Merry Christmas!
It’s officially December, and at my house we say Merry Christmas! I realize that not everyone celebrates Christmas, and this time of year may bring more pain than happiness depending on your past and current events. For me personally it will always be merry as long as Jesus is Lord.
As a child growing up I always viewed Christmas like winning the lottery or something. We would go from begging for snickers bars at grocery stores to all of a sudden opening up a $100 gift or two. As a child with no income that was always an amazing feeling.
Now that I’m older, I’ve learned each year that the reason it’s a great time of year has nothing to do with what’s under the tree, and nothing to do with my personal expectations being met each year. It’s really about remembering the one who hung on the tree, and 3 days later rose from the dead. Jesus is the reason we have any hope at all, and the cross was and is the deepest form of love every shown. If you haven’t ever experienced the deep love of God, then I encourage you to be vulnerable enough to pray regardless of your current beliefs. If you are someone who thinks the whole message is foolishness (see 1 Corinthians 1:18) then I encourage you to dig deeper in the history and archeology around the writings of Paul, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John before writing it off.
Finally, I want to encourage every reader regardless of beliefs to make this a season of love and giving. If you can help out a friend or neighbor then please do so! If you’re the one needing help then don’t be shy about asking and looking for opportunities!
How much should I charge?
It was March of 2019, and I was about to start my first business called “Window Cleaners of Brandon”. After working so many hourly jobs it was safe to say I had an “hourly mindset” going into this. I can remember starting out with 8 stores to clean windows for at a local mall, and mathematically it was amazing per hour. I calculated that I was averaging $33 per hour, and since my highest paying hourly job before that was $19.25 per hour then I had finally “arrived”. Just like the YouTube videos had shown me it only takes $300 of equipment, some soap, and a few towels to clean windows. If you’re reading this as an entrepreneur you’re probably already laughing, and if you’re reading this with an hourly mindset you may not realize the true cost of running your own business.
That $33/hr quickly turned into $38/hr as I got faster and more efficient. The problem early on though was these 8 stores every other week only provided me about 12 hours per month which isn’t much money at all. I learned early on that I needed to form an LLC, buy general liability insurance, and keep paying variable overhead like gas in my car, and new squeegee rubbers as an example. What I didn’t really know was how to get new customers. I tried talking to some other stores at the mall, and eventually 8 stores turned into 10, and then I started letting friends and neighbors know I’d clean residential homes also but no takers at first.
During May of 2019 a realtor was nice enough to refer me to clean windows at a house. Since I didn’t really know how to price it out, I bid about $125 for this big home that should have been closer to $300 inside and out. This is what people do whenever they’re new in business. They underbid almost every job at first because they’re desperate and afraid of hearing the word “no”. So, there I was with a little giant on top of my old rusted out 20-year-old Toyota Corolla car spending 5 hours on a Saturday because I still hadn’t done good at created boundaries around my work schedule to keep Saturdays off. I remember leaving that job feeling satisfied to earn $25/hr because I still had the “employee mindset”, and because I figured next time I can work faster and average $35/hr or better. That’s how the employee mindset works.
Fast forward some to March of 2020, and I was sitting down with a CPA do run my business taxes for the first time ever. Since I had paid $0 in taxes that calendar year, didn’t put myself on payroll, and didn’t have anything big to write off it turned into a wakeup call for me. That $33/hr I was so proud of part-time was actually worse than if I had worked a normal job. I mathematically would have been better off working for $19/hr. again at a job where I didn’t have to pay for marketing, materials, gas, and now taxes. Yes, work was picking up some with word of mouth spreading, but as long as I kept underbidding jobs it wouldn’t be worth continuing.
I want to pause my personal story right there and point out that one of the main reasons so many small businesses fail is being underpriced. Yes, I’m a consumer also and I don’t want to feel overcharged either, but the truth is if these companies don’t charge a reasonable amount, they will just become another statistic as they go out of business or realize a regular job is more worth their time. If you’re reading this as a newer entrepreneur, then I want to encourage you to come up with your own pricing that has nothing to do with your competition. Yes, you do want to be in the right ballpark, but please don’t copy someone else who may be going out of business soon.
