I Am thinking of doing our estimates a little differently. I am considering the “price per window” option.
Pleas answer the poll about your most common price per window.
The example window we will use is:
single hung
with a bug screen that needs cleaning
scraping will be needed, not a CCU, but a really dirty window
track washed out and toweled down
Thanks in advance.
I did vote Bert, $6-9 but is not written in stone.
Some houses scrapping is required, no extra, tracks are extra.
Screens dry brushed for no extra, deep cleaning (washing) is extra.
So a very basic structure for me but is working. What are you doing so far ? Bidding based on the time it takes you ?
Hope you’re doing well over there 
This method worked well we I first started. As my technique improved so did my hourly rate. When my technique sort of ‘peaked’, and the hourly rate was consistant, I swapped to time based estimating.
I was originally charging $4 a window for every window…
10
I’m in the same boat right now, looking for a change on how to bid, based on my improvement also. The economic scenario is not helping a lot to my idea of raising prices.
I might look for advice later on on how to target the “less rich” customers. I used to laugh (not really) to the 20 windows for $ XXX but now I’m considering the idea since I can tackle those many windows in a much shorter period of time.
Ideally I’ll be still getting the “loaded” customers (high profit) and the less rich ( lower profit but steady income).
It might be good to change and try something alternative.
Here a single hung is a double hung where the top sash does not move. We charge $10 for the panes, screen brushing, and sills brushed. If they want screens washed it’s $3 more. If they want a sill cleaning (not a simple brush and wipe) that adds $2.
I think it’s significant how you count windows. I charge $7/per window in/out. and $4 for one side.
However, myself and Mark (Beautiful View) count windows differently than many people on this board.
We count every piece of glass framed on all sides as one window. So a double hung would be two windows. Another Example: in one window area, there may be a picture window on top, and four slider windows below. That window area would count as 5 windows. I think counting windows this way gets you closer to your hourly earning goal more often.
So to clarify Mike’s point. The picture below would be $14 in/out (4 pane sides @ $3.50 each) or if they just want exteriors done, $8. (2 panes @ $4 each)
In Toronto, many middle income homes have these types of windows. That is why we stress to customers that we charge per window pane side.
does this include tracks, sill, screens, and razor work?
6-9 is most common for us, but its so tough to generalize this one. Some jobs its $15-$17, while some jobs are $4-$5.
Tracks, sills and quick wipe of screens Yes. Razor for the odd sticky debris but not reno cleanup or CCU, that’s extra.
Great work, Fellas. Keep it coming. I am going to address some your posts regarding this question and hopefully give others more insight as well.
Carlos, I am doing well, thank you. I hope the same for you. My prices are becoming more and more written in stone–the further down the road I get with my current crew. They are “C” level window cleaners, but they are (slowly) steadily improving. This is why I am trying to get a better idea of a “per window” price. I am figuring that this is going to make more profit in the end since I pay the guys hourly with a monthly bonus based on production/success/no call-backs.
I supposed I have peaked at my skill level, but I am only in the field one, maybe one and a half, days per week. However, as I mentioned, my crews are working their way up the skill ladder. Its funny though, they always seem to get more done, faster, when I am around. LOL!
I don’t recall seeing those in my area. Most of the windows we clean are either the single hung (non-moving top sash) or picture frame (casement) windows. This is my definition of one window. I count windows, not panes. I am sort of using Chris and Alex’s version or definition of what a window is. One window = two pieces of glass, or any single door (full glass, half glass, storm type, or french panes), that touch each other or slide very near one another, and that aren’t seperated by a area of brick, wood, metal, siding, etc. Most of the windows in my area have bug screens (except the casement style) and some have full window solar screens.
What is a “reno cleanup”, Mark?
What I have done folks is put together a spreadsheet that averages the amount of time we take to clean a window. I had variables of pre-washing, screen cleaning, solar screen cleaning, razor scraping, and interior cleaning, with a constant of regular window cleaning.
For regular window cleaning, I came up with a time avg of 4 minutes. Pre-washing added 1.5 minutes, screen cleaning added 2.5 minutes, solar screen cleaning, razor scraping, and interior cleaning all added an additional 4 minuted, respectively for each.
I put together a matrix of what the averages are for the constant with no variables, all the way through all the variables added together, and then all the way through the variables with one of the variables not being done.
I came up with an average window cleaning time of 10.6 minutes per window.
My low time average was 4 minutes and my high average was 20 minutes. With a median average of 10.6 minutes per window.
I am trying to pull in $75/hour. This time doesn’t include windshield time, break time, lunch time, or anything else. Those are the reasons I want to make an hourly average that is sorta middle of the road to high. I can only pull in this with residential window cleaning and larger commercial window cleaning. Route work doesn’t make nearly as much on average.
The entire reason I wanted to know what you all charge for a “per window” price was that I figured, based on time average per window, plus an hourly rate goal of $75, that this is needed to be somewhere in the $11-$13 range. Well, my “fuzzy math” tells me that if the hourly income average goal is $75, then that means that the minute average is $1.25/minute.
With an average of 10.6 minutes per window multiplied by $1.25/min, that gives me a average window cost of $13.25/each.
I thought that it sounded high. I know that it is what I want to make per window, but when I am going to bid these jobs and some of the homes have upwards of 50+ windows, thats a lot of money from the customers. $662.50 to have your windows cleaned in this area is phenominal. They can get the <>< to come out for half that.
I thought that I might have to but a price break in there somewhere. maybe around the 25- 28 window mark.
But in retrospect, I believe that if you make something seem exclusive to your customers (by being pricy), as well as strongly jack up the percieved value, show relevant testimonials, base your selling techniques on the customers feelings not logic,and guarantee the work, that they just might pay these prices.
I am trying to become the Lexus or Infiniti of window cleaning companies in the area I serve. We are already more expensive than most, but not as much as others. But I promise you that no one offers that same level of service that we do. We currently base our sales prices on square footage of the home. I am not sure why this thought pattern has errupted in my head. What we currently do is working well. I’ve always been told,“If it works well, then leave it the hell alone”. But something is driving me to explore further options.
I am just a business owner with a pinchot for typing long-a$$ed thread posts and playing with the numbers for my business. Things are good right now and I am not predicting a slow down until late fall. I am fortunate, and very thankful, that I am not lowering my prices just to get more work.
I really do appreciate all of your input. Thanks again y’all. You are what makes this forum so great and this career path wonderful for me and my family.
Short for renovation. As opposed to new construction of a house or property.
You know after I asked that, I thought that it might be Renovation. I just had Reno, NV in my head though. Weird. Thanks, Mark!
