- Work out what you need per hour first, then price the time each house takes.
- Price by property type and size, with extras and a minimum charge.
- Longer gaps between cleans mean dirtier glass and more time.
- Write it down as rules so every customer gets the same answer.
- Review once a year and give proper notice of any change.
Most window cleaners undercharge when they start, and I don’t think anyone gets it right first time. The fix isn’t guessing a bigger number. It’s working your price out from the time a job takes and what your time is worth.
Start with what your time is worth
Before you price a single house, work out what you need to earn for every hour on the round. Count the van, fuel, insurance, kit, your phone, software, tax and holidays. Then count the hours that earn nothing: driving, quoting, admin and rain.
After that it’s simple. Price = time on the job × your hourly target, plus a bit for getting there.
Price by house type, not by guesswork
Customers want a straight answer, so make your prices easy to explain. Start with the property type (terrace, semi, detached, bungalow or flat), then use the number of bedrooms as a guide to size.
Extras to price on their own
- Conservatories
- Frames, sills and doors
- Roof windows and skylights
- Windows you can only reach by ladder
- The first clean after a long gap
Set a minimum charge
A small flat can take as long to park up and set up for as a semi. A minimum charge covers stopping the van and getting the kit out, so every job pays for its stop.
Frequency changes the price
A four-weekly clean is quicker than an eight or twelve-weekly one, because there’s less build-up on the glass. Plenty of cleaners charge a bit more for longer gaps and for one-off cleans. Whatever you choose, make it the same rule for everyone.
Quoting on the doorstep
When someone stops you in the street for a price, it’s tempting to knock a bit off to win the job. Don’t. Give them the price your rules give everyone, and tell them what’s included.
If the house is bigger or more awkward than it looks, say so and price the extras there and then. A clear price with the extras spelt out wins more work than a cheap one that changes later.
Give everyone the same answer
Nothing looks worse than two neighbours finding out they pay different prices for the same house. Write your prices down as rules and stick to them.
That’s what a quote calculator is for. On the TrueView website, customers can price themselves up without ringing me. Zifty Quotes does the same with your own prices, and new sign-ups land straight in the app, ready to drop into a round.
Review your prices every year
Fuel, insurance and kit go up every year. If your prices don’t, you’re taking a pay cut. Look at them once a year, and if they need to change, give customers proper notice and tell them clearly. Zifty has a price change template for exactly that.
If your prices don’t go up and your costs do, you’re working for less every year.
Build your own instant-quote calculator. Customers price themselves up by house type, bedrooms and extras, then sign up straight into Zifty.
See how it works →
