Commercial Building Cleaning in Edmonton, AB

Prepare a scope bidders can price

Walk through entrances, washrooms, kitchens, offices and storage areas with each bidder. Identify surfaces to clean, tasks your staff will retain and rooms crews must avoid. Confirm the cleanable floor area, including shared areas only if you control their cleaning. Mark furniture crews may move and equipment they must leave alone.

List tasks for each scheduled visit, then separate periodic work. Specify waste removal, washroom fixtures, kitchen surfaces, floors and the touchpoints you want cleaned. Ask bidders to propose carpet and hard-floor maintenance after inspecting the materials and condition. Request an explanation of any proposed disinfection procedure.

For a clinic, food preparation space or workshop, give bidders your facility procedures. Identify sharps, process residues and other waste that falls outside the janitorial scope. Name who will handle those items and ask for a separate method before adding specialist work to the contract.

Compare the total quote and contract terms

Request premises-specific quotes tied to identical tasks, visits and billing periods. Ask each bidder to separate the initial clean, recurring service, consumables, carpet extraction, floor finishing and window work. Have them identify taxes, minimum charges, access charges and exclusions alongside the total payable amount.

If one bidder charges by floor area and another proposes a monthly contract, ask both to price your agreed schedule over the same period. Confirm how they charge for holidays, closures and extra visits. Avoid comparing a per-visit amount with a monthly amount until you know the visit count and included work.

Put extra-work approval, price changes, renewal and cancellation notice in writing. Agree on a remedy for missed visits and a process for reporting damaged surfaces. Consider an initial review period, with a joint inspection before you commit to a longer arrangement.

Check the provider and people entering your premises

The City of Edmonton lists cleaning and janitorial services under Construction, Contracting, and Labour Service. City staff assign licence categories from the provider's business activities, and multiple categories may apply. Ask the bidder to show the municipal licence that covers your proposed work. [1]

WCB-Alberta recommends clearance before work starts, during the contract and before final payment. A clearance letter identifies covered people, the industry and account standing. WCB warns that a hiring company may need to provide coverage and pay premiums for a contractor who lacks an account or may not qualify for one. Resolve unclear coverage with WCB before the crew starts. [4]

Ask whether employees, an owner or subcontractors will do the cleaning. Request liability insurance documentation and discuss damage to floors, fixtures and equipment. Agree on key custody, alarm codes, restricted rooms and lost-key reporting. Name a supervisor who can answer questions and arrange replacement staff.

Assign entrance care between cleaning visits

Environment and Climate Change Canada reports normal monthly snowfall of 10.1 cm in October and 24.2 cm in January at its Edmonton Airport composite station for the 1991–2020 normal period. Use this regional reference to discuss seasonal entrance care; it does not describe snowfall at your building or forecast this winter. [5]

Agree on who checks entrance mats, wet floors and tracked-in grit during opening hours. If your cleaner comes after closing, assign daytime checks to your staff or request an additional service. Ask for a price and approval process for extra entrance work after snowfall.

During your review walkthrough, inspect wet mats, residue along floor edges and soil beyond the matting. Adjust tasks to what you observe. Ask the provider to confirm drying or reopening arrangements for extraction and floor finishing before you schedule the work.

Confirm wastewater disposal and inspect the first clean

EPCOR limits Edmonton storm sewer inputs to rainwater and snow melt. Its drainage guidance also restricts hazardous, corrosive and pipe-blocking materials. Waste unsuitable for sewer discharge must go to an appropriate disposal site. Have the cleaner identify a permitted route for extraction water, stripping solution and collected debris before approving floor work. [3]

EPCOR may request Safety Data Sheets and disposal records during commercial facility inspections. Ask the provider for relevant product sheets and records for waste removed off-site. Agree on who will confirm the disposal route with your building manager or EPCOR when the waste or drain connection is unclear. [3]

Inspect the first clean with the provider against your task list. Check washrooms, entrance edges, waste collection points and surfaces near equipment. Document incomplete work without photographing confidential information. Set a correction deadline and name one contact on each side who can approve scope changes.

Regional snowfall reference for entrance-care planning

Match your premises to the scope you request

Your hiring checklist

1. Confirm cleanable area and prepare a room-by-room task schedule.
2. Choose visit windows and assign entrance checks between visits.
3. Request separate prices for recurring, initial and periodic work.
4. Check the applicable Edmonton business licence and liability insurance documentation.
5. Obtain WCB clearance and resolve coverage questions for owners or subcontractors.
6. Agree on keys, alarm codes, restricted rooms and incident reporting.
7. Confirm wastewater collection, disposal responsibilities and product documentation.
8. Schedule the first inspection and record correction, renewal and cancellation terms.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much should I budget for commercial cleaning?

Request a walkthrough quote for your premises. Compare identical tasks, visit counts and billing periods, with initial cleaning and periodic floor work priced separately. Ask each bidder to state the total payable amount and how you approve extras.

What licence should I ask a cleaner to show?

Ask for the applicable Edmonton business licence. The City includes cleaning and janitorial services under Construction, Contracting, and Labour Service and assigns categories from business activities. It provides an Out of Town application route for businesses based outside Edmonton that conduct business in the city. [1] [2]

Does a WCB account number establish coverage for the crew?

Request a clearance letter and read who it covers. WCB-Alberta says the letter identifies covered people, the industry and account standing. Obtain clearance before work, during the contract and before final payment; resolve unclear owner or contractor coverage with WCB. [4]

Can the cleaner empty dirty water into an outdoor drain?

Confirm the drainage connection and restrictions before approving disposal. EPCOR limits storm sewer inputs to rainwater and snow melt. Ask the cleaner to identify a permitted route for the specific wastewater; do not assume a sanitary drain accepts it either. [3]