The short answer is that professional exterior window cleaning is priced by how many windows your home has, not by the hour. A single-story home with a handful of windows costs less than a large two-story home with a lot of glass. That is why any honest quote starts with a look at your actual home rather than a flat number over the phone.
Rather than list a dollar figure that would be wrong for most homes, this page explains what actually moves the price, so you can read any quote you get, including ours, and know it is fair.
What changes the price
A few things decide where your home lands.
- The number of windows. This is the biggest factor. More glass means more work, so pane count is what the price is built on.
- One story or two. Upper-story and hard-to-reach windows take more time and equipment than ground-floor glass, so a two-story home costs more than a single-story home with the same number of windows.
- How long since the last cleaning. The first cleaning on glass that has gone years without attention is always the biggest one, because there is more buildup to remove. Once a home is on a regular schedule, each visit is lighter and cheaper.
- Heavy mineral staining or construction residue. Light spotting comes off in a standard cleaning. Hard water staining that has etched in, or leftover residue from construction, takes extra work and does not always fully clear. We assess that up front so there are no surprises.
- Screens and add-ons. Some homes want screens cleaned or other extras, which adds to the scope. A good quote spells out exactly what is and is not included.
How pane-count bands work
We price windows in bands based on your window count rather than charging per pane, which keeps the quote simple and predictable. You get one clear price for the whole job before any work starts, and there are no add-ons that appear later on the invoice. That predictability is the point: you should know the number before we touch a thing.
How a recurring plan lowers the cost
The single biggest way to lower your long-term cost is a recurring plan. On a plan, you pay a reduced rate on every visit, and that discount applies starting with the very first cleaning, not just later ones. Glass that is cleaned on a schedule also never builds up the heavy staining that makes the first cleaning of a neglected home so labor-heavy, so you are paying the lighter maintenance rate instead of the recovery rate. Over a year, the plan is meaningfully cheaper than one-off cleanings, and you never have to remember to book.
How to compare window cleaning quotes fairly
The most common mistake is comparing two quotes that are not for the same work. Before you judge one quote against another, make sure each one covers the same scope: exterior glass, upper-story windows included, and the same treatment of screens and hard-to-reach panes. A lower number that quietly leaves out the second-story windows is not actually lower. Ask each company what is included, whether the price can change on site, and whether they are insured. A quote that is clear about all three is the one you can trust.
What about doing it yourself?
Cleaning your own ground-floor windows is doable, and for a small single-story home it may be all you need. The math changes on the upper floors. That is where the ladder, the time, and the streaks come in, and where the risk of a fall makes the savings not worth much. For most two-story homes, the professional cost buys back a Saturday and keeps you off a ladder, which is usually the whole reason people call.
Get an exact number for your home
The only way to know your price is a look at your actual windows. Request a free quote and we will give you the full price before any work begins, the one-time rate and the recurring plan rate side by side, so you can choose. We respond within one business day.