Overview
School cleaning is shift-work, scheduled around the kids, and audited by parents
School cleaning has a customer the contractor rarely meets. The business manager signs the contract, the head teacher reviews the standard, but the people the cleaning has to satisfy are 600 children, the parents who walk through the foyer at pick-up, and the Ofsted inspection that might land any week. Term-time work runs early morning and after-hours; holiday work is deep cleaning while the kids are away. Toilets need a higher frequency than an office, classroom floors need a different finish, sports halls need specialised treatment. A flat 'school cleaning, $2,800/month' price doesn't show the parent-facing standard that's the contractor's real product.
QuoteGenio gives school cleaning contractors a quoting shape that fits the term-time rhythm. Daily during-term task list (toilets, classrooms, dining hall, sports areas, corridors) with frequencies, weekly and monthly deeper tasks, holiday deep-clean periods as separate records, supplies and consumables allowance, DBS-checked staff (or local equivalent) named, and any ad-hoc support for parents' evenings, school plays, and exam halls. Send via email or WhatsApp to the business manager, take a deposit at contract start, raise monthly invoices through term, and the school's audit logs sit on the same record for the next Ofsted visit.
Who it is for
Who uses QuoteGenio
Built for every type of school and education sector cleaning business.
The problem
The quoting headaches every school cleaning contractor knows
School contracts run on the academic calendar, are paid by school bursars on tight budgets, and live or die on how clean ablutions are. Get the quote wrong and the SGB cancels at year-end.
Term-time vs holiday rates
Different scopes for term-time (daily) and school holidays (deep clean) are easy to miss. One flat monthly rate burns you on either side.
Bursars want everything itemised
School bursars defend every rand to the SGB. A vague quote without a clear breakdown gets queried and delayed every month.
Cheap competitors win on annual basis
Schools renew annually. Without a clear value proposition (clean ablutions, hygiene compliance, term-time consistency), you lose to a cheaper bid every December.
The fix
QuoteGenio makes it simple
A clean, fast workflow built around how school cleaning actually prices: per classroom, per ablution, per zone, with term-time and holiday rates as separate lines.
The payoff
What you get with QuoteGenio
The everyday wins that add up across a year of quoting and invoicing.
Built for school work
Line items for classrooms, ablutions, halls, kitchens, and grounds. Plus separate scopes for term-time and school holidays.
Quote during the site visit
Walk the school, count classrooms and ablutions on your phone, and send the quote to the bursar before you leave the office.
Quote in under 5 minutes
A structured workflow that turns a school site visit into a clean proposal before the bursar finishes their next meeting.
Monthly invoicing made simple
Once the contract is signed, monthly invoices generate per term from the same line items. No double entry, no chasing.
Built for your trade
Quoting calibrated to how school cleaning actually work
Pick your trade in Settings and the entire quote flow switches to fit. Line item presets, compliance fields, on-the-quote calculators, and per-m² / after-hours pricing all change to match your industry.
Trade-specific line items
Quick add picker pre-fills the common items your trade quotes. Skip the blank rows.
Brand-specific catalogues
Pylontech, Hikvision, Canadian Solar, Sunsynk and others pre-named. Pick the brand, the description writes itself.
Compliance fields built in
IOPSA, ECASA, PIRB, PSIRA, NHBRC, SAQCC. Set once. Every quote prints them under FROM.
Registration expiry alerts
Dashboard notification 60 days before your PSIRA, CoC or any dated registration lapses.
Per-m² / hour / day billing
Unit selector on every line item: m², hr, linear m, days. Stop doing the maths externally.
After-hours and emergency
1.5× and 2× multipliers as a one-tap toggle. Customer sees the breakdown on the quote.
Quote-flow calculators
Solar size, battery backup, cable run cost. Compute on the spot, drop straight onto the quote.
Staged payments
Deposit on acceptance + balance on completion as two separate amounts on the quote PDF.
Scope-of-work checklist
Structured Included / Not included lists. Client acceptance = signing the scope.
Site-survey mode
Log a location per line item: camera positions, fixtures by room, sensors by zone.
Regional rate hints
Pricing ranges per item per currency shown as you quote.
Free on every plan
All of the above included on the free plan. Premium is for capacity, not the trade tooling.
Why QuoteGenio
Why School Cleaning choose QuoteGenio
The tools that matter most when you are quoting on-site, under pressure, and between jobs.
Quote from your phone
Most School Cleaning build and send quotes directly from the job site. No laptop, no office, no delays.
Win more jobs, faster
The first professional quote a client receives usually wins. Respond in minutes, not hours.
Quote to invoice in one click
When the job is accepted, convert to an invoice instantly. No retyping, no double entry.
