The Optus Glean promise: predictability
Three pillars. Three commitments. No exceptions.
Predictable cost. One fixed monthly fee, set against a defined scope and an annual indexed review. No variable hours. No surprise invoices. No padded callout charges. Budgeted once, paid by Direct Debit, reviewed once a year.
Predictable presence. The site is cleaned every day it is meant to be cleaned. A named primary cleaner is rostered to your contract, supported by a named relief who is already vetted, inducted, and trained on the same colour-coded system and IPC standard. The schedule does not depend on whether one person is available on one day.
Predictable freedom. A single point of accountability. One contract. One named manager. One number to call. Cleaning is no longer a problem the site has to manage — it is a service that runs.
Why cleaning in Ireland is structurally hard to get right
Most cleaning provision in Ireland — including in healthcare-adjacent settings — is delivered by a workforce that is structurally part-time and casual. A significant proportion of operatives across the sector also work as healthcare assistants in nursing homes, residential care, and acute hospitals. Cleaning shifts are typically taken when healthcare shifts are not available, and released when they are. This pattern is consistent with CSO labour data on accommodation, food, and administrative-support employment, and it is the underlying reason that buyers across Ireland encounter inconsistency from agencies they have contracted in good faith.
The pattern is reinforced by two background pressures specific to Ireland. Housing affordability limits the catchment for any role paying at or near the minimum wage. The Contract Cleaning Employment Regulation Order rate of €14.80 per hour for 2026, set under the Labour Court's sectoral employment framework, sits close enough to flexible care-sector pay that operatives drift toward whichever shift pays slightly more on the day. Both pressures pull cleaning staff away from contracted shifts and toward casual healthcare work.
The result, from the buyer's perspective, is the experience most practice managers, facilities leads, and procurement officers in Ireland describe: a clean that is half-completed when the contracted cleaner is available, missed entirely when they are not, and accompanied by recurring conversations with the agency about cover that may or may not arrive.
This is the structural problem Optus Glean is built to solve. Our operatives are fully PAYE-employed with guaranteed weekly hours, paid leave, and pension contributions under Irish auto-enrolment. They are paid above the ERO floor deliberately — because the structural reliability of the service depends on the cleaner choosing to remain in the role rather than rotating through casual healthcare shifts. A named primary cleaner is assigned to your site, supported by a named relief, both Garda-vetted and trained to Optus Glean's documented HIQA-aligned IPC standard.
First Impressions Start Outside
A visitor's impression of your property begins before they walk through the front door. The car park, the pathways, the landscaping, the external lighting, and the general condition of your grounds all communicate something about your business. Well-maintained grounds signal professionalism, attention to detail, and pride in the property. Overgrown hedges, cracked pathways, litter-strewn car parks, and faded line markings signal the opposite.
Yet grounds maintenance is one of the most commonly neglected aspects of commercial property management. Many property managers and facilities managers focus their budgets on internal cleaning and maintenance, treating external upkeep as an afterthought. The result is a gradual decline in external appearance that is barely noticeable week to week but starkly obvious when you compare the property today with photographs from two years ago.
Optus Glean provides commercial grounds maintenance services that keep your external areas in the same condition as your internal spaces. We handle everything from lawn mowing and hedge trimming to car park sweeping, gritting, and seasonal planting. And because we are also a cleaning company, we can manage your entire property — inside and out — under a single contract.
Lawn Care and Landscaping
Ireland's mild, wet climate produces vigorous grass growth from March through October, requiring regular mowing to maintain a professional appearance. Our lawn care programme includes:
- Regular mowing — Weekly or fortnightly during the growing season. Mowing height is adjusted seasonally: slightly higher in spring and autumn to encourage root development, shorter in summer for a manicured finish.
- Edge trimming — Crisp edges along pathways, kerbs, and flower beds. Strimming around obstacles, signage, and fencing.
- Lawn treatment — Spring and autumn fertiliser application, weed treatment, and moss control. Aeration for compacted areas. Over-seeding for bare patches.
- Hedge trimming — Formal hedges trimmed 2–3 times per year to maintain shape. Boundary hedges maintained to prevent encroachment onto neighbouring properties or public pathways. Hedge height management for security sight lines.
- Planting and seasonal bedding — Spring and summer bedding plants for entrance areas, reception planters, and feature beds. Bulb planting in autumn for spring displays. Shrub and tree planting for permanent landscaping improvements.
- Weed control — Regular weeding of beds, borders, and hard-standing areas. Herbicide application to pathways, car parks, and kerb edges where manual weeding is impractical.
Car Park Maintenance
Car parks take a significant amount of wear and are one of the first things visitors see. A well-maintained car park is a baseline expectation, not a luxury. Our car park maintenance programme covers:
- Sweeping — Regular mechanical or manual sweeping to remove debris, grit, leaves, and litter. Frequency depends on traffic volume: daily for high-footfall retail and hospital sites, weekly for office car parks.
