Commercial window cleaning prices

[Cghwindowcleaning]

I’m full commercial and have been involved in commercial window cleaning in some form for quite some time.I have a good solid round and am not desperate for any new work.

just lately mind I’m shocked at how low some people are quoting or doing jobs for.My area is absolutely saturated with window cleaners but some people are even travelling in and still going in cheap.

I looked at a job Monday in Hitchin it’s an affluent area in Hertfordshire the average house price is over half a million.It was 47 apartments ranging over 3-4 floors with communal areas entrance ways etc and parking isn’t great.

it’s being cleaned for £240+vat every 6 weeks now this isn’t a one off low job.looked at a serviced office block in December 3-4 floors in height rubbish parking cars in the way really dirty poor frames etc annual clean and one of my competitors picked it up for peanuts.

I know I’m not cheap but these sort of prices are silly imo.

I know it will very from area and that most on here are residential but how are others who do a good amount of commercial window cleaning finding it picking up and retaining good work at present??

 

[Damo]

Over the last 2/3 months we’ve had some very nice commercial work come in BUT tbh I’m just waiting to be undercut on it.

Did a first clean and it was £180 and took 3 hours with hot water. Now the next clean I would say maybe 2hrs tops. Things is, someone will quote £100 and get it. £50 an hour is still good going for a small commercial job. All outside, no access issues, clean when you want and fast payment.

We lost a repeat school last year. We did the job for £2200 and after it was done I was thinking £2500 was more like it. So I wasn’t far out.

We got asked to put a price in and I basically said I would go in at £2200 even though it should be more. Cost of living and all that jazz. They came back and said I would need to match £1100!!!! So basically half what I quoted.

I was told the company name and they’re “ok” not amazing quality as we do pick up their work.

Thing is, on that job I pulled a franchisee off his round. So his day rate HAS to be higher than what he earns on normal straight forward day.

I can’t compete with a company who employs. They’re paying £10-£15 an hour wage.

I think the commercial market is getting dragged down and it won’t be long before you’re on £30-£40 an hour.

 

[Pjj]

I’m full commercial and have been involved in commercial window cleaning in some form for quite some time.I have a good solid round and am not desperate for any new work.

just lately mind I’m shocked at how low some people are quoting or doing jobs for.My area is absolutely saturated with window cleaners but some people are even travelling in and still going in cheap.

I looked at a job Monday in Hitchin it’s an affluent area in Hertfordshire the average house price is over half a million.It was 47 apartments ranging over 3-4 floors with communal areas entrance ways etc and parking isn’t great.

it’s being cleaned for £240+vat every 6 weeks now this isn’t a one off low job.looked at a serviced office block in December 3-4 floors in height rubbish parking cars in the way really dirty poor frames etc annual clean and one of my competitors picked it up for peanuts.

I know I’m not cheap but these sort of prices are silly imo.

I know it will very from area and that most on here are residential but how are others who do a good amount of commercial window cleaning finding it picking up and retaining good work??

Sorry to hear you are experiencing this , without wanting to be accused of boasting we are still picking up commercial work at very good prices we do a lot for a very well known company that some say don’t want to pay a decent price just got 4 more schemes starting in April , I won’t put up prices on hear but let’s just say it’s very worth while doing . We put up all our commercial prices last year due to the firm stating that they expect to see the price increase year on year. I didn’t want to risk loosing this work as it’s extremely good paying work , and was more than happy with what we earn from it , just had them agree to a 10% rise as of the new contract that starts in April they said they expect our prices to rise by inflation each year . The hotels and apartment blocks we do have also agreed to the same rise in prices . I personally feel that some of theses jobs we do the process is so protracted to get the contract in the first place it’s easier to stay with the existing contractor , rather than change if they are happy with what’s being done . What type of commercial do you do ?

 

[Part Timer]

We now find residential work, £10-£12 for 3 bed semis, is better work than trying to compete with the big local companies in the NE. However we are finding the residential block cleaning down south much much better.
I suppose if the flats are rented out they aren't bothered about the quality, just the price.

 

[Cghwindowcleaning]

@Damo fully agree with what you say as you know I’m not far from you.
As an example schools for instance have gone backwards in price in my town.I must have priced 10 in the last 5 years not got one they are getting cleaned for less than they were 10 years ago.

This work use to command a premium it’s not the case anymore.

@Pjj I clean all sorts from small shops and restaurants to offices,schools and a lot of my work is for management companies.Don’t get me wrong I have good work,good prices and work with some good companies I’ve just noticed that round here at the moment not only is it really competitive some people are pushing prices backwards.

 

[scottish cleaning service]

Up here we still have plenty folk using the Trad method and the transition is slow to develop. I think that's the reason we can charge good prices but once everyone changes over to wfp then we will see the same situation. I think the folk who are undercutting your prices will be racing round and if they get pulled up (which is unlikely) they will just tell the client to find someone else, because that's what usually happens from under-priced work.