Pricing guide
Typical School Cleaning job pricing
A rough guide to what school cleaning contractors charge for common scopes. Pricing varies by region, school size, learner numbers, and whether boarding facilities are included. Use these ranges as a sanity check when you build your own per-classroom and per-zone rates.
| Job | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Classroom daily clean (per classroom, per visit) | R297 - R694 |
| Ablution block daily clean (per block, per visit) | R1,240 - R3,636 |
| School hall clean (per visit) | R1,570 - R4,628 |
| Kitchen / tuck shop clean (daily) | R1,818 - R4,628 |
| School holiday deep clean (per classroom) | R1,570 - R4,628 |
| Hall floor strip and reseal (annual) | R74 - R198 |
| Consumables (paper, soap, sanitiser) | R5,289 - R23,138 |
Pricing converted from USD to ZAR at indicative rates. Rates vary significantly by country, region, currency, and market.
Call-out fees
School contracts are typically priced per classroom and per ablution block per visit, multiplied by school days per month. Quote term-time and school holiday scopes as separate lines so the bursar sees the full annual cost. Build in consumables, periodic deep cleans, and an annual hall floor strip as standard.
Hourly vs fixed pricing
Use per-classroom and per-ablution fixed pricing for routine term-time work where scope is known. Use hourly (R463 to R909 per cleaner-hour) for school holiday deep cleans, event clean-ups, and one-off jobs where soiling is unpredictable. Always quote consumables monthly at cost plus 15 to 25 percent margin.
See it in action
Example quote breakdown
Here's what a clean, itemised school cleaning proposal looks like. Classrooms and ablutions are quoted per visit, the hall and kitchen are separate zone lines, and consumables and deep cleans are clear add-ons. Itemised proposals win because the bursar can defend every line to the SGB at the next budget meeting.
Try it yourself
Job size
Region
Sample quote
Primary school, 28 classrooms and 4 ablution blocks, monthly contract
Classroom daily clean (28 classrooms, 22 days at $ 28 per classroom)
Ablution block daily clean (4 blocks, 22 days, twice daily)
School hall daily sweep and weekly detail
Tuck shop and kitchen daily clean
Consumables (paper, soap, sanitiser)
Quarterly deep clean (allocated monthly)
| Description | Qty | Rate | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Classroom daily clean (28 classrooms, 22 days at $ 28 per classroom) | 616 | R463 | R285,058 |
| Ablution block daily clean (4 blocks, 22 days, twice daily) | 176 | R1,818 | R319,963 |
| School hall daily sweep and weekly detail | 1 | R29,749 | R29,749 |
| Tuck shop and kitchen daily clean | 22 | R2,396 | R52,721 |
| Consumables (paper, soap, sanitiser) | 1 | R14,048 | R14,048 |
| Quarterly deep clean (allocated monthly) | 1 | R15,701 | R15,701 |
| Subtotal | R717,239 | ||
| Tax (10%) | R71,724 | ||
| Total incl. tax | R788,963 | ||
Totals recalculate as you change the controls above. Tax rate inferred from the sample quote.
Items often forgotten
Consumables (especially toilet paper and soap, which scale with learner numbers), school holiday deep cleans, the annual hall floor strip and reseal, sports day and event clean-ups, the trip back for parent-evening turnarounds, and the annual CPI escalation. Add them as standard lines on your school contract template.
Peer snapshot
How School Cleaning actually use QuoteGenio
Indicative activity for School Cleaning on the platform. Use it as a benchmark for how often to quote and how fast to respond.
14
Quotes sent per month
64%
Average quote acceptance
4 min
Median time to send quote
R788,963
Typical quote value
Figures are indicative platform averages for this trade segment.
Start quoting School Cleaning jobs like this, free
Build your first quote in under 2 minutes. No credit card, no setup fee, no contract.
Avoid these
Common quoting mistakes
We talk to a lot of school cleaning contractors. The same scoping and pricing mistakes come up again and again. Fix these and you'll hold school contracts year after year, instead of being undercut at the December SGB meeting.
Mistake: Quoting one flat monthly rate
Better: Itemise per classroom, per ablution block, and per zone. Bursars defend every line to the SGB and a single monthly figure gets queried at every budget meeting.
Mistake: Not splitting term-time and holiday scope
Better: Term-time is daily classroom and ablution work. Holidays are deep cleans, hall floors, and grounds detail. Quote them as separate lines so the annual cost is clear.
Mistake: Underestimating consumables per learner
Better: A school of 800 learners burns through toilet paper, soap, and sanitiser fast. Quote consumables monthly at cost plus 15 to 25 percent margin, scaled to learner numbers.
Mistake: No annual hall floor strip line
Better: Hall floors need an annual strip and reseal to handle the wear from school events. Quote it upfront as an annual line so it's not a year-end surprise.
Mistake: Missing event and parent-evening cover
Better: Schools have parent evenings, sports days, and matric dances that need extra cover. Quote 'event cover' as an hourly add-on rate so the bursar can pre-approve once a year.
Mistake: No CPI escalation
Better: Wages and consumables go up every year. Add an annual CPI escalation clause to the quote so you don't have to renegotiate from scratch with the SGB each January.
Mistake: Verbal scope changes mid-year
Better: When the school adds a classroom or wing mid-year, send a written variation quote first. Get it accepted online by the bursar before adding to the next monthly invoice.
