How to Price Window Cleaning: Per-Pane Rates, Storefront Routes and a Profit Formula

Window cleaning has excellent margins when it is priced correctly and terrible ones when it is not. The trick is to work backward from the hourly revenue your business needs, then turn that into per-pane, per-window and per-visit prices customers understand. Here is the method, with real worked examples.

All figures are typical US ranges as of 2026 and vary by market. Check local competitors and verify before setting prices.

Step 1: Find your target hourly rate

Add up a year of costs, including your own pay:

Estimate realistic billable hours. Weather, winter slowdowns, quoting and driving cut into your week. If you can bill 25 hours a week for 42 weeks, that is 1,050 hours.

$73,000 ÷ 1,050 = $70 per billable hour. Add a 15 percent profit margin: $70 ÷ 0.85 = about $82 per hour.

Every price you set should land at or above that figure once you time the job.

Step 2: Choose your pricing method

Typical residential rates

Ranges as of 2026; verify locally.

Add-on pricing

Worked example: a two-story home

The Alvarez home has 24 double-hung windows (48 panes) split evenly between floors, 2 picture windows and 26 screens. They want inside and outside.

Time check: you estimate six hours including setup, interior protection and cleanup. $524 ÷ 6 = $87 per hour, above your $82 target. If the job actually takes eight hours, you earned $65 an hour and need to raise your per-pane rates or speed up.

Optional add-on: track detailing for 24 windows at $4 = $96. Offer it on the quote as a line the customer can accept.

Tip: Record estimated versus actual time on every job for your first 20 homes. You will quickly learn which window styles and neighborhoods are profitable.

Pricing storefront routes

Storefronts are priced per visit:

Interior service usually adds 50-100 percent.

Route example: 35 shops averaging $28, cleaned twice a month = 70 visits × $28 = $1,960 per month. If the route takes 15 hours a month, that is about $130 per hour, which is why routes are so valuable. The same 35 shops spread across town might take 30 hours and earn $65 an hour. Density is everything: sign up shops block by block.

Pricing low-rise commercial

1. Count panes or measure glass area.
2. Note access: ground, ladder, water-fed pole, or lift rental.
3. Estimate hours by method, plus travel and setup.
4. Add equipment rental and any after-hours premium.
5. Present a per-visit price and an annual value with a frequency discount.

A three-story office with 186 exterior panes cleaned by water-fed pole might take about 10 crew hours. At $115 per crew hour for a two-person team with overhead, the quarterly exterior price would land near $1,150 per visit.

Recurring discounts that pay for themselves

Recurring clients cost less to serve: no marketing, faster cleans because windows stay cleaner, and a predictable calendar.

Answering "why so expensive?"

"We're fully insured, we follow ladder safety rules, we inspect your glass before we start, and every clean comes with a 7-day streak-free guarantee. If anything happens on your property, you're protected."

Customers who hire on price alone are rarely loyal. Customers who hire on trust rebook every season.

Pricing mistakes to avoid

• Quoting by gut feel. Always build from your hourly target.
• No minimum. Small jobs must cover travel and setup.
• Free screens and tracks. These take real time; price them.
• Same price for every floor. Upper floors take longer and carry more risk.
• Never raising prices. Review annually and give recurring clients 30 days' notice.

Pricing checklist

• ☐ Annual costs and owner pay totaled
• ☐ Realistic billable hours estimated
• ☐ Target hourly rate calculated
• ☐ Per-pane price sheet by floor and window type
• ☐ Add-on and minimum charges set
• ☐ Storefront per-visit price tiers
• ☐ Recurring discount schedule
• ☐ Time tracking for every job

Interior versus exterior pricing

Interior work takes longer than it looks: moving items off sills, laying drop cloths, wearing shoe covers, and working carefully around furniture. Many cleaners price inside and outside separately so customers can choose:

Offering exterior-only maintenance visits between full cleans is an easy way to keep customers on a recurring schedule at a price they accept.

Post-construction and restoration work

New construction glass is covered in paint, stucco, labels and adhesive, and scraping tempered glass can cause permanent scratches. Price this work hourly or as a quoted job with a clear scope, often at 2-4 times standard cleaning rates, and require a signed glass condition notice before you start. Hard water stain removal should always be tested on a small area first and priced separately, with results not guaranteed.

Tip: Publish a "starting at" price on your website, such as "Most single-story homes from $225," so leads arrive already expecting a professional price.

Your next step

Calculate your target hourly rate tonight, then time yourself cleaning your own windows, counting panes. Divide, and you have the start of your price sheet.

The full guide, Starting a Window Cleaning Business, covers OSHA ladder and rope descent rules, equipment and water-fed poles, glass care and scratch disclosures, route building, marketing, hiring and a 30/60/90-day plan for $0.99.