Most businesses switch cleaning companies for the same reasons: things get missed, nobody answers the phone, and quality slides a few months after the contract is signed. This guide covers what to check before you sign, so you’re not switching again a year from now.
1. Ask for a certificate of insurance before the walkthrough
Any commercial cleaner should carry general liability insurance and workers’ comp. Ask for a certificate of insurance (COI) up front, not after you’ve signed. Check three things:
- The business name on the certificate matches the company you’re hiring.
- The policy dates are current.
- Workers’ comp is listed. Without it, an injury on your property can become your problem.
2. Read the contract terms, not just the price
Ask:
- How long is the contract, and is the price locked for that term?
- What happens if they don’t do what they promised? Can you leave without a penalty?
- How much notice does either side have to give?
A long contract with no way out for poor performance protects the cleaner, not you.
3. Find out who holds your keys and alarm codes
Your cleaner will have after-hours access to your building. Ask:
- Who exactly gets keys and codes?
- Where are office copies kept?
- What happens when a crew member leaves the company?
The right answer is a short list of people, keys stored securely, and a clear process when someone leaves: keys collected, codes changed.
4. Ask how quality is checked, and how you’ll know
“We do quality checks” isn’t an answer. Ask how often someone besides the crew walks your building, and what you get in writing. A written monthly report showing what you raised, what was fixed and what’s still open means problems get caught before you have to chase them.
5. Make sure there’s one person to call
Ask who you contact when something’s missed and how fast they respond. A call center or ticket queue usually means slower fixes. One point of contact who knows your building usually means faster ones.
6. Ask what happens when your regular cleaner is out
Cleaners get sick and take vacations. Ask how the company covers a missed night and whether the backup knows your building’s checklist.
7. Get the checklist in writing
Ask for the exact tasks done every visit, weekly and monthly. “Cleaning the office” means different things to different companies, and a written scope is the only way to hold anyone to it. Here’s what our recurring janitorial checklist covers.
8. Know what a fair price looks like in Austin
Price depends on building type, square footage and how often you need cleaning. Compare quotes on the same scope and frequency, and remember that Texas charges sales tax on janitorial services (8.25% in Austin). Our 2026 Austin commercial cleaning cost guide has current price ranges by building type, and our cost estimator gives you a budget number in about a minute.
A quote far below the others usually means fewer hours on site. That shows up in the work.
9. Ask who handles repairs
Cleaners notice things: a door that won’t latch, a stained ceiling tile, a loose railing. Ask what happens when the crew spots something broken. With some companies, nothing happens. Others report it, and some can fix it. Not sure who should handle a repair or a bigger project? Read handyman, contractor or both.
How BrightWorks answers these questions
- Insurance: $1 million per occurrence / $2 million aggregate general liability, plus workers’ comp. We’ll send a certificate of insurance on request.
- Contracts: Most run one year with your price locked. We can go as short as six months. If we don’t do what we said, you can leave without penalty. It’s written into the contract.
- Keys: Only our owner and your assigned crew. Office copies stay in a locked safe. When a crew member leaves, we collect their keys and ask you to change your alarm code.
- Quality: The 5-10-15 Report tells you every month what you raised, what we did, what’s still open and anything we got wrong.
- One contact: One person who knows your building and picks up.
- Repairs: Our Monthly Handyman Plan covers doors, drywall, ceiling tiles, painting and more, from the same contact who manages your cleaning. See all our commercial handyman services.
Running an office? See how we clean offices and coworking spaces. Thinking about switching? Here’s what switching cleaning companies looks like, or request a free walkthrough and we’ll send a written quote.
Common questions
What should I ask a commercial cleaning company before hiring?
Ask for a current certificate of insurance with workers’ comp listed, the contract length and whether you can leave without penalty if they don’t perform, who holds your keys and alarm codes, how quality is checked and what you get in writing each month, who your point of contact is, how missed nights are covered, the written cleaning checklist, and what happens when the crew finds something broken.
How much does commercial cleaning cost in Austin?
It depends on building type, square footage and how often you need cleaning. Recurring office cleaning five nights a week typically runs about $0.12 to $0.25 per square foot per month in Austin. Our 2026 cost guide and cost estimator give ranges by building type.
Is janitorial service taxed in Texas?
Yes. Texas charges sales tax on janitorial services, so expect 8.25% on top of the price in Austin and most of Texas.
How long are commercial cleaning contracts?
Most run about one year. Ask whether the price is locked for the full term and whether you can leave without penalty if the company doesn’t do what it promised. At BrightWorks, contracts can be as short as six months, and the no-penalty exit is written into the contract.
About the author. Bryan Bone is the founder and President of BrightWorks Facility Services, an owner-run commercial cleaning and facility maintenance company in Austin, Texas, founded in February 2023. Before BrightWorks, he worked across sales, operations and finance for small businesses in Houston, then in sales at an investment firm in Austin.
Estimate your monthly cost or request a free walkthrough. Questions? Call 512-775-4342.