 

[Cghwindowcleaning]

We now find residential work, £10-£12 for 3 bed semis, is better work than trying to compete with the big local companies in the NE. However we are finding the residential block cleaning down south much much better.
I suppose if the flats are rented out they aren't bothered about the quality, just the price

A large amount of my work is block management.There are loads of management companies that have sprung up lately round here and they seem to all cut back on window cleaning.When I started monthly and bi monthly we’re the normal now it’s quarterly,six monthly or annually.
This work was always safe as houses and good prices but even this isn’t as good as it was.

I spoke with someone from a management company recently and a few of their sites where struggling for money..The cost of living has seen people default on their service charge.Also if any buildings need work with the cost of labour and materials down here it’s eaten away at emergency reserve funds.

 

[matt1458]

We lost a repeat school last year. We did the job for £2200 and after it was done I was thinking £2500 was more like it. So I wasn’t far out.

We’ve just put in a quote for a repeat school that’s out of area and is hassle. We went in silly low first year we started up not knowing what was what and have been going up in big chunks ever since. Tbh as much as I like commercial work at this point I’m looking to find the point they say no

 

[Damo]

@Damo fully agree with what you say as you know I’m not far from you.
As an example schools for instance have gone backwards in price in my town.I must have priced 10 in the last 5 years not got one they are getting cleaned for less than they were 10 years ago.

This work use to command a premium it’s not the case anymore.

@Pjj I clean all sorts from small shops and restaurants to offices,schools and a lot of my work is for management companies.Don’t get me wrong I have good work,good prices and work with some good companies I’ve just noticed that round here at the moment not only is it really competitive some people are pushing prices backwards.

Just as a matter of interest, when it comes to schools do you trad bottoms or is it all water fed pole?

No end of commercial jobs we do would be easier if we did them trad bottoms. I just can’t be bothered and I’m lazy now.

On the last school we did, we had one guy doing trad work but this was bottoms only. It was because of awkward vents and crappy aluminium frames.

I’ve had my van fitted out with hot water now like some of my franchisees and I must say on first cleans/commercial it’s a game changer.

 

[Cghwindowcleaning]

Just as a matter of interest, when it comes to schools do you trad bottoms or is it all water fed pole?

No end of commercial jobs we do would be easier if we did them trad bottoms. I just can’t be bothered and I’m lazy now.

On the last school we did, we had one guy doing trad work but this was bottoms only. It was because of awkward vents and crappy aluminium frames.

I’ve had my van fitted out with hot water now like some of my franchisees and I must say on first cleans/commercial it’s a game changer.

I only have one school.It’s a large private school on a country estate out by Hertford the buildings are a mix of very old and ultra modern so I use both wfp and trad on it.It’s an annual clean and to be honest it’s become a bit of a ball ache to fit in to my schedule and it’s hard graft.

I did clean a secondary school in Stevenage a couple of years back it was all ground floor.The frames were shot to bits.They were metal with flakey paint and cracked chalky putty it was much easier to trad this I didn’t even attempt wfp as I could see it would be a nightmare the frames would have crumbled.

I don’t price many schools now.

My commercial is all pretty much regular maintenance work.I demoed a hot system with Grippa at the time I didn’t think it would benefit me much.
As I get older that may change the warm pole alone seems like a benefit?although I may wait and stick it in a brand new van which I may change next year.

 

[Part Timer]

I’ve had my van fitted out with hot water now like some of my franchisees and I must say on first cleans/commercial it’s a game changer

Especially when it's-5 at 8am

 

[Dave B]

@Cghwindowcleaning you know the areas I work
Pear tree school used to be £450 3 times a year for 1 man 1 day each time and lost that as apparently the caretaker can do it
Lost some from a pm company in the old town due to cutbacks
Expecting to lose a block right near my house also as tender is due and have a bad feeling
Domestic is more reliable at the moment

 

[scottish cleaning service]

I only have one school.It’s a large private school on a country estate out by Hertford the buildings are a mix of very old and ultra modern so I use both wfp and trad on it.It’s an annual clean and to be honest it’s become a bit of a ball ache to fit in to my schedule and it’s hard graft.

I did clean a secondary school in Stevenage a couple of years back it was all ground floor.The frames were shot to bits.They were metal with flakey paint and cracked chalky putty it was much easier to trad this I didn’t even attempt wfp as I could see it would be a nightmare the frames would have crumbled.

I don’t price many schools now.

My commercial is all pretty much regular maintenance work.I demoed a hot system with Grippa at the time I didn’t think it would benefit me much.
As I get older that may change the warm pole alone seems like a benefit?although I may wait and stick it in a brand new van which I may change next year.

I found its best to make this game as easy as reasonably possible. Folk seem to worry about the cost of hot water but its peanuts compared with the time it saves. Light poles with 35cm brushes attached makes one fly through our work. ?

 

[Damo]

I found its best to make this game as easy as reasonably possible. Folk seem to worry about the cost of hot water but its peanuts compared with the time it saves. Light poles with 35cm brushes attached makes one fly through our work. ?

We’re slowing converting all the vans to diesel hot but it’s a big outlay. Only another 7 to go

 

[matt1458]

Just as a matter of interest, when it comes to schools do you trad bottoms or is it all water fed pole?

No end of commercial jobs we do would be easier if we did them trad bottoms. I just can’t be bothered and I’m lazy now.

On the last school we did, we had one guy doing trad work but this was bottoms only. It was because of awkward vents and crappy aluminium frames.

I’ve had my van fitted out with hot water now like some of my franchisees and I must say on first cleans/commercial it’s a game changer.

We do maybe 5 or 6 a year (although not sure what this year will bring), unfortunately mostly bigguns. This one in particular is a monster, I lost count at 600 window units and we do it inside and out.

That place is 2 on WFP outside, 2 trad inside, and it still takes 1.5 days to get around properly, but, and probably shouldn’t say this, but from what I’ve learned with schools of all sizes, the fact they can tick the box to say they’ve had them done is the most important thing to them. Half the time i swear they’d be happiest with just WFP over the upvc to make the place look white again.

We stipulate classroom window displays removed before the summer holidays, which generally happens, but if you wanted to properly trad the internals you’d be removing blu tac and sellotape for the entire summer holiday break.

It’s a shame because you want to do the best job you can but with schools it is what it is

 

[Windowcleaningfleet]

Pricing all depends on your location ETC.

99% residential here , Do a few businesses like Starbucks/KFC and other big businesses /buildings etc.

I find that I can make more ££ on residentials... 10 houses on one road is better to me than a commercial building, the commercial prices are low here in the North East,

If u live up South then Im guessing the commercial side of things will be more profitable as the prices up there are more feasible.

But depends on where you are in the country for example The North East is a total different country to South Yorkshire - its like two different countries when you look at the average window cleaning prices from each town/city - its crazy when you see the difference in pricing.

The best way to find your average cost of a window clean in each town/city is to find what the average barber charges - in my area the barbers average price matches with the average window cleaning price, This is the case in most citys/towns across the UK , the barber going rate is also the window cleaning rate

 

[scottish cleaning service]

We’re slowing converting all the vans to diesel hot but it’s a big outlay. Only another 7 to go

I went hot from the beginning with the Webasto heater. Oliver from Grippa services it each year and I believe it's well worth it. I will be sign writing my new van saying I use hot water which gives me the edge against the opposition because customers ask what "hot water cleans better than cold" on my van door means. I studied a big expanding group called preen&clean who seem to be doing very well down south who seem to have the edge. If you can't beat them then you have got to join them is my policy. fwiw

 

[ched999uk]

We’re slowing converting all the vans to diesel hot but it’s a big outlay. Only another 7 to go

Did you stick to one hot water system or have you tried different ones and found any one better than the others?

 

[Damo]

Did you stick to one hot water system or have you tried different ones and found any one better than the others?

We have Grippatank systems in all of our vans so it was no brainier to go down that route.

Whether it’s an employee or franchisee I have always stuck with GT. The setup and quality is amazing, along with custom work I want doing. The customer service can be hit and miss but they ALWAYS come through in the end.

GT have evolved their hot systems from the get go. Essentially it is a basic setup and most hot systems are the same. Webasto heater etc etc.

But if you buy a hot water “add on” from a well known company, it’s still the same inside from I believe 2012 era. My friend had one fitted last summer and it failed on two joints, I looked at them and I was shocked they haven’t changed the fittings. I said to him they were leaking over 10 years ago. Same old, same old. I replaced the fitting for him as I had a spare hot cabinet in bits (project of mine)

 

[scottish cleaning service]

We have Grippatank systems in all of our vans so it was no brainier to go down that route.

Whether it’s an employee or franchisee I have always stuck with GT. The setup and quality is amazing, along with custom work I want doing. The customer service can be hit and miss but they ALWAYS come through in the end.

GT have evolved their hot systems from the get go. Essentially it is a basic setup and most hot systems are the same. Webasto heater etc etc.

But if you buy a hot water “add on” from a well known company, it’s still the same inside from I believe 2012 era. My friend had one fitted last summer and it failed on two joints, I looked at them and I was shocked they haven’t changed the fittings. I said to him they were leaking over 10 years ago. Same old, same old. I replaced the fitting for him as I had a spare hot cabinet in bits (project of mine)

I'm with you on GT they get it right in the end. I think they take on too much work and find it hard when a problem sets in like a broken part which can happen. One van is enough for me which is good with this cold weather and I can decide to stay in all day.

 

[Clean zero]

Get it right in the end !! It needs to be right from the start customer services you are on a merry go round passed around .Lesson learnt was not impressed with them glad you had a different experience