Clear answers on cleaning, facilities management and building works
Short, practical guides written by the team that runs these services every day. Each answer starts with the short version, then explains the detail.
Multi-site and national portfolios
Can one company manage the facilities for all of my branches or sites?
Yes.
How do you manage facilities across multiple states in Australia?
Managing facilities across states means keeping one standard of service while respecting state differences in work health and safety law, fire safety reporting and local trades.
How do you keep cleaning standards consistent across many sites?
Keep cleaning standards consistent by using one written specification for all sites, supervising each site against it, inspecting and scoring every site the same way, and comparing results in one report.
Is it better to use one facilities provider or several specialist contractors?
One integrated provider is usually easier to manage, with one contract, one point of contact and joined-up reporting.
What should a multi-site facilities report include?
A good multi-site report shows every site on the same measures: attendance against schedule, inspection scores, requests raised and closed, compliance status and trends over time.
What is a single point of contact in facilities management, and why does it matter?
A single point of contact is one person or number you contact for every facilities request, whatever the trade or site.
Working with Progress
What happens after you contact Progress for a quote?
When you send a request to Progress, it goes straight to the team, who come back to you with next steps.
What information do I need to get an accurate cleaning or facilities management quote?
To get an accurate quote, have ready the address and type of each site, its floor area, the hours it can be accessed, how often you want each service, any compliance requirements, and a copy of your current scope or contract if you have one.
What happens in a site walk-through for cleaning or facilities management?
A site walk-through is a visit where a provider looks at the premises with you to understand the areas, conditions, access and risks, so that the scope and price are based on what is really there.
How does a new cleaning or facilities management contract start?
A new contract starts with a signed scope and start date, then staffing, inductions and equipment are arranged, the site is set up in the provider's reporting system, and the first weeks are closely supervised and inspected.
How do I report an urgent maintenance or cleaning issue at my site?
For anything urgent, call Progress on 1300 086 628, which is answered 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
How do I switch my cleaning or facilities management provider without disruption?
To switch provider without disruption, check your current contract for notice and exit terms, get like-for-like quotes, agree a transition plan with a start date, arrange handover of keys and records, and inspect closely for the first month.
Cleaning
What is included in commercial cleaning?
Commercial cleaning normally covers daily tasks (rubbish removal, washrooms, kitchens, floors, touch points), weekly or monthly detail work, and periodic specialist tasks such as carpet care and window cleaning.
How is commercial cleaning priced in Australia?
Commercial cleaning is usually priced as a fixed monthly fee, a schedule of rates, or an hourly rate.
How often should commercial premises be cleaned?
Most commercial premises need washrooms and bins cleaned daily, floors cleaned daily or several times a week, and detail and periodic cleaning on a weekly, monthly or annual cycle.
How do you audit commercial cleaning quality?
Audit cleaning by inspecting a sample of areas against the written specification, scoring each item pass or fail, and tracking the score over time.
What is different about cleaning a shopping centre?
Shopping centre cleaning has to work around trading hours, keep public amenities and food courts presentable all day, and cover car parks and external areas.
What is housekeeping and stewarding in hospitality?
Housekeeping is the cleaning and servicing of guest rooms and public areas.
What does infection control cleaning involve in medical and aged care?
Infection control cleaning uses defined methods, colour-coded equipment and disinfectants approved for the claims they make, with extra attention to high-touch surfaces.
Facilities management
What is integrated facilities management?
Integrated facilities management (IFM) puts the services a building needs, such as maintenance, cleaning, compliance and grounds, under one accountable provider with one set of reporting.
What is the difference between planned and reactive maintenance?
Planned maintenance is scheduled work done before something fails, such as servicing air conditioning or testing fire systems.
What are essential safety measures and annual fire safety statements?
Essential safety measures are the fire and safety systems a building must have and maintain, such as alarms, sprinklers, exit signs and emergency lighting.
How do you choose a facilities management provider?
Choose a facilities management provider by checking its capability across your services, its safety and quality certifications, how it reports, how fast it responds, and what its clients say.
Why do licences and insurances matter in contractor management?
Checking that every contractor holds the right licence and current insurance protects the building owner from liability if something goes wrong.
What is a service level agreement (SLA) in facilities management?
A service level agreement (SLA) is the part of a contract that states what service will be delivered, how fast, to what standard and how it will be measured.
What does asset lifecycle planning involve?
Asset lifecycle planning records the assets in a building, assesses their condition and forecasts when they will need repair or replacement.
Costs and contracts
How much does facilities management cost in Australia?
Facilities management is normally priced as a fixed fee for defined services, a management fee plus the cost of works, or a schedule of rates for reactive work.
