How to Start a Window Cleaning Business

Ready to start your window cleaning business? Window cleaning is a relatively low-cost business to start-up, and has the potential for high earnings. However, as with any business, there are a few things you need to do to get started on the right foot.

Advantages of Starting Window Cleaning Business

There are several advantages of starting your own window cleaning business. Primarily, you are in control of your own hours and income. If you want to work full-time or just part-time, the choice is yours. Secondly, a window cleaning business requires relatively little start-up costs.

You will need ladders, a bucket, squeegees, scrapers, and cleaning solutions, which can all be purchased for a few hundred dollars. Lastly, there is a consistent demand for window cleaners, so you will always have customers.

Now that we’ve gone over some of the advantages of starting your own window cleaning business, let’s talk about how to get started.

1. Decide What Services You will Offer

The first step is to decide what services you will offer. Will you just clean residential windows, or will you also clean commercial properties? Do you want to offer additional services such as gutter cleaning? The more services you offer, the more customers you will be able to attract. However, you don’t want to bite off more than you can chew, so start small and gradually add services as your business grows.

2. Make a Deep Research on Your Competitors

There must be several competitors who offer the same windows cleaning service as you in your area. So, it is quite important to have researched them before starting your business. This will give you some ideas about how to make your service unique and stand out from the others. You can also get an idea about what services they offer and their prices.

3. Consider Joining a Franchise

While it is not necessary to join a franchise, it can be helpful. A franchise will provide you with support and resources, which can be invaluable when starting your own business.

4. Calculate Your Budget

Opening a business requires a lot of money, so you need to calculate how much you can spend on your window cleaning business. You need to consider the cost of equipment, supplies, and marketing. Additionally, you need to have some money set aside for unexpected costs.

5. Start from Your Home

You don’t need to rent or buy a commercial space to start your window cleaning business. You can start from your home, which will save you a lot of money in the beginning. Once your business starts to grow, you can consider renting or buying a commercial space.

6. Price Your Services

The next step is to make your price. You need to consider the cost of your equipment and supplies, as well as your time. However, you also need to be competitive with other window cleaners in your area. 

A good way to find out what to charge is to call around and get quotes from other window cleaners. Once you have an idea of what others are charging, you can set your price.

There are mainly three ways to set the price of your services.

• By the hour
• By the number of windows
• By the square footage

The most common way to price window cleaning services is by the number of windows. This is because it is the easiest way for customers to understand and compare prices. Additionally, it allows you to give discounts for larger jobs. For example, you could charge $5 per window for a house with 10 windows, or $4 per window for a house with 20 windows.

Another way to price your services is by the square footage. This is common for commercial window cleaning jobs. To calculate the price, you need to know the square footage of the windows. For example, you could charge $0.10 per square foot for a 1,000 square foot office.

The last way to price your services is by the hour. This is less common, but it can be helpful if you have a very large job or you are unsure of the size of the job. For example, you could charge $50 per hour for a job that takes 10 hours to complete.

No matter which pricing method you choose, make sure you are competitive with other window cleaners in your area. Additionally, make sure you are charging enough to cover your costs and make a profit.

7. Register Your Business

After you have considered all of the above steps, the next step is to register your business. You need to choose a business name, and then register it with the government. 

You need to obtain the necessary permits and licenses before you can start your window cleaning business. The requirements vary by state and local government, but you will likely need a business license. Additionally, you may need a permit to operate your business from your home.

8. Choose a Business Entity

The next step is to choose a business entity. There are several different business entities, and each has its own advantages and disadvantages. The most common business entities are sole proprietorships, partnerships, limited liability companies (LLCs), and corporations.

9. Get the Necessary Equipment

Once you have decided on the services you will offer, you need to get the necessary equipment. As we mentioned before, window cleaning requires little start-up costs; You will need ladders, a bucket, squeegees, scrapers, and cleaning solutions. You can purchase all of this equipment for a few hundred dollars.

10. Obtain Insurance

You also need to obtain insurance for your business. It is worth investing in because you hire people, and you’ll need workers’ compensation and unemployment insurance. This will also protect you financially if something goes wrong. 

For example, Your employees may be easy to hurt while they’re on the job, and in some cases, if you damage a customer’s property and customers may sue you. 

The type of insurance you need will vary by business, but it is important to have at least some coverage. You can obtain insurance through an insurance agent or broker.

11. Apply for a Business Loan

If you need financial assistance to start your business, you can apply for a business loan. There are many different types of business loans available, and each has its own terms and conditions. You will need to meet the lender’s qualifications in order to be approved for a loan.

Some common types of business loans are:

• SBA loans
• Term loans
• Line of credit
• Equipment financing

Before you apply for a loan, make sure you know how much money you need and what you will use it for. This will help you to choose the right type of loan for your business. Additionally, make sure you understand the terms and conditions of the loan before you apply.

12. Market Your Business

You need to market your business to acquire leads. There are many ways to market your business, and the most effective way may be SEO, Google Ads, and customer referrals.

SEO

You need to rank your keywords like “window cleaning service near me”, “window cleaning supplies” and “window cleaning in your city” on the first page of Google to get organic traffic. 

The first step is to find out what keywords people are searching for when they need a window cleaning service. This can be done by using the Google Keyword Planner. Look for keywords that have high monthly searches and low competition.

Once you know which keywords to target, the next step is to optimize your website for those keywords. This includes creating high quality content for your commercial pages and blog pages.

Google Ads

Google Ads is a paid advertising service that allows you to place ads on Google.com and other Google-affiliated websites. When customers search for keywords that are relevant to your business, your ad will appear in the results.

Google Ads can be an effective way to reach your target market as they appear mostly on the first page of Google search results. However, it is important to note that you will be charged for each click on your ad. Therefore, it is important to choose your keywords carefully and target your ads to customers who are likely to be interested in your product or service.

13. Prepare Yourself for Different Hats

The final step is to prepare yourself for different hats. This means being prepared to wear many different hats as you start and grow your business. As the owner of a small business, you will likely be responsible for everything from marketing to accounting to customer service. It is important to be prepared for all aspects of running a business.

Final Thought

There are many things to consider when starting a window cleaning business. However, if you follow these steps, you may be well on your way to success. With hard work and dedication, you can build a successful business that will provide you with a great income.