- Litter picking — External litter collection across car parks, pathways, entrance areas, and perimeter boundaries. Emptying of external bins and cigarette receptacles.
- Line marking — Repainting of parking bay lines, directional arrows, disabled spaces, pedestrian crossings, and fire lane markings. Typically required annually or bi-annually depending on traffic volume and weather exposure.
- Gritting and salting — Winter gritting of car parks, ramps, pathways, and entrance areas to prevent ice formation. Reactive gritting based on Met Eireann frost forecasts and proactive pre-treatment ahead of expected sub-zero nights. Salt is spread using mechanical spreaders for even distribution and minimum waste.
- Pothole and surface reporting — While we do not carry out tarmac repairs, we inspect car park surfaces regularly and report potholes, cracking, and drainage issues to the property manager for remediation before they become safety hazards or liability risks.
External Lighting Checks
External lighting is both a safety requirement and a security measure. Broken, flickering, or missing external lights create trip hazards, deter visitors, and provide cover for anti-social behaviour. Our grounds teams carry out regular external lighting checks as part of each site visit. Failed bulbs and damaged fittings are reported to the property manager or, where authorised, replaced directly by our team. For large sites, we can coordinate with electrical contractors to carry out bulk lamp replacements on a scheduled basis.
Pathway Clearing and Access Management
Pathways, entrance areas, and fire escape routes must be clear, safe, and accessible at all times. This is both a health and safety obligation and a practical requirement for your business to function. Our pathway management includes:
- Leaf removal — Autumn leaf clearance is one of the most labour-intensive seasonal tasks. Wet leaves on pathways and car parks are a significant slip hazard. We clear leaves on a weekly or bi-weekly basis throughout autumn using industrial blowers and collection systems.
- Snow and ice clearance — Irish winters rarely bring heavy snowfall, but when they do, businesses need a rapid response. We provide snow clearance for pathways, car parks, and entrance areas. For critical sites (hospitals, care homes, schools), we offer priority response within 2 hours of snowfall.
- Moss and algae treatment — Ireland's damp climate promotes moss and algae growth on pathways, steps, and ramps. These are slip hazards, particularly in autumn and winter. Regular treatment with moss killer and periodic pressure washing keeps surfaces safe and presentable.
- Drain and gully clearing — Blocked drains cause ponding on pathways and car parks, creating slip hazards and accelerating surface deterioration. We clear surface drains and gullies as part of our routine grounds visits and report any drainage infrastructure issues for specialist attention.
Fence and Boundary Maintenance
Perimeter fencing, gates, bollards, and boundary walls protect your property and define its limits. Our grounds teams inspect boundary infrastructure during each visit and carry out minor maintenance: tightening loose fence panels, replacing broken fence posts, oiling gate hinges, clearing vegetation from boundary walls, and repainting or staining timber fencing. Significant structural repairs are reported to the property manager and, if required, we coordinate with specialist fencing contractors.
Playground Inspection for Schools and Childcare
Schools, creches, and childcare facilities have specific obligations around playground safety. While formal annual playground inspections must be carried out by a qualified playground inspector (EN 1176 / EN 1177), our grounds teams carry out regular visual checks during each site visit. We look for obvious hazards: damaged equipment, protruding bolts, worn safety surfacing, broken glass, litter, and trip hazards. Issues are flagged immediately to the facility manager. This does not replace formal inspection but provides an additional layer of vigilance between annual assessments.
Seasonal Programmes
Grounds maintenance is inherently seasonal. The work required in July is fundamentally different from the work required in January. Our seasonal programme ensures your grounds look their best all year round and that seasonal transitions are managed proactively rather than reactively.
| Season | Key Activities | Typical Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| Spring (Mar–May) | Winter debris cleanup, first mow, lawn treatment, spring planting, pressure wash paths/car park, gutter clearing | Weekly/fortnightly |
| Summer (Jun–Aug) | Regular mowing, hedge trimming, weed control, watering, deadheading, litter management, line marking | Weekly |
| Autumn (Sep–Nov) | Leaf clearance, gutter clearing, autumn planting, final hedge trim, preparing beds for winter, drain clearing | Weekly/fortnightly |
| Winter (Dec–Feb) | Gritting/salting, snow clearance, storm damage response, lighting checks, fence repairs, boundary maintenance | Monthly + reactive |
Pricing: Per-Visit and Monthly Contract
Grounds maintenance can be priced per visit or as a fixed monthly contract. Per-visit pricing suits businesses with ad-hoc or seasonal requirements. Monthly contracts suit businesses that want consistent grounds upkeep with predictable costs. Monthly contract pricing is based on site size, scope of work, visit frequency, and seasonal requirements.
| Pricing Model | Indicative Range | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Per visit (small site) | €80 – €150 | Small offices, single-unit retail, B&Bs |
| Per visit (medium site) | €150 – €350 | Apartment blocks, schools, mid-size hotels |
| Per visit (large site) | €350 – €800+ | Corporate campuses, hospitals, large hotels |
| Monthly contract (small) | €250 – €500/month | Consistent upkeep, predictable budgeting |
| Monthly contract (medium) | €500 – €1,200/month | Full seasonal programme included |
| Monthly contract (large) | €1,200 – €3,000+/month | Comprehensive FM, gritting included |
| Winter gritting (reactive) | €120 – €300/visit | On-call gritting, weather-triggered |
All equipment and materials supplied. Prices exclusive of VAT. Clients bundling grounds maintenance with cleaning contracts receive 10–15% off the combined contract value.
