Originally published in July 2019. Last updated on May 7, 2025.
Knowing how to price window cleaning gives your business the best opportunity to win bids, maximize profit, and continue to grow.
There are a lot of things to consider, but once you have your formula down, it becomes second nature.
If you’re just starting out, our advice is to keep it simple. Use this window cleaning pricing guide as a starting point and then follow our formula to learn how to price more profitable jobs
Learn how to charge for window cleaning:
Average price of window cleaning
The average cost for window cleaning on a house with 22 standard double-hung windows is $310, ranging from as low as $190 to as high as $460.
This rate breaks down to these averages:
- Hourly rate: $40 to $75
- Cost per pane: $4 to $8
- Cost per window: $8 to $16
Understanding the average price of window cleaning will help you make decisions that will keep you competitive.
The average price of window cleaning varies depending on the contracting business, but you’ll typically charge either by hour or by number of windows.
READ MORE: Window cleaning industry statistics
Key factors to consider when pricing window cleaning
Pricing should be a system that reflects your costs, aligns with the market, and leaves room for profit. To figure out how to price window cleaning with confidence, look at these four factors:
The complexity of the job
Think of each window like a mini job site. Factor in what kind of windows they are, where they are, and what shape they’re in. Here’s what to watch for:
- Number of panes: It’s easy to underestimate. You can charge per pane ($4 to $8 per pane) or by the window. And don’t forget the ones the homeowner forgets about until you point them out, like basement hopper windows and transoms.
- Window type makes a big difference: Picture windows are usually wide-open spaces with fewer nooks your squeegee needs to deal with. But get into French panes or sunburst patterns and you’re doing a lot more detail work.
- Height and accessibility: Anything above the second floor is a hazard and a hassle. You’ll need ladders and maybe a helper. Charge more for every floor past the first, or if you’re spending extra time to set up safely.
- Condition of the glass: At some point, you’ll show up to a job thinking it’s a basic clean but then realize no one’s given the windows any TLC in a decade. Water stains, bird droppings, and paint overspray all take time. It’s common to add $2 to $4 more per pane for the extra elbow grease.
Operational costs
When you’re thinking about how much to charge for window cleaning, it’s easy to forget just how much money you’re spending. These are the day-to-day costs that’ll eat into your profits, so factor them in:
- Labor costs: Whether you’re flying solo or managing a crew, labor’s usually your biggest expense. Some pros charge $40-75 per hour for residential work. If you’re doing high-rise or rope access, that might shoot up to $170/hour. Others stick to a per-pane model, especially for repeat jobs or maintenance cleans.
- Materials and gear: Your day-to-day materials might include squeegees, scrubbers, towels, and applicators. You’ll also need gloves, safety glasses, and harnesses.
- Overhead: These costs are sneaky. Account for gas and travel, insurance premiums, and replacing/upkeeping your equipment.
Service add-ons and frequency
Let’s say you’re wrapping up a quote and the client hits you with, “Can you do the screens too?” Consider your service add-ons, bundles, or recurring contracts when pricing window cleaning so you always have an answer (and pricing) ready.
- Screens, sills, and tracks: You can charge anywhere from 50 cents to $8 per screen, depending on size and how dirty it is. Tracks and sills can run $2-4 per window.
- Frequency of service: Not all customers are one-and-done. Some want regular shine, like storefronts and real estate agents. A 10-20% discount for recurring cleanings will keep clients coming back, and the pricing becomes more predictable. Plus, recurring jobs can often be quicker (less buildup), so your hourly rate actually increases!
- Bundling other services: If you also do gutter cleaning or pressure washing, bundle the services to save your client time and make the job more efficient. Bundling can boost your average ticket size and increase your margins without extra travel.
The name of the game is providing as much value as possible for your clients.
When you’re performing in-person estimates, it’s really important that you quote that client for more than just the services that they called you out for. For instance, if you notice that their walkways have dirt on them, give them a quote for pressure washing their walkways or patio.
Software like Jobber helps you create quotes, track job details, and efficiently schedule crew members.

Using Jobber, you can win bigger jobs by suggesting additional services like gutter cleaning or pressure washing.
Once the quote is approved, it instantly generates the fastest, most fuel-efficient routes so you can cut down on travel time.
Market and competition
If you’re charging $20 per window in a market that sees $10 on average, you’ll price yourself out. On the flip side, undercharging just to land a job will sink your margins.