What is the difference between a facilities manager and a property manager?
A property manager looks after the commercial and legal side of a property, such as leases, rent, outgoings and tenant relationships.
What is the difference between hard FM and soft FM?
Hard FM covers the physical building and its fixed systems, such as electrical, plumbing, air conditioning, fire safety and structure.
Should we outsource facilities management or keep it in-house?
Outsourcing gives you access to trades, systems and supervision without hiring them, and suits organisations with several sites or no facilities team.
What should be in a commercial cleaning contract?
A commercial cleaning contract should state the scope and frequencies, the standard of cleaning and how it is measured, reporting, insurance and safety obligations, price and review terms, and how either side can end the contract.
Why can the cheapest cleaning quote end up costing more?
Labour is the largest cost in commercial cleaning, so a quote far below the others may mean fewer hours, less supervision or pay below legal minimums.
Sectors
What does strata and owners corporation cleaning and maintenance involve?
For strata and owners corporations, a facilities provider cleans common areas, looks after grounds, arranges essential services testing and reactive repairs, and gives the strata manager and committee clear reports.
What should aged care facilities look for in a cleaning and maintenance provider?
Aged care providers should look for a provider with proven infection control methods, trained and supervised staff, clear records, planned maintenance and an understanding of the Aged Care Quality Standards.
What does cleaning and maintenance for schools and child care centres involve?
Schools and child care centres need cleaning that fits around the day, higher hygiene standards in classrooms, toilets and play areas, working safety systems, and staff who hold the checks required to work around children.
What is involved in cleaning medical clinics and health facilities?
Medical clinic cleaning uses defined infection-control methods, separates clinical and non-clinical areas, uses the right disinfectants and equipment, handles waste correctly and keeps records.
What facilities services do warehouses and industrial sites need?
Warehouses and industrial sites need floor and amenity cleaning, pressure washing, grounds and car park care, maintenance and compliance testing, all planned around operations, forklift traffic and site safety rules.
What do councils and government agencies look for in a facilities services provider?
Councils and government agencies commonly look for a provider with certified management systems, proof of insurance and licences, documented safety procedures, structured supervision and compliance reporting, and a clear, complete tender response.
Projects & building works
What is make-good in a commercial lease?
Make-good is the work a tenant must do at the end of a commercial lease to return the premises to the condition the lease requires, such as removing fit-out and repairing damage.
How do you manage fit-outs and construction in a centre that is still trading?
Building works in a trading centre are managed by staging the work, separating public and construction zones, keeping access and amenities open, controlling noise and dust, and communicating early with retailers.
What happens in insurance remediation and restoration works?
Insurance remediation starts with making the site safe and documenting the damage, then agreeing a scope with the insurer and assessor, and finally reinstating the property.
Procurement and tenders
What should you ask for in a cleaning tender?
A good cleaning tender states the scope and standard clearly, asks providers to show how their price is built, and checks compliance, staffing, supervision, reporting and references.
What do ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and ISO 45001 mean for a service provider?
ISO 9001 covers quality management, ISO 14001 covers environmental management and ISO 45001 covers occupational health and safety.
FlowLog and reporting
What is FlowLog and how do clients use it?
FlowLog is the platform Progress Services Group built to record every clean, inspection and job.
How does GPS-verified attendance work for cleaning and maintenance staff?
GPS-verified attendance records a worker's check-in and check-out with a timestamp, a photo and a location check that confirms they were inside the site boundary.
Where we work
Commercial cleaning and facilities management in Sydney
Progress Services Group provides commercial cleaning, planned and reactive maintenance, compliance services and building works in Sydney from its local office.
Commercial cleaning and facilities management in Canberra
Progress Services Group provides commercial cleaning, planned and reactive maintenance, compliance services and building works in Canberra from its local office.
Commercial cleaning and facilities management in Melbourne
Progress Services Group provides commercial cleaning, planned and reactive maintenance, compliance services and building works in Melbourne from its local office.
Commercial cleaning and facilities management in Brisbane
Progress Services Group provides commercial cleaning, planned and reactive maintenance, compliance services and building works in Brisbane from its local office.
Commercial cleaning and facilities management in Perth
Progress Services Group provides commercial cleaning, planned and reactive maintenance, compliance services and building works in Perth from its local office.
Careers and subcontractors
How do I apply for a cleaning or facilities job at Progress?
You can apply for a role with Progress Services Group through the Careers page on this website.
What documents do subcontractors need to work with a facilities provider?
Subcontractors are commonly asked for an ABN, trade licences, current public liability and workers compensation insurance, and safety documents such as a safe work method statement.
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