Bundle with Cleaning for Complete FM
Grounds maintenance is most effective when delivered alongside internal cleaning. When Optus Glean manages both your internal and external environments, you get a single provider who understands your entire property. Our teams coordinate internal and external schedules to minimise disruption. Entrance matting is managed in conjunction with external pathway cleaning. Bin stores are maintained as part of both the cleaning and grounds operations. Window cleaning, pressure washing, and external building maintenance complement the grounds programme. The result is a property that looks professionally maintained from every angle, managed through one contract and one invoice.
This bundled approach is particularly popular with apartment block management companies, hotels, corporate campuses, schools, and healthcare facilities where the boundary between internal and external maintenance is fluid and where a single accountable provider simplifies management significantly.
Frequently Asked Questions About Grounds Maintenance
What is included in grounds maintenance?
Grounds maintenance includes lawn mowing, hedge trimming, planting, car park sweeping, litter picking, pathway clearing, external lighting checks, leaf removal, snow and ice management, fence maintenance, and seasonal programmes. The specific scope is agreed during site assessment and detailed in your service specification.
How often do you visit for grounds maintenance?
During the growing season (April–October), most sites require weekly or fortnightly visits. During winter, visits are typically monthly for general upkeep plus reactive callouts for gritting and snow clearance. Car park litter picking may be daily or weekly. Every contract is tailored to the site.
Do you supply all equipment and materials?
Yes. We supply all mowers, strimmers, hedge trimmers, blowers, pressure washers, gritting equipment, salt, plants, mulch, and any specialist equipment needed. Equipment costs are included in the contract price. You do not need to purchase, store, or maintain any grounds equipment.
How does seasonal maintenance work?
Our programme follows Ireland's seasons. Spring: cleanup, first mow, planting, path pressure washing. Summer: regular mowing, hedges, weed control. Autumn: leaf clearance, gutters, autumn planting, final hedge trim. Winter: gritting, snow clearance, storm response, lighting checks, fence repairs. Work is planned in advance, not reactive.
Can I bundle grounds maintenance with my cleaning contract?
Yes. Bundling grounds with cleaning under one Optus Glean contract means one provider, one invoice, and one point of accountability for your entire property. Bundled clients receive 10–15% off the combined contract value. This is popular with apartment blocks, hotels, campuses, and schools.
How Optus Glean handles staff shortages
Every Optus Glean contract is staffed on a redundancy model rather than a single-person model. A named primary cleaner is assigned to the site at contract start. A named relief is assigned alongside them. Both are PAYE-employed by Optus Glean, both are Garda-vetted, both are inducted on the site's specific layout, access protocols, and colour-coded equipment system, and both are trained to the same documented HIQA-aligned IPC standard. Substitution is built into the contract from the first day, not arranged on the day cover is needed.
Sick day cover. When the primary cleaner is unable to work, the named relief is deployed. The site site contact is notified by 06:30 on the morning of the absence by SMS or email, with the name of the relief who is attending. The relief follows the same task list, uses the same equipment, and finishes within the same window. The standard of clean is unchanged because the relief was prepared for this scenario before the absence happened.
Annual leave cover. Annual leave is rostered weeks in advance and the relief is scheduled to cover the full leave period. The site is informed at the start of the leave period — not on the morning leave begins. This is the same model used in clinical rota management: known absences are pre-staffed, not improvised.
Long-term cover. If the primary cleaner is absent for more than two weeks (extended illness, parental leave, bereavement leave), cover is drawn from the wider trained bench rather than relying on the single named relief. The site is kept informed of the cover plan, the named individuals involved, and the expected duration. Continuity of standard is maintained because every operative on the bench is trained to the same documented standard.
Permanent reassignment. If the primary cleaner moves to a new permanent role within Optus Glean — promotion, relocation, retirement — the relief is promoted to primary on a planned timetable, a new relief is trained on the site, and both are introduced to the site before the handover takes effect. There is no day on which the site discovers, after the fact, that their cleaner has changed.
Substitution is Optus Glean's operational problem, not the site's risk to absorb. The buyer pays a fixed monthly fee for a defined scope to be delivered, every day it is meant to be delivered. The mechanism by which we deliver it — primary, relief, bench, retraining — is our cost to manage and our risk to carry.
Last reviewed: 2026-05-06
