I walked into a Denver Mattress store today and the manager asked if I do commercial windows. I told him yes. He asked for a quote. I’m asking for help on how much I should charge. He told me they have never been cleaned. By the looks of the water stains they definitely haven’t. There are 62 windows in all and wants in and out done. This would be a biannual job. Thanks.
I would recommend generating a simple formula, price per window to make all your bidding easy and uniform for jobs.
Possibly start with $3 a side, calculate once the job is completed review your hours see where your at and adjust accordingly.
Seperate your times in vs out see where changes should be adjusted.
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I was kind of leaning towards that approach, although I was starting out at $5 per side. Maybe starting out too high? I recently order a WFP system but this may have to be done traditional first. If that’s the case, my Little Giant ladder is heavy and I don’t think the wing span attachment will work with those frames. Thanks for your input.
Should have a set price per pane. Traditional you will have each pane along with detailing the frame of each pane.
Exterior WFP would be quicker, but inside you’re kind of stuck on traditional. First clean, traditional mop & squeegee, after that in indoor cleaner like Unger Stingray or IPC Eagle Indoor Water-Fed Pole.
If you did each side of those panes for 50¢ to $1 each how much would the job be? Would that be worth it to you or more?
Thanks I appreciate your input. I guess my other concern is my ladder setup. I have a Little Giant ladder with the wing span. It’s probably the heaviest ladder they make. It’s the Xtreme. I’m worried about the wing span shifting on those frames. I’m so used to residential jobs.
Spoken like a true Bucket Bob. 
As you said, they have never been cleaned, and they want it done biannual. So, you have really dirty windows that will take more time to get clean than if you were doing them every other week or monthly. I would go with a higher estimate for the initial clean with the explanation that it will require more time because they have never been cleaned. Then adjust your price accordingly for the repeat cleans once you get an idea of how long they are going to take you.
I think $5 each side would be high, but the $3 each side that Jhans suggested is closer to what I was thinking for the initial clean. I was thinking like $400 for the initial clean (about $6.50 per pane both sides) and $300 (around $5 per pane for both sides) for the repeats. The $300 every six months averages $50 a month, so that shouldn’t be too hard for them to swallow. Of course, my price for the repeats would have been lower had they wanted them done monthly. I think he knows it is going to be pricey, or he doesn’t care about the windows cleanliness that much (probably the latter since they have never been cleaned), or perhaps both. So make it worth the extra effort that will be required for the infrequent cleans.
I am a rookie though, so I am still learning. These guys definitely know more about it than me, but that is how I would bid that job.
Thanks I appreciate it. I’ve only been doing this for about two years and only residential. On top of that, this is only a party time gig for me. I had planned on switching to commercial only because I work alone and the Texas sun beats me up doing residential. Then this opportunity presents itself and to me it’s a pretty big job for first commercial gig. Thanks again.
The picture is broken up so that I can’t get an exact pane count. Learn to bid per pane. Customers understand “this many times this much”. Mine rarely get “well it’ll take this long so that’s this much”. And if they do get it, they act shocked that I’m after 60- 75 an hour.
62 windows
I’d ask $300 out the door.
I failed to mention that I’m slower than most window cleaners. Too picky still.
HAHA…Yea, on this forum if you ask for more than $1.50/$2.00 store front then you’re labeled a gouger or too set in residential pricing to bid properly on store front. 
For me personally I’d be about $350/$375 and not worry one bit about landing it because my schedule looks healthy with residential’s.
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62 panes or 62 windows? That a total count in and out or one side? Words matter. 
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When giving your bid besure to communicate 1st clean is more due to neglect and just dirtier. State regular price based on frequency would be reduced and stte by how much.
Giving options can be good
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Yeah it depends. If they ONLY want twice a year, then yeah, I’d try and hit 250-300+. Depending on what can be poled.
But I’d also try and get them on a 4 week schedule and tell them $75-100 for outside only. Again depending on what can be poled. I could also do in/out every 8 weeks for maybe 180-200. And after the first clean I’d use the unger pads to maintain the inside.
I might be lower than others but I got mad wagtail skills.
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I have two thoughts on that statement.
Since you are highly skilled and can perform it fast, should that mean you lower your price or go with the competitive price and make better money for your skill?
Or
Guys building a larger scaled business can’t necessarily price things based on what the skilled owner can perform. The must think of what the employees or any future employees will also get that job done and still be profitable.
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There is always a charge for that.
3-5x your per pane price, minimum.
I usually go with my price and most of the time I’m more expensive in my area. So either way, I make my rate which averages $75/hr on storefront. This is a little closer to commercial so my rate there would be $100/hr. So for me, my price will depend on whether or not I can put them in my route every 4 weeks or 8 weeks. This is too small a job for biannual.
As for employees, I expect them to start out at a rate of $60/hr on route and as they get proficient, they should equal or surpass me.
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Thanks!