Price window cleaning based on what your market expects. Here’s how to stay competitive:
- Local rates: Research what other window cleaners in your area are charging. This gives you a ballpark. For homes, $8-16 per window is typical. For commercial buildings, many pros go by square footage, ranging from 50 cents to $2.50 per square foot. Want a tip? Get one of your friends (not yourself) to call your competitors as a “mystery shopper” to get a feel for how they quote jobs.
- Seasonality: Demand for professional window cleaning spikes in spring and fall, so use this to your advantage. You can charge premium rates when you’re booked solid. During slow seasons, offer packages or discounts to help fill your schedule.
- Client demographics: If you’re quoting jobs in a high-income area, your price point should reflect the expectations and budget of that market. A good rule of thumb is that window cleaning should cost about 1-2% of a client’s discretionary income. In wealthy areas, customers may value reliability and bundles over low prices.
Window cleaning pricing formula
To understand how to price window cleaning jobs, we first have to understand the pieces involved. This includes labor costs, material costs, overhead costs, and desired profit margin.
If we know each of these, you can properly price a window cleaning job to reach your goals.
Start by calculating how much the job will cost your business to complete by using this formula:
Total cost = Labor cost + material cost + overhead cost
Next, determine how much you should charge your customer by applying your profit margin to your total window cleaning cost. Here’s the formula you should use:
Total price = Total cost + (profit margin x total cost)
Understanding the formula:
- Labor cost is the number of hours it takes to complete the job multiplied by your hourly rate.
- Material cost is the cost of cleaning supplies and other equipment needed to perform the job.
- Overhead cost is the cost of insurance, expenses for vehicles, as well as marketing and other administrative costs.
- Total cost is the total labor cost, material cost, and overhead cost put together.
- Total price with profit margin is the total cost plus your desired profit margin percentage of the total cost.
Labor costs
Before committing to any window cleaning price, first evaluate the job to know how long it’ll take and how much you’ll have to pay yourself and your team. Here are key things to watch out for to properly estimate the labor costs:
- Types of windows: Different windows require different tools and ways to clean, which could increase the length of the job.
- Number of windows: The more windows there are, the longer it’ll take to complete the work.
- Difficulty of access: Properties with multiple floors or hard-to-reach areas will need more time and effort to clean.
- Amount of dirt on windows: Depending on how often the customer is getting their windows cleaned, you might be in for a big effort if there’s a large amount of dirt to deal with.
Material costs
Material costs are necessary to ensure you have the right tools and products to complete a job. You may already have many of the items you need. But depending on the size and scope of the job, you may need to get more or buy something not yet in your inventory.
Here are some key materials and the costs to consider for your window cleaning pricing:
- Soap and other cleaning liquids: A must-have for your window cleaning business. Figure out what cleaning supplies and in what quantities you need for each job.
- Tools and equipment: Squeegees, extension poles, ladders, buckets, sprayers, and gloves are just a few key pieces of equipment you need. If you don’t yet have these supplies, you need to factor in the cost to rent or buy them into your final price.
READ MORE: 13 best window cleaning tools for window washing professionals
Overhead costs
Every business comes with operating expenses. These costs factor into your annual costs but can also be broken down per job. These costs include your:
- Business insurance
- Vehicles to get to and from jobs
- Marketing efforts to win new business
- Administrative costs like bookkeeping and invoice management
The nature of the job may change—residential, construction, or commercial bids—but the formula is always applicable for how to price window cleaning.
I believe most home service businesses do not charge enough, and the problems in the business result from poorly pricing the job to begin with.
We have set packages made up in Jobber for sizes of houses for house washing, window and gutter cleaning. Our systems are accurate about 80% of the time. For more challenging jobs, having an experienced person estimate the job in person is a must!
How to price residential window cleaning
Most residential window cleaners do not charge by the hour— they charge by the pane. Charging by the pane is more straightforward and fair in the long run. You won’t be penalized for learning faster techniques, and clients won’t worry that you’re working slowly on purpose just to charge more.
A pane is each individual piece of glass in a window. Standard windows have 2-3 panes. Storm windows will have up to 4.
Average window cleaning rates across the U.S. are:
Type of Window | Cost Per Pane | Cost Per Window |
Single-hung (most common) | $4-8 | $8-16 |
Double-hung | $4-8 | $8-16 |
Sliding | $4-5 | $8-10 |
Casement | $4-15 | $15-30 |
Skylight | $25-35 | $25-35 |
Sunburst | $30-40 | $30-40 |
Storm | $20-40 | $30-40 |
French windows are large windows (often doors) that are divided into multiple, smaller panes. The average charge is $6 for a half door and $12 for a full door.
