How to get commercial cleaning contracts in Sydney

Where to find commercial cleaning leads

• Direct outreach: cold-call or email facility managers of buildings near your depot. Start with offices 1,000-5,000 sqm.
• Referrals: every happy client should know you want referrals. Ask explicitly at the 90-day check-in.
• AU directories: Yellow Pages, True Local, Hotfrog, StartLocal — submit consistent NAP across all of them.
• Tender platforms: bid on AusTender for government sites; on private facility-manager portals like CBRE / JLL for corporate sites.
• Google Business Profile: prospects search 'commercial cleaning [suburb]' — your GBP determines if you appear in the local pack.
• BSCAA membership: lists you on the official Building Service Contractors register that corporate procurement teams reference.

How to price a commercial cleaning quote

• Walk the site before quoting. Measure square metres, count toilets, count meeting rooms, identify special zones (kitchens, end-of-trip).
• Standard pricing: $30-$65/hour or $0.12-$0.25/sqm/visit. Apply suburb premium for CBD locations.
• Frequency: visits per week × hours per visit × hourly rate = monthly fee.
• Include: chemistry, equipment, supervisor time, monthly walk-through, certificates of currency.
• Exclude or quote separately: carpet shampoo, window cleaning, post-event cleans, emergency callouts.
• Build in 15-25% margin after labour, super, workers comp, chemistry, equipment depreciation.

What insurance and compliance you need

• $20M public liability — mandatory for most Sydney commercial sites. Often $10M is acceptable for smaller premises.
• Workers compensation — mandatory for any business with employees. Through icare NSW.
• Police checks for every cleaner — annual renewal. Working With Children Check if any childcare contracts.
• WHS systems: SWMS, SDS register, induction records, supervisor walk-through logs.
• Certificates of currency: issued to clients on request. Keep current and accessible.

Writing a winning cleaning proposal

• Open with the client's specific premises — name the building, type of tenancy, headcount.
• Detailed scope of work: list every task per visit, frequency, who does it.
• Named supervisor: tell the client who will own their account.
• Pricing: fixed monthly fee, what's included, what's quoted separately.
• References: list 3-5 comparable clients (with their permission) for reference.
• Insurance: attach certificates of currency.
• Start date: when can you go live?
• Trial period: offer a 30-day trial with no termination fee.

How to keep contracts once won

• Monthly site walk-through with the client. Document items addressed.
• Same supervisor for the life of the contract. Don't rotate.
• Written cleaning logs issued monthly. Issues raised same-day.
• Annual scope review: are we cleaning the right things at the right frequency?
• Predictable invoicing on the same day each month.