(LifeWire) - Overview of the Window Cleaning Business
A window cleaning home business provides a basic service to homes and businesses for which there will always be a need. A successful small window cleaning operation can expect to eventually gross about $4,000 a month in a medium-sized city, according to the small-business website Work-at-home.org. You'll be washing all kinds of windows at rates up to $25 an hour on a repeat schedule (the per-window rate often falls between $2 and $12.) Customer demand slows in winter in some regions of the country, but image-conscious businesses will likely have a need for clean, shiny windows throughout the year, or you can consider a second home business that offers services during your off season.
There is no formal training or even on-the-job experience necessary for window cleaning -- just the ability to do a good job on time and at a reasonable cost. Cleaning windows isn't rocket science, but there are plenty of tutorials available online if you need one, and it's a good idea to do some research into cleansers -- particularly eco-friendly cleaners -- and the other tools of the trade like sponges, squeegees and safety gear.
Pros of a Window Cleaning Home Business
- Turnover in the window cleaning business is high because of the repetitive and low-paying nature of the work, giving your business the chance to become established.
- Startup costs for a window cleaning home business can be as low as $250 for a one-person crew.
- Space requirements are minimal. All you'll need is a desk and computer at home to take care of scheduling and business management, and you can keep window cleaning supplies in the trunk of your car or in a garage.
- Your reasonable rates might be undercut by window cleaning outfits employing laborers (some of whom may even be illegal workers) for a pittance.
- Window cleaning work can be repetitive.
- The physical labor of window cleaning can be demanding.
What You Need to Get Started in a Window Cleaning Home Business
- Buckets, squeegees, brushes, rags, liquid soap
- Insurance and bonding, if necessary. Contact your local Chamber of Commerce to see if such insurance is necessary.
- Business cards, print and online advertising, vehicle signage and a website to promote your window cleaning home business
- A vehicle with sufficient cargo space to store your tools of the trade, possibly including a ladder
- An answering service or assistant to deal with inquiries. It's a service business where customers want to hear an actual human being at the other end. Some third-party answering services can make window cleaning appointments for you.
- Creative advertising. One owner told Work-at-home.org that he offered a free washing in exchange for placing a flyer in the sparkling window he just cleaned, half-off for trying the answering service he used, and attractive college students to do some of his washing. All were successful.
Window Cleaner: Real-Life Example
Ramon Torres, a New York City window washer, makes $45,428 a year, according to New York Magazine. Alfred D'Andrea III's family-owned A&A Window Cleaning of Cranston, R.I., has $89,000 in estimated annual sales, according to a Manta.com business profile.
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More on Starting a Home Business
- Starting a Home Business
- 8 Steps to a Business Identity
- 9 Obstacles to Starting a Home Business - and How to Overcome Them
