

If you want the direct route without doing all of the prospecting yourself, LeadWharf finds the office managers and facility managers in your area, contacts them in your company's name, and sends you the replies that clear three checks: the building is in your area, they want recurring work at your frequency and job size, and you get the named decision-maker with a direct line. Each of our janitorial leads goes to you alone, and you own the relationship from the first call. See how it works or book a call.