If the panes are larger than 3-5 feet, count them as two panes and adjust the price accordingly.
Charging for sills and tracks is optional. Depending on the client’s request, you can offer a deep clean for another $2-4 per window (not pane) or offer a simple wipe-down for free.
Keep in mind that these prices are averages. Multiple factors can and will influence your window cleaning prices, including:
- The number and size of the panes
- The number of screens
- Sills and tracks
- Accessibility to the windows inside and outside the house
- The level of dirt (including mineral deposits and paint)
- Demand and average prices in your region
If the windows are extremely dirty or hard to access, you can charge more, so long as it’s within reason, and you explain it well on the estimate.
Most homeowners have their windows cleaned twice per year. If a client requests a higher frequency, you can offer a volume discount and still be very profitable.
Does your business also offer services like gutter cleaning and repair, power washing, or Christmas light installation? You can bundle these and offer more incentives for homeowners.
READ MORE: Is a window cleaning business profitable?
Through integrations that we do with Jobber, we were given the opportunity to bundle services.
So we could say ‘well we know that you want window washing, so here’s our a la carte pricing, but if you get window washing, roof cleaning, and siding, we can bundle that and give you 10% off.’ You always want to be upselling.
How to price construction window cleaning
Construction cleans are priced higher because of the time needed to remove paint and grime. You may also need to wear special safety equipment (hard hats, boots), invest in new window cleaning tools, and do more ladder work.
The average price for a construction clean is estimated at $4 for exterior windows and $5 for interior windows.
As for even deeper cleans, such as removing mineral deposit stains, you may have to charge upwards of $12 per pane! Always visit the site and inspect the windows in person before giving an estimate.
How to price commercial window cleaning
Bidding on commercial jobs can feel like a whole different ball game.
Commercial window cleaning jobs—which include restaurants, car dealerships, storefronts, and office buildings—are generally more lucrative than residential jobs. That’s because:
- They’re more frequent (bi-weekly or monthly, vs. semi-annually)
- The windows can be cleaned faster
- And they provide work year-round, even in slow winter months
All of this makes them more attractive and more competitive.To win commercial window cleaning bids, you’ll need to price competitively and have a solid window cleaning canvassing pitch.
The average price for commercial window cleaning is $0.50 to $2.50 per square foot. This will increase depending on the level of dirt, frequency, size, and access.
Before bidding, scope out the job from your truck or van. Is there signage or furniture that needs to be moved? Can you tell that the windows haven’t been cleaned in a long time? Is the building located near sprinklers and likely to have hard water stains? Do a walk-around and bid accordingly.
It’s also worth noting that commercial window cleaning jobs are only profitable if they’re recurring. Avoid accepting one-off jobs.
To do commercial window cleaning service, you need funds to do it. Commercial clients, they have a net pay of 45 [days] and sometimes 90.
What that means is you need to have enough funds to pay your employees because you will not see that big check for 90 days. Versus residential, you get rewards on a daily basis.
Tips for bidding on window cleaning jobs
The prices above are general guidelines. As you get out into the field and start bidding, you’ll quickly learn how to price effectively and for profit.
Here are some final tips to help you win more window cleaning contracts:
- Keep it simple. Charge a standard rate for all windows, and give your clients 1-2 options, max. You can always change your pricing as you grow, become more skilled, and build your reputation.
- Start small. Before you hire a whole production team, start by working in the field yourself. This will help you determine your capacity, overhead, labor costs, and the optimal pricing structure.
- Provide professional estimates: Writing your bid in chicken scratch on a piece of paper or the back of a card can make you look unprofessional. Download a free quote template or use window cleaning software to give every prospect a professional, memorable estimate that will set you apart from your competitors.
- Get window cleaning insurance. Don’t clean a single window until you have window cleaning insurance. Even a small accident can put your business dreams to an end.
- Embrace the learning curve. The more you bid, the more you’ll learn. If you’re winning 100% of your bids, you’re probably bidding too low. If you’re losing bids, politely ask the client what the winning competitor offered. Stay confident and don’t be afraid to reach out to other window cleaners and service business owners for advice.
READ MORE: Is a window cleaning business profitable?
Learn how to price your window cleaning services for profit and more tips to help you grow your business: