Cleaning quotes that look similar on price can hide very different levels of service — different hours, different vetting, different insurance, different consumables inclusion. This template lines proposals up side by side on the factors that actually matter, not just the number at the bottom.
Download the template
Download the PDFA side-by-side comparison grid with every row below, ready to fill in for each proposal you receive.
Comparison criteria
| Criterion | What to check |
|---|---|
| Monthly price | Confirm it is a full, fixed figure including VAT status, not a starting-from price |
| Hours/frequency quoted | Match against your specification — a lower price often means fewer hours |
| What's included | Consumables, one-off deep cleans, call-outs — included or extra? |
| Staffing model | Directly employed (PAYE) staff, or subcontracted? |
| Vetting level | DBS / Disclosure Scotland PVG / AccessNI, appropriate to your site |
| Insurance | Employers' Liability (compulsory) and Public Liability level held |
| Accreditations | SafeContractor/CHAS, ISO 9001/14001/45001, Constructionline, if relevant to you |
| Quality monitoring | How and how often is quality audited and reported? |
| Mobilisation plan | Timeline from signing to go-live; TUPE approach if you have existing staff |
| Contract term & notice | Length of term and notice period to end or not renew |
| Price review mechanism | How and when the price can change (e.g. annual NLW-linked review) |
Why the cheapest quote can cost more
A price below the cost of properly employing, vetting and insuring a cleaner (National Living Wage GBP 12.71 from April 2026, plus employer's National Insurance, holiday pay and insurance) usually means something is being cut — fewer hours than quoted, no vetting, or minimal insurance. Compare like for like on hours and inclusions before comparing the final figure.
Scoring the comparison
Give each proposal a simple score (e.g. 1-5) against each criterion that matters to you, weight the criteria that matter most (often specification match, insurance and vetting), and use the weighted total alongside price — not price alone — to decide.