Once you have the proper equipment, know how to wash windows and have done the preliminary business steps, you are on your way to getting customers!
This is the most challenging part of the window washing business - and the most rewarding.
Commercial Accounts
If you want business accounts, you cannot be a wallflower. You are going to have to "cold call" businesses. Here are some tips to give you courage for cold calling:
- You are offering a valuable service. Not everyone knows how to professionally clean glass.
- Make sure you are confident in the basics of cleaning glass. Practice at home and on your neighbors' windows.
- Dress the part. Make sure you are wearing your clean work shirt and clean pants or shorts.
- Have your business cards ready and know what you are going to say before cold calling.
Armed with your business cards and trusty pen, go to the nearest strip mall. Go into the first store in the strip mall and say something like, "Hi, my name is Blair, and I'm with Squeegee Boy Service, is your manager available?" If so, ask the manger if you may give him a free estimate on cleaning their glass. Tell him the estimate is for the outside glass and both the inside and outside of his glass door. Write the estimate on the back of your business card. Often you will be hired on the spot.
Most business want their glass cleaned twice a month or bi-monthly. If they want their glass cleaned weekly, tell them you will give them a discount and knock a dollar or two off the estimate.
If the manager is not available, request to leave your estimate for washing their windows. Again, write the estimate on the back of the card and leave it. It's that simple. It takes a little nerve, but once you start getting accounts, it becomes fun as the money starts rolling in.
Often you will get other referrals after servicing an account. For instance, I cleaned one business account in a chain and acquired three locations of the same chain by referral of the manger. You will encounter the same if you do a great job, are consistently there and work for a fair price.
Pricing for Business or Commercial Accounts
In honesty, this will take some practice. At first you will both underbid and overbid. But mostly, you will underbid the job. For an "average" strip mall storefront, I would charge between $6-$8. That includes the outside glass and both sides of the door. These jobs should take 10-15 minutes of your time.
The only way you will get the hang of pricing both commercial and residential accounts is by experience. The good news is that you will learn very quickly after pricing yourself at $5 a hour. Always estimate too much to begin with. You will generally estimate the job taking less time than it actually does.
I averaged $15 per hour working commercial accounts to stay competitive with other window washers.
Residential Accounts
The two best methods I used for getting residential accounts quickly include:
- Going to neighborhoods and placing fliers in doors (never leave fliers in or on mailboxes). When I felt comfortable giving estimates, I would write an estimate for their home right on the flier and leave it in their door.
- Placing a small ad in the local paper. This would generate accounts for both residential and commercial accounts.
Try these methods. Go to neighborhoods in suburban areas. Alwaysleave fliers for houses that have sun rooms. They are easy accounts to obtain and will pay for a good window washer.
Pricing Houses for Window Washing
Houses are the hardest to get a feel for, so understand that when you first go out, you will likely underbid. It's the only way you will learn how to properly estimate houses.
The best rule of thumb I can give you for pricing houses:
- Charge $1.50 - $2 per "average" sized residential window. This is for the outside of the glass only. Double the charge for an inside and out job.
- Charge $3 - $4 per second story window that required ladder work. It takes extra time to set up, climb and move the ladder for each second story window.
- Avoid storm windows if possible. Trust me on this. Many storm windows are very old and may not have been removed in years. They can be a major hassle to remove and replace. I have spent upward of 15 minutes trying to remove a single frozen storm window. If I really needed the work, I charged $3.00-$4.00 per storm window in addition to the outside glass to be cleaned. This included washing the inside and outside of the storm window.
After bidding on houses for a season or two, you will know by looking at a house about how long it will take and price accordingly. I averaged anywhere between $25 on the very low end and $60 or more an hour cleaning residential windows. My clients were happy to pay the fee. If you do a great job, your clients will as well.
If you're interested in more tips on how to start your window washing business, read about window washing equipment, how to wash windows like a pro and how to get your window washing business started.
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