For most Metro Vancouver offices, clinics and light industrial buildings under roughly 60,000 square feet, a janitorial contract costs less than a staff custodian once payroll costs, coverage and supplies are counted. An in-house janitor starts to make sense when a single site needs someone on the floor all day, every day, doing a mix of cleaning, setup and light maintenance. The comparison below shows where the money goes on each side, so you can run the numbers for your own building.
The wage is only the starting point
When a manager compares an hourly wage with a contractor's hourly rate, the staff option almost always looks cheaper. That comparison leaves out everything an employer in British Columbia pays on top of the wage:
- CPP and EI contributions. The employer share of Canada Pension Plan contributions and Employment Insurance premiums is owed on every pay.
- Vacation pay. Under the BC Employment Standards Act, an employee earns two weeks of vacation (4% of wages) after one year and three weeks (6%) after five years.
- Statutory holidays. BC recognizes 11 statutory holidays, including the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation on September 30. Eligible employees are paid for them whether or not the building is open.
- Paid sick days. Since 2022, BC requires employers to give eligible employees five paid sick days a year.
- WorkSafeBC premiums. The employer pays workers' compensation premiums based on the industry classification and payroll.
- Benefits. If the building owner or company offers extended health and dental to staff, the custodian is usually included.
Add those up and the true cost of a staff custodian typically lands 20% to 35% above the base wage before a single bottle of cleaner is bought. That range varies with seniority, benefits and how many sick days are actually used, but it is the right order of magnitude for planning.
Costs that sit outside payroll
A contractor's rate bundles several things that an in-house program has to fund separately.
Supplies and equipment. Chemicals, microfibre, mop systems, a backpack vacuum, an auto-scrubber for hard floors, and replacements as they wear out. A commercial auto-scrubber alone is a significant purchase, and someone has to maintain it.
Coverage. When the custodian is sick, on vacation or quits, the building still needs cleaning. Contractors absorb that with a pool of trained staff. An in-house program either goes without, pays overtime, or calls a contractor anyway at short-notice rates.
Supervision and quality checks. A contractor includes supervisors who inspect the work. In-house, that job falls to the property or office manager, often on top of everything else.
Recruiting and training. Hiring in a tight Metro Vancouver labour market takes time. Training on chemical safety (WHMIS 2015 is required for workers who handle hazardous products), floor care and restroom disinfection is the employer's responsibility.
Periodic work. Floor stripping and refinishing, carpet extraction, high dusting and window washing usually need equipment and skills a single custodian does not have, so they get contracted out regardless.
What a contract usually covers
A typical commercial cleaning contract in Metro Vancouver is priced per visit, per month or per square foot, and includes:
- labour, supervision and replacement staff when someone is absent
- cleaning chemicals and equipment (paper products and soap are often billed separately or supplied by the client, so check)
- the contractor's WorkSafeBC coverage and liability insurance
- a defined scope: nightly tasks, weekly tasks and periodic tasks with a schedule
Rates vary widely with building type, frequency and how much hard flooring and restroom area there is. As a rough guide only, routine contract janitorial work in the region is often quoted in a band of about $35 to $55 per labour hour, with healthcare, food areas and heavy industrial work above that. Per-square-foot monthly pricing depends heavily on how many nights a week you need. Get at least three written quotes against the same scope to see where your building sits.
WorkSafeBC: the detail that catches building owners
If you hire a contractor in BC, ask for a WorkSafeBC clearance letter before work starts and periodically during the contract. Under the Workers Compensation Act, the owner or prime contractor can be held liable for a contractor's unpaid premiums if the contractor is not in good standing. The clearance letter is free to request online and confirms the contractor is registered and current.
If you employ a custodian directly, you are the employer of record. You register with WorkSafeBC, pay premiums, report injuries and carry the obligations of a workplace health and safety program, including a written exposure control approach for any biological or chemical hazards the role involves.
When each option fits
A janitorial contract usually fits better when:
- the building is cleaned after hours, a few nights to five nights a week
- you have several smaller sites (a contractor can route one crew across them)
- you want floor care, carpet extraction and windows handled in the same agreement
- nobody on site has time to supervise, schedule and cover absences
An in-house custodian usually fits better when:
- one large site needs a person present during business hours, every day
- the role mixes cleaning with porter duties, room setups, deliveries and light maintenance
- the building has unusual access or security rules that make rotating staff difficult
- you already run a facilities team with supervision and equipment in place
Many larger Vancouver buildings use both: a day porter on staff or from the contractor for restrooms, lobbies and spills during the day, and a contracted night crew for the full clean. If you are weighing that model, a day porter supplied by the contractor gives you coverage without adding headcount.
Running the comparison for your building
Build both columns on the same scope and the same 12 months:
- In-house: annual wage, plus employer CPP and EI, vacation pay, statutory holiday pay, sick days, WorkSafeBC premiums, benefits, supplies, equipment amortized over its useful life, and the cost of covering absences.
- Contract: the monthly price times 12, plus anything excluded from the scope (paper products, periodic floor work, windows) that you would pay for separately.
Then compare the hours each side actually delivers. A staff custodian on a 40-hour week, minus vacation, holidays and sick days, works noticeably fewer cleaning hours over a year than the payroll suggests.
Frequently asked questions
Is it cheaper to hire a janitor or a cleaning company in Vancouver?
For most offices and small to mid-sized commercial buildings cleaned after hours, a cleaning company costs less once payroll costs, coverage and supplies are included. A staff janitor becomes competitive when one large site needs full-time daytime presence and the role includes other duties. Run both on the same scope to be sure.
What does an employer pay on top of a cleaner's wage in BC?
Employer CPP and EI contributions, vacation pay of at least 4%, pay for 11 statutory holidays for eligible staff, five paid sick days a year, WorkSafeBC premiums and any benefits offered. Together these commonly add 20% to 35% to the base wage, depending on seniority and benefits.
What is a WorkSafeBC clearance letter and why does an owner need one?
It is a free letter from WorkSafeBC confirming that a contractor is registered and paid up on premiums. If a contractor you hire falls behind, the owner or prime contractor can be held responsible for those unpaid premiums, so request a clearance letter before the contract starts and check it again during long contracts.
Can a cleaning contractor provide a daytime porter as well?
Yes. Most commercial cleaning companies can staff a day porter for restrooms, lobbies, kitchens and spill response during business hours, alongside the night crew. It is often the simplest way to get daytime presence without adding a position to your own payroll.
Get a contract quote to compare
If you want a contract figure to put next to your in-house numbers, tell us about your facility and we'll connect you with a commercial cleaning team that serves Metro Vancouver. You can also see how scopes are built on our commercial cleaning page and the Vancouver commercial cleaning overview.