Is How to Profitably Bid and Estimate Cleaning Services - 2nd Edition worth it if you’re shopping in spreadsheet?
Quick answer
| Best for | Cleaning business owners who are tired of guessing on quotes and want a repeatable, spreadsheet-based estimation system that works for any building type. |
| Skip if | You only need a one-off quote for a single residential job, or you already have a proprietary bidding software that you are happy with and don’t want to understand the underlying math. |
| Price | $129 |
| Format | PDF e-book + 10 instructional videos + Excel/Google Sheets templates |
| One-line take | A practical, no-nonsense system that demystifies commercial cleaning bids by showing you the exact formulas behind the industry’s bidding software. |
What you’re actually buying
If you’ve ever stared at a commercial cleaning bid and felt like you were pulling numbers out of thin air, How to Profitably Bid and Estimate Cleaning Services - 2nd Edition is designed to fix that specific anxiety. This isn’t a vague “how to start a business” guide; it is a technical manual for the math behind your margins. At $129, you are buying a complete estimation engine that you can build on top of free tools like Google Spreadsheets or Microsoft Excel. The core value here is that it strips away the “secrets” of commercial bidding and replaces them with transparent, step-by-step formulas that you can actually audit.
The package is built around a PDF e-book that walks you through the logic, but the real muscle is in the 10 accompanying videos. These aren’t just talking heads; they illustrate the entire method, showing you exactly where to input your costs, how to structure the spreadsheet, and how the formulas interact. Whether you are bidding on a bank, a hospital, a factory, or a corner retail store, the guide argues that the underlying estimation method remains the same. You are essentially buying the blueprint for your own proprietary bidding software, one that is based on your specific labor costs and training methods rather than a generic third-party subscription.
What makes this a strong buy is the “peace of mind” factor it promises. The listing emphasizes that this system helps you know exactly what to charge down to the penny, eliminating the “pricing accidents” that can eat into a small cleaning company’s profit. It’s a tool for operators who want to stop underbidding out of fear or overbidding out of uncertainty. By understanding the formulas, you also gain the ability to tweak your price when market conditions or your operational costs change. It’s a shift from guessing to calculating. (How to Profitably Bid)
Why it’s on our radar
This product stands out because it targets a very specific, high-stakes pain point in the cleaning industry: the fear of an inaccurate commercial bid. Many cleaning businesses struggle with residential quotes, but commercial bids—especially for large facilities—require a different level of precision. This guide addresses that gap by providing a unified method that scales from a small office to a skyscraper. It’s interesting for shoppers because it doesn’t just give you a number; it gives you the reason for the number, which is crucial when you have to defend your price to a facility manager. (How to Profitably Bid)
The fact that this is the second edition, updated for 2019 from an original 1987 release, suggests a method that has stood the test of time. The core economics of labor and time haven’t changed, but the tools have. By leveraging free spreadsheet software, it keeps the barrier to entry low while providing professional-grade accuracy. It’s a rare find in the “business in a box” space that focuses on the mechanics of pricing rather than just the marketing of the service. If you are serious about growing your commercial book of business, this is the kind of foundational knowledge that pays for itself with a single correctly priced contract. (How to Profitably Bid)
What actually matters
Before you commit to the 2nd Edition guide, you should verify that your current estimation process is indeed a bottleneck. If you are already using a sophisticated, industry-specific bidding platform that you are comfortable with, this might be redundant. However, if you are using a basic calculator or a generic template that doesn’t account for specific building variables, this system offers a significant upgrade.
Check your comfort level with spreadsheets. The guide relies on Excel or Google Sheets, so if you are not at least moderately proficient with these tools, the 10 videos will be essential to follow along. The value is in the application of the formulas, not just the reading of them. Ensure that you have a current list of your own labor costs and overheads ready, as the system is designed to be customized to your specific business metrics. (How to Profitably Bid)
Finally, consider the scope of your business. This guide is particularly potent for those bidding on janitorial, floor care, or carpet cleaning for commercial properties. If your business is strictly residential or a one-person operation with no commercial clients, the complexity of this system might be overkill. But if you are aiming for larger contracts, the ability to produce a detailed, defensible estimate is a competitive advantage that few small operators can match. (How to Profitably Bid)
Mid-check
FAQ
Do I need to buy expensive bidding software to use this? No. The entire system is built to run on free or standard office tools like Google Spreadsheets or Microsoft Excel. The guide teaches you to create your own “software” based on your specific costs, which is a major advantage over paying monthly for third-party subscriptions. (How to Profitably Bid)
Is this only for large commercial buildings? While it is particularly useful for large facilities like hospitals or offices, the method is universal. The formulas are designed to work for any building type, including retail stores and restaurants. The key is that the method of estimation remains consistent, even if the scale of the project changes. (How to Profitably Bid)
What if I’m a beginner in the cleaning industry? The videos are explicitly designed to walk you through the method from the beginner level up to the seasoned professional. If you are new to the industry, this provides a structured way to learn how to price your services correctly from day one, rather than learning through costly trial and error.
Bottom line
If you are a cleaning professional who is ready to stop guessing and start calculating, How to Profitably Bid and Estimate Cleaning Services - 2nd Edition is a solid investment. It’s not a magic bullet, but it is a powerful tool that gives you the confidence to bid on larger, more complex commercial jobs. The $129 price tag is a small fraction of what a single underbid contract could cost you in lost profit. If you want to take control of your pricing strategy and understand the math behind your margins, this guide is the way to do it.