What is the price for floor stripping and waxing?
A lot of customers and service providers ask, “What are the average prices for floor stripping and waxing services?” Nationally prices average between 30 to 60 cents per sq.ft.
The following additional factors need to be included in the estimate. We always take into consideration that, ‘every project is different and that every client is special:
- Size of the job. Usually, the bigger the job, the smaller is the price per sq. ft. If you need a cleaning company to strip and wax the floors in the large building, you can expect lower prices per sq. ft. However if you are looking to strip and wax relatively small area, the prices are usually higher. Also cleaning companies have minimum prices which are in the range of $ 150 – $ 200. So even if you need to have a floor cleaned only in one small restroom, you may be charged a minimum of $150 – $200 for this service.
OUR MINIMUM SERVICE FEE IS $150 DOLLARS. - Travel distance. If you want to save on floor maintenance services hire local. Companies that are further away may factor in travel time and fuel expenses into the final price.
- Preparation for the job takes a lot of time and when estimating the price cleaning companies consider how much time they need in order to prepare for the job. If the floor that needs to be cleaned is on the first floor it takes less time to bring the equipment there than bringing the equipment to the 10th or 15th floor. Also if the cleaners have to strip/wax the hallway that has carpet on the sides, they need to tape off the carpeted area to make sure that no solution ends up on the carpet including placing safety equipment, plastic runners and walk-off mats. This requires additional time and brings the price of floor cleaning services up. It is always important to inform any employees or personnel that work around this area is restricted until completion of the project. Interruptions slow down the process. Every one pays extra!
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Stripping and Wax vs. Scrubbing and Re coating. You may receive a lower price from a cleaning contractor, but is he actually going to strip the floor or scrub it?
There a big difference. Stripping VCT tile requires that you use a corrosive chemical that strips the wax from the floor surface to the bare floor. Subsequently you then apply 4-5 coats of wax to the surface. In some cases a sealer can be applied but not recommended and when it comes to the next strip job it can be very hard and costly to remove.
When scrubbing, you remove only the top 1-2 coats of wax from the floor and apply 1-2 coats of floor finish to the floor. Stripping and waxing usually takes at least twice as much time as scrubbing and re coating, so when you receive a much lower price make sure to find out if this price is for stripping and waxing or just scrubbing and re coating. When you hire an experienced contractor follow his recommendations. If the contractor screws up then it’s on him and not your opinion. - Moving furniture. If the cleaning company has to move the furniture (tables, chairs, mats etc.) before and after the job, the price can increase by 20 %. You can save money by doing all the moving in-house.
- Wax buildup. When there is a lot of old wax on the floor cleaners may have to strip it a few times, therefore additional products and labor have to be used.
- Stripping and waxing baseboards. Do you want a cleaning company to strip and wax baseboards? If yes, you should know that it is a very time consuming job to do and it’s also reflected in the price.
- Edge work. The more edges in the room, the more time the cleaning company has to spend using doodlebugs and scrapers in order to remove wax edges and corners and prices go up.
- Number of finish coats. The more coats are put on the floor, the higher the price.
- Type of floor. Is the floor new or old? It’s usually easy to strip the new floor therefore the prices are lower for stripping new floor. The older floor may have been neglected or may have a lot of wax buildup on it and stripping it will require additional time. The price for stripping older floor may be higher. This is a long and tedious process with no shortcuts.
- Floor stains and imperfections. If there are a lot of stains on the floor like rust, paint or if there are a lot of deep scratches or gum additional time is needed to scrape them off with scrapers. Additional detail cleaning will bring the price up. The nature of some spots makes it impossible to restore original color or texture. At times a spot will appear to be even more visual after a general cleaning of the material. Spotting work on rust, gum, chemical residue, ink, coffee, and the like, is performed at customer’s risk because REMOVAL OF SPOTS IS NOT GUARANTEED.
- Fixtures to work around. If there are a lot of fixtures i.e., (refrigerators, furniture, misc. equipment during stripping/waxing process, the cleaning company will have to spend additional time working around them or moving them, this may also add to an increased cost.
- Type of products used during stripping/waxing. Some cleaning companies may charge you less for floor stripping/waxing services, but it may be because they are using a less expensive products. Using a less costly product it not necessarily a bad thing, especially if you are going to be using the same company for regular maintenance. Less expensive products do have a downside as they will not hold up as well over a longer period of time. If you are someone that only cleans the floor over an extended period of time it is better that you use the more expensive brands for extended life and durability.
Cheap products have a few downsides. Cheaper floor finishes tend to become yellow and wear off much faster. one company may charge you a little more, but they may be using better products that maintain the appearance of your floor and last longer. So for example, you can pay one company $500 for the job, but because of their cheap products you will have to re-wax in 4 months. Another company may charge you $ 550, but because of good products you may not have to re-wax for 6 months instead of 4. Using the second company will be most cost effective in the long run. Zep is considered one most the most expensive in floor finishes and waxes on the market.
The professional cleaner will know the best and most cost effective product for your type of business.
Special Instructions
- It is important to let the contractor know the location of the janitor closet or wash basin during the stripping/waxing process. The cleaning company will need to travel from their working area to the janitor closet very often in order to get water, empty wet vacuum etc.
Wherever is the janitor closet or wash basin is located will cut down on time and energy and keeping the costs down. - Show the contractor the specific outlets you want them to use. If there are a lot of electric outlets in the floor cleaners will need to tape them so the stripping solution/water doesn’t get there. This requires additional labor and time and will increase the costs.
- Finally is this a one- time cleaning or regular service contract. If you are using the cleaning company for just a one-time job, you may expect higher prices. However, if you have a maintenance contract (like buffing the floor once per month of scrubbing/recoating services once a quarter) with a cleaning company you can ask for a discount. Also you can expect a discount if you are using a company that already provides commercial cleaning services to your building.
Be wise when choosing a contractor. Being penny wise and pound foolish can lead to a disastrous outcome down the road.
When you hire a flooring service make sure you have one person designated in the process from the beginning to the end. You’ve heard the story “Too many cooks in the kitchen, spoil the broth ”
Good communication is essential for positive outcomes on every job.
Use common sense based on good recommendations.
“Early Understanding Leads to Long Term Commitment”