New construction cleanup and construction cleaning jobs are available in almost any location. A business letter from a janitorial service or commercial cleaning company to the main office of the general contractor is how to get the ball rolling. An introductory letter requesting to have your company placed on their bidders list, along with a copy of your insurance and business licenses, construction industry references with phone numbers and some documentation of your abilities seems to go a long way. But thats only the first step of many. A flyer or brochure will easily address your abilities. Construction site cleaning opportunities happen quickly and will go to the post construction cleaning company with all the paperwork completed and in place.
How to bid final, post or after construction cleaning is the question most janitorial companies seem to be interested in, but that challenge wont be addressed correctly until you shake the hand of the Site Superintendant or Project Manager. The key to working with construction contractors consistently is the contractors perception that you are familiar with their requirements and that you can accomplish them on a strict time schedule and in an uneventful manner. It would be smart to establish a new d.b.a. with a construction related name (i.e. Sparkle Cleaning d.b.a. Site Cleaning Support). Go to Home Depot and get a white hard hat ($10.00?) and a reflective safety vest ($10.00?). Go to an ad specialties store, get a work shirt and have them embroider your company name on it. Have them letter the hard hat and the vest with the same name also. Office Depot makes quick no frills business cards for about $10.00 for a hundred. Have some conservative basic cards made. Jeans and work boots are a must. On a construction site, the person from Site Cleaning Support with the uniform, hard hat and safety vest will quickly get an invitation to bid. The person from Sparkle Cleaning, with the pink flowers and bubbles business card, will either get punched in the nose or receive the kind of attention they dont want! When you visit the site for the first time, look for the construction office trailer. Identify yourself as a contractor and ask for the Superintendant or Project Manager. Dont try to sell anyone else, this is very important. Only speak with the Super, PM or their administrative staff in the office trailer. Contractors disrupting the flow of work on a site are a problem, will be asked to leave the site and will not be asked to bid. Your first statement to the PM should be: Hi, Im a cleaning contractor and Im interested in competing for work on this project. Shortly after that you should say: I know youre very busy and I wont take up your time right now, but I do want to be considered when the time is right. Whats your turn over date? and then Our paperwork is already of file at your office and so I dont pester you, what would be a good approximate date to stop back? Shake their hand, leave a card and maybe a flyer and then get off their site.