Skill: 1kalin/afrexai-cleaning-business (version 1.0.0)

# Cleaning Business Operations Commercial and residential cleaning business operations agent. Covers pricing, bidding, staffing, supply costs, insurance, OSHA compliance, quality control, and growth from solo operator to multi-crew company. ## When to Use - Starting or scaling a cleaning business (residential, commercial, janitorial) - Bidding on commercial contracts - Setting pricing for residential services - Managing crews, supplies, and scheduling - Understanding insurance, bonding, and compliance requirements ## Pricing Reference ### Residential Cleaning (2026 US Market) | Service | Per Visit | Per Sq Ft | |---------|-----------|-----------| | Standard clean (2-3 bed) | $120-$200 | $0.08-$0.12 | | Deep clean | $200-$400 | $0.15-$0.25 | | Move-in/move-out | $250-$500 | $0.18-$0.30 | | Post-construction | $350-$800 | $0.25-$0.50 | | Window cleaning (interior) | $5-$10/window | — | | Carpet cleaning | $25-$75/room | $0.20-$0.40 | ### Commercial/Janitorial (Monthly Contracts) | Facility Type | Per Sq Ft/Month | Frequency | |--------------|-----------------|-----------| | Small office (<5K sq ft) | $0.05-$0.10 | 3-5x/week | | Medical/dental | $0.12-$0.20 | Daily | | Retail | $0.04-$0.08 | Daily | | Warehouse/industrial | $0.03-$0.06 | 2-3x/week | | School/daycare | $0.08-$0.15 | Daily | | Restaurant | $0.15-$0.25 | Daily | ### Bidding Formula (Commercial) ``` Monthly Price = (Cleanable Sq Ft × Rate) + (Restrooms × $75-$150) + (Specialty Areas × Premium) Production Rate Target: 2,500-3,500 sq ft/hour (general office) ``` ## Staffing & Labor ### Pay Ranges (2026) | Role | Hourly | Annual | |------|--------|--------| | Cleaner (entry) | $14-$18 | $29K-$37K | | Experienced cleaner | $16-$22 | $33K-$46K | | Team lead | $18-$25 | $37K-$52K | | Operations manager | $22-$30 | $46K-$62K | | Quality inspector | $18-$24 | $37K-$50K | ### Crew Productivity Benchmarks - Solo operator: 3-5 residential jobs/day or 1 commercial site - 2-person crew: 5-8 residential jobs/day - Target billable hours: 6-7 per 8-hour shift - Drive time between jobs: budget 15-30 min - Turnover rate industry avg: 200-400% annually — retention is your #1 cost lever ## Supply Costs ### Per-Job Supply Cost Targets | Job Type | Supply Budget | % of Revenue | |----------|--------------|--------------| | Standard residential | $3-$8 | 3-5% | | Deep clean | $8-$15 | 4-6% | | Commercial (per visit) | $5-$20 | 5-8% | ### Key Supplies (Monthly, Per Crew) - All-purpose cleaner: $15-$25 - Disinfectant: $20-$35 - Glass cleaner: $10-$15 - Microfiber cloths (reusable): $30-$50/quarter - Vacuum (commercial): $300-$800 (replace annually) - Mop system: $50-$150 - Trash bags: $25-$40 - Paper products/restroom supplies (commercial): client-supplied or $0.02-$0.05/sq ft markup ## Insurance & Bonding | Coverage | Annual Cost | Required? | |----------|------------|-----------| | General liability ($1M/$2M) | $400-$1,200 | Yes — non-negotiable | | Workers' comp | $2-$5 per $100 payroll | Yes (with employees) | | Surety bond ($10K-$50K) | $100-$500 | Commercial contracts require it | | Commercial auto | $1,200-$3,000/vehicle | Yes | | Umbrella ($1M) | $300-$600 | Recommended for commercial | | Employee dishonesty bond | $150-$400 | Recommended | **Total insurance cost target: 5-8% of revenue** ## OSHA & Compliance ### Chemical Safety (OSHA 29 CFR 1910.1200) - Safety Data Sheets (SDS) for every chemical — accessible on-site - Hazard Communication training before first day of work - PPE provided: gloves, eye protection for chemicals - No mixing chemicals (especially bleach + ammonia = toxic gas) - Bloodborne pathogen training for medical facility cleaning ### Common OSHA Violations in Cleaning | Violation | Penalty | |-----------|---------| | No SDS on-site | $1,000-$15,000 | | Missing hazcom training | $1,000-$15,000 | | No PPE provided | $1,000-$15,000 | | Wet floor without signage | $1,000-$7,000 | | Improper ladder use | $1,000-$15,000 | | Willful violation | Up to $156,259 | ### Green Cleaning Certifications - ISSA CIMS (Cleaning Industry Management Standard) — gold standard for commercial - Green Seal GS-37 (cleaning products) / GS-42 (services) - LEED-compatible cleaning programs increase commercial contract win rate by 15-25% ## Quality Control ### Inspection Checklist (Score 1-5 per area) 1. Floors — vacuumed/mopped, edges, corners 2. Surfaces — dusted, wiped, streak-free 3. Restrooms — sanitized, restocked, mirrors, fixtures 4. Trash — emptied, liners replaced, area clean 5. Windows/glass — fingerprints, smudges, sills 6. Kitchen/break room — appliances, sink, counters 7. Overall appearance — clutter, odor, presentation **Target: 4.5+ average. Below 4.0 = re-clean required.** ### Client Retention Metrics - Satisfaction survey after first 3 cleans, then quarterly - 90-day retention target: 85%+ - Annual retention target: 70%+ (residential), 85%+ (commercial) - Complaint resolution: respond within 2 hours, re-clean within 24 hours ## Growth Playbook ### Stage 1: Solo Operator ($0-$80K/year) - 15-20 recurring residential clients = $4K-$6K/month - Zero employees, minimal overhead - Focus: reviews, referrals, Google Business Profile - Reinvest 20% into marketing ### Stage 2: First Crew ($80K-$250K/year) - Hire 2-3 cleaners, train to your standard - Add 1-2 commercial contracts for stable base revenue - Systems: scheduling software, checklists, supply tracking - You stop cleaning, start managing and selling ### Stage 3: Multi-Crew ($250K-$1M/year) - 3-5 crews, dedicated office manager - Mix: 60% commercial / 40% residential (commercial = predictable) - Fleet: branded vehicles (rolling billboards) - Bid on larger contracts: schools, medical, property management companies ### Stage 4: Scale ($1M+/year) - Operations manager runs day-to-day - Focus: sales, key accounts, strategic partnerships - Consider franchise model or territory licensing - Target: 15-25% net profit margin at scale ## KPIs to Track 1. Revenue per labor hour (target: $45-$65) 2. Client retention rate (target: 80%+) 3. Complaint rate (target: <2% of jobs) 4. Employee turnover (target: <100% annually — half the industry avg is a win) 5. Supply cost as % of revenue (target: <6%) 6. Close rate on bids (target: 30-40% residential, 20-30% commercial) 7. Average job value (track monthly, push upward) 8. Drive time as % of work time (target: <20%) 9. Rebooking rate — residential (target: 70%+ rebook after first clean) 10. Revenue per client per year (target: $2,400+ residential, $12,000+ commercial) ## Common Mistakes 1. Pricing too low to "get clients" — race to bottom kills margins 2. No written contracts for commercial — verbal agreements = disputes 3. Skipping insurance — one slip-and-fall lawsuit ends the business 4. Not tracking supply costs — death by a thousand small purchases 5. Hiring without background checks — you're in people's homes 6. No quality inspection system — problems compound silently 7. Over-relying on residential — commercial contracts are the stability backbone 8. Ignoring employee retention — constant retraining is the hidden cost killer --- ## More Industry-Specific Operations Resources Get the full AfrexAI context pack library for your AI agents: - **Industry Context Packs** ($47 each): https://afrexai-cto.github.io/context-packs/ - **AI Revenue Leak Calculator** (free): https://afrexai-cto.github.io/ai-revenue-calculator/ - **Agent Setup Wizard** (free): https://afrexai-cto.github.io/agent-setup/ - **Pick 3 Bundle** ($97): Any 3 industry packs - **Full Library** ($197): All 10 industry packs - **Everything Bundle** ($247): All packs + playbook + priority support Built by AfrexAI — we build AI agents that actually run businesses.


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