Build a Bid Pricing Calculator in Google Sheets
What This Does
Instead of calculating bid prices in your head or on a napkin, Gemini in Google Sheets can build you a pricing calculator that automatically computes your bid total from building size, cleaning frequency, labor rate, and supply costs — so every bid has consistent, accurate margins.
Before You Start
- You have a Google account and access to Google Sheets
- You know your typical hourly labor cost (worker wages + payroll taxes + any benefits)
- You have a rough idea of your target markup/margin percentage
Steps
1. Open a new Google Sheet
Go to sheets.google.com and click the + to open a blank sheet.
What you should see: An empty spreadsheet.
2. Set up your input section
In column A, type these labels (one per row):
- Building Size (sq ft)
- Cleaning Frequency (times/week)
- Hours per Cleaning
- Hourly Labor Rate ($)
- Supply Cost per Visit ($)
- Overhead %
- Target Margin %
Leave column B blank — this is where your inputs will go.
3. Ask Gemini to build the calculation formulas
Click the Gemini button (sparkle icon) in the toolbar. Type:
"I have a pricing calculator with inputs in column B (rows 1-7): building size, frequency, hours per cleaning, labor rate, supply cost, overhead %, and target margin %. In rows 9-15 of column B, build formulas to calculate: weekly labor cost, monthly labor cost, monthly supply cost, monthly overhead amount, total monthly cost, markup amount, and final monthly bid price."
4. Review the formulas Gemini suggests
Gemini will generate formulas for each calculation row. Click Insert to add them. Test with real numbers: put your typical building size and hourly rate in column B and see if the final bid price makes sense against your experience.
What you should see: A working calculator where changing the inputs automatically recalculates the bid price.
5. Add a "Bid Summary" section
In rows 17–20, create labels: Client Name, Building Address, Proposed Monthly Rate, Annual Contract Value. In the "Proposed Monthly Rate" cell, link it to your final bid price cell. This gives you a clean summary to reference when writing your proposal.
Real Example
Scenario: You're bidding on a 15,000 sq ft office building needing daily cleaning.
What you enter: Building Size = 15,000, Frequency = 5x/week, Hours per cleaning = 4, Hourly Rate = $18, Supply Cost per visit = $12, Overhead = 15%, Margin = 20%
What you get: A calculated monthly bid price — e.g., $3,200/month — that you can use in your proposal with confidence it covers your costs and includes your target margin.
Tips
- Make a copy of this sheet for each new bid (File → Make a copy) so you always start from a clean template
- Add a "Notes" section at the bottom for account-specific factors: parking fees, after-hours premium, specialized equipment required
- Once it's working well, share the template with your owner or other supervisors so everyone bids consistently
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