What market segments are you strong in now? Which ones are you targeting for growth? Which special services do you plan to add or start offering this year? And what percentage of the cleaning products that you currently use are considered green?
Those are just a few of the questions posed to contract cleaning professionals in a recent survey conducted between February 10 and March 4 of this year. Conducted by Contracting Profits magazine, with sponsor support from BSCAI, the recently released 2025 Report on the Building Service Contractor Market has turned up some interesting answers.
We gauged reactions from several BSCAI members to get their take on the new data.
The Industry’s Future: Optimistic But Grounded
“The first nugget that jumped out at me was that 83% of BSCs reported they expect to at least show ‘slightly improved’ growth in 2025,” says CleanOffice/PorterPlus President and CEO Greg Buchner says. “When you flip this around, only 17% expect to not grow in 2025. This shows really high confidence across the board and demonstrates the overall appeal of the market that we serve. There is a lot of opportunity, and the vast majority of survey respondents expect to expand in the year ahead.”
Patrick Comaskey, founder and CEO of Direct Clean, welcomes the report for providing a comprehensive and insightful snapshot of the current industry climate, particularly in highlighting labor trends. “It accurately reflects what many BSCs [building service contractors] are experiencing, especially the ongoing difficulty of attracting and retaining frontline labor, which remains one of our most pressing concerns.”
Harmony Trujillo, executive vice president of York Building Services Inc. in New Jersey, was also impressed by how much the study aligned with her take on the landscape. “I feel the research really ‘got our temperature.,’” she says. “I love that it showed that our industry is optimistic, but we’re really grounded. We don’t live in fear, but we’re also not reckless. We weather the chaos, and we do it again and again.”
What really stood out to Trujillo was the section on mold remediation. When survey recipients were asked what special services they do not offer now but hope to offer in the next 12 months, 44% selected this option. “I think that presents a fantastic opportunity for partnerships with our specialists. We all scrambled to get ahead of the curve with the pandemic — educating ourselves very quickly on specialty services, investing in specialty equipment, etc.,” she says. “This is not quite a scramble per se. But it’s along those same lines. Sure, what we are is cleaners. But what we really are for our clients are resources and problem solvers. If we have to engage a specialist who we can sublet this kind of work out to, that solves the problem also.”
Perception vs. Reality: Findings That Surprised Us
So what other findings surprised our experts? Comaskey was quick to answer. “One point that left me slightly skeptical was the general optimism around automation adoption. While automation holds promise, the cost and complexity of implementation remain significant barriers — especially for mid-sized companies.”
Comaskey was also surprised by the percentage of firms that reported increasing their service pricing by more than 10% over the past year, considering how competitive the market remains. “It signals a growing willingness among clients to pay for quality, reliability and labor stability — even in price-sensitive sectors,” he says.
Trujillo said the report had her gasping at one particular finding: “Only 2% of clients care about green cleaning?! I made a special note of that. I thought it was so interesting! I expected to see some shift as priorities have changed since pandemic,” she says. “But in our services areas, it’s not even a trend. The green cleaning is a requirement. If that number is correct, I think it says a lot about the market and what our clients are prioritizing.”
Comaskey agrees. “It’s striking that only 2% of clients ranked environmentally friendly cleaning as a top priority — especially considering the well-documented health risks associated with harsh chemicals. Studies have linked common cleaning agents to asthma, birth defects, hormonal disruption, and even cancer."
Labor Issues Can Be a Lot To Work Out
Overcoming labor challenges will be top-of-mind for many contract cleaning companies as they actively seek out opportunities to grow and diversify their business offerings. While labor challenges and shortages remain a hurdle, roughly 50% of those surveyed said they don’t expect them to get worse. On the downside, 40% expect recruitment challenges to grow over the next 12 months.
The report found that worker shortages are most difficult for employers in South Dakota, North Dakota, and Virginia. Even in states like Illinois, Michigan, Nevada, New York, and New Jersey that are currently enjoying worker surpluses, the United States Chamber of Commerce warns that geographic limitations can still make it tough to fill some of the jobs. Of course, as a reminder, this research was conducted throughout February of this year into early March. Not reflected in the report are the recent waves of hiring stress happening in places that significantly utilize legal immigrant labor.
Buchner notes that when his Virginia-based firm is hiring for crew-level and front-line positions, competition goes beyond peers. “We are not only competing with other building service contractors, but we are also competing [with] other service industries — hospitality, housekeeping, foodservice, landscaping, etc. As a result, we need to make sure we can level-up against all these sectors,” he says.
In Buchner’s view, wages and basic compensation packages have their limits. This means adding benefits that look and feel more like those offered by larger organizations and other industries to show your company can care for the employee and their family. These expanded benefits range from 401k plans and direct deposit services to paid holidays, paid time off, and life insurance.
“In addition to benefits, most BSCs are working on creating cultures that make employees feel like they are part of an employee community that is valued and connected,” Buchner says. Such strategies can entail employee opportunities for bonuses, based on performance and behavior, and employee development programs.
Trujillo notes that, in her company’s service area of New Jersey and New York City, there are many opportunities for people to make similar wages across a variety of fields, jobs, and gigs. “So, for us, there needs to be a deeper motivation. People stay when they feel respected and they feel seen. We give employees responsibility. We give them a career path. Our people know they’re just not another name on a payroll. Everybody likes the opportunity to grow. Our employees are the foundation of our business!”
Comaskey definitely agrees. “Wages will always be a foundational factor, but they’re no longer enough on their own. Company culture, predictable schedules, respect, and clear communication are the motivating factors in my company,” he says.
Looking Ahead: Closer to Bullish Than Bearish
The 2025 Report on the Building Service Contractor Market shows many BSCs are closer to bullish than bearish when forecasting their 2025 sales results against 2024. More than one-third (34%) of respondents think 2025 sales will be significantly higher than in the prior year, while 48% expect sales to be slightly higher.
Comaskey says he and his Direct Clean colleagues expect a 10% increase “with hopefully improved net sales.” To ensure quality service remains a priority for employees and customers, Buchner shares that his company is lowering their forecast to 10%-15% in 2025.
Trujillo offered a broader look at her company’s plans. “We’re expecting a lift. Nothing crazy, but definitely steady. We’re raising prices where needed,” she says. “But the real win for us is going to be tightening our systems. We’re always looking to train better, and we’re going to be leaning a little bit more into specialty services ourselves.”
Editor's Note: The “2025 Building Service Contractor Market Study” was conducted by Contracting Profits, with sponsor support from BSCAI. BSCAI Members can access the report for free here.