Areas, measured and named
List every area by name and size. Group them by type — offices, ablutions, kitchens, circulation, external — because each group carries a different frequency and a different task list.
Tasks per area, not a general promise
"Clean the offices" is not a task. Sweeping, mopping, desk wiping, bin emptying, internal glass and skirtings are tasks. Write them per area group so an inspection can be done against a list rather than against an impression.
- • Daily tasks per area group
- • Weekly tasks and which day they fall on
- • Monthly and quarterly periodic tasks
- • Tasks explicitly excluded from the contract
Frequency and times
State the frequency and the window. Before opening, after hours, during trading, weekend only — each has a different cost and a different operational impact. Vague timing is how cleaning ends up happening when it is least useful.
Staffing, supervision and cover
Record the planned number of cleaners, the hours on site, the supervision arrangement and the absenteeism cover. This is the part that quietly erodes first when a contract is under-priced.
Records, reporting and escalation
Decide what proof of service you require: completion notes, issue logs, photographs of before-and-after work where relevant, and who to call when something is wrong. Then write it in.
Exclusions, stated plainly
Exclusions protect both sides. High-level cleaning, specialist treatments, waste removal, pest control and repairs each need to be either in the scope with a price, or out of it in writing.