Mistake: No follow-up after sending the quote
Better: Most quotes that don't close, don't close because nobody followed up. Send a polite check-in 48 hours after the quote lands, and a second nudge at day 7. Two of every three accepted quotes get there because someone followed up.
Step by step
How to quote school cleaning contracts
Walk the school with the bursar or principal before you price. Count classrooms, ablution blocks, staff rooms, halls, kitchens and tuck shops, note learner numbers (consumables scale directly with headcount), and map the grounds for event cover. Check the ablution block cleanliness because this is where SGB renewal decisions live or die, measure the school hall floor for the annual strip and reseal, and identify any sports facilities, boarding houses or aftercare rooms that need separate scopes. Ask about parent evenings, sports days, matric dances and prize-giving events so you can pre-price event cover. This on-site work sets you up to quote per classroom, per ablution and per zone instead of a flat figure the bursar cannot defend.
Itemise classrooms per visit ($ 18 to $ 42), ablution blocks per visit ($ 75 to $ 220, typically twice daily), halls, kitchens and tuck shops as separate zone lines, and school holiday deep cleans as their own scope. Show the annual hall floor strip and reseal as a separate annual line, consumables (toilet paper, soap, hand sanitiser, paper towels) at cost plus 15 to 25 percent margin scaled to learner numbers at roughly $ 1.20 to $ 2.50 per learner per month, event cover as an hourly add-on rate, and the quarterly deep clean amortised across the monthly fee. Bursars defend every rand to the SGB and an itemised proposal with school days, ablution visits per day and consumables per learner is a proposal they can hand directly to the finance committee.
Quote a 12 month minimum contract aligned to the academic year (January to December) with annual renewal at the December SGB meeting, and offer a 2 or 3 year option at a preferential rate. Build annual CPI escalation into the contract from year one so the increase is automatic rather than a negotiation with the incoming treasurer. Set the proposal validity at 30 days because school budgets are set at specific meetings, and state payment terms as monthly in arrears, 30 day net, because schools pay on their creditor cycle. Public liability cover with the policy number, kidsafe screening of your cleaning team, and a clear notice period (typically 60 days during term) all go on the quote so the SGB ticks every compliance box at approval.
Send the proposal via email to the bursar (WhatsApp for the principal as a courtesy copy), not just printed paper. Bursars receive quotes through the week and the contractor whose branded PDF is ready to forward to the SGB on budget day wins the meeting. Build the quote on your phone during the walk-through, share both the link and a downloaded PDF before you leave the office, and follow up a week before the next SGB meeting with a short note. Mid-year variations (new classroom wing, matric dance cover, unexpected event clean) go on a written variation quote accepted by the bursar before the work, and roll into the next monthly invoice automatically.
FAQ
Common questions from school cleaning contractors
Everything you need to know before getting started.
Yes. Each line item has its own description, quantity, and rate. Quote 28 classrooms at one rate, 4 ablution blocks at another, and the hall and kitchen as separate zones, all on one proposal.
Yes. Once the proposal is ready, share it as a link via WhatsApp or download the PDF and email it to the bursar. They open a professional branded document instantly.
Quote term-time daily work as one set of line items and school holiday deep cleans as a separate set. Both appear on the same proposal so the bursar sees the full annual scope and cost.
Yes. Every quote has a unique public link. The bursar opens it on their laptop and accepts it online with one click. Most schools still require a signed PO or contract afterwards; the online accept gives written agreement to start mobilisation.
Yes. Convert the accepted quote into the first monthly invoice in one click, then duplicate it each month. All classroom, ablution, and consumable line items carry over.
Yes. The free plan gives you 5 quotes and 2 invoices per month with no credit card required. Upgrade to Premium for unlimited quotes, invoices, statements, and reports.
Walk the school, count classrooms and ablution blocks, and quote each at a per-visit rate (typically R297 to R694 per classroom, R1,240 to R3,636 per ablution block). Multiply by school days per month (usually 18 to 22). Add separate lines for halls, kitchens, tuck shops, and consumables. Quote term-time and school holiday work as separate scopes so the annual cost is clear at first reading.
Yes, twice daily is the South African schools standard during term-time, with morning and mid-morning servicing as a minimum. High-traffic schools (over 800 learners) should consider three visits per day. Quote ablution blocks per visit and multiply by visits per day, so the bursar sees that the doubled rate is the doubled service, not a price hike.
Quote a separate scope for each school holiday: typically a full deep clean of classrooms, ablutions, halls, and kitchens, plus annual tasks like hall floor strip and reseal. Some bursars prefer to amortise the holiday cost across the monthly fee for budget smoothing; others want to pay per holiday block. Offer both options on the proposal so the bursar picks what suits the school's budget.
Toilet paper, hand soap, hand sanitiser, paper towels, bin liners, and detergent. Scale the budget to learner numbers (typically R20 to R41 per learner per month for consumables) and quote it as a clear monthly line at cost plus 15 to 25 percent margin. Some schools prefer to supply their own consumables to control budget; offer both options on the quote.
Still have questions? We would rather answer them now than after you have signed up.
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Guides
Guides for School Cleaning
Practical advice to help you quote better, get paid faster, and grow your business.
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