Here’s a mathematical way to know how much to charge for a service business. Keep in mind these percentages are not set in stone, but just a ballpark example…
Marketing = 7-10% (if they don’t know you exist then don’t exist)
Fixed overhead = 20% (think insurance, vehicles, and software etc..)
Variable overhead = 5-15% (gas, equipment, uniforms, and whatever else)
Technician pay = 20-30% (the person in the field actually doing the service and their taxes)
Manager/admin = 15% (as you grow a team of 3-4 technicians, you’ll need a good admin/manager)
Retainer/growth = 5% (you need a minimum of 5% as savings for future growth or unplanned things)
Net profits/owner pay = 10%
The answer to how much you should charge is in these percentages above. If you have a $100 job to do and the technicians desires to earn $20/hr average, then we know this job needs to be 1 hour or less of their time including drive times. If you work alone, and wear every hat (technician, manager, and owner) then you can comfortably take home 50% of every job. That’s why solo workers can charge you less than growing companies can. If you have a team of employees, then you know by these percentages that you need to average $100 + per hour to keep the technicians pay at $20+ per hour.
The employee mindset thinks averaging $35/hr. is amazing because the only number they ever focused on is “technician pay”. The owner mindset can see that the business will die quickly at $35/hr. and actually needs closer to $100/hr. to even make a 10% profit that year. So, I encourage any entrepreneur reading this to do the basic math, and figure out what’s a fair amount to charge for your product or service? What are some ways you can be more efficient so as you work a little faster you can also charge a little less? If you raise prices to where you’re out of the ballpark of competition it won’t work, but if you undercut the prices of people who are going out of business next year that also won’t work well for you. Focus on adding more value than others, and charging what you’re worth. The right customers will pay a little bit more for the company that’s professional and does great work.
More than cosmetic
When you think of window cleaning, you might only think about the “view” or the feeling of it. Did you know that your windows are actually one of the most expensive investments in your home? If you have neglected windows for years, then it may end up costing tens of thousands of dollars to replace them depending on the situation. That doesn’t mean that window cleaning is guaranteed to solve all window issues, but it certainly helps to keep them maintained every 3-6 months. On top of that you will notice other benefits like natural light, less bugs, and a cleaner overall living environment as a result of window cleaning.
I know a lot of people try to avoid paying $200-$500 (for average homes) to have their windows cleaned, but in the long run it can actually end up saving you money and help you enjoy your house even more. Residential window washing isn’t just about the glass. It’s also about cleaning frames, window screens, and window tracks too. We recommend a minimum of two cleanings per year, but ideally it would be done 3-4 times per year depending on the location of your home (what landscaping, trees, and water sprinklers are near by play a big factor). As always, we would love to provide an estimate if you live near Valdosta, GA.
DIY window cleaning
I want to give you 3 tips for cleaning your own windows from a professional window cleaner. I realize that not everyone wants to pay $8-$20 per window to hire a professional to clean their windows. You also don’t want to take a spray bottle and smear the windows with a towel where it looks bad. I’ll admit that a bottle and towel is better than not cleaning them at all. Hopefully these 3 tips will help simplify window cleaning for you…
Tip #1 Just use dawn soap and water. Yes I know there’s so many options out there, and your Grandparents may tell you about newspapers and vinegar for example. That natural acid may be a good trick for hard water spots, but just a standard cleaning is best with dawn soap and water. All you need is about 1 tablespoon per 2 quarts of water mixed around. It’s ideal to apply it to the window with a t-bar and scrubber commonly found at hardware stores.
Tip #2 Use grade 0000 steel wool to help scrub out caked on dirt, and things that won’t come off easily. It’s very important to be 0000 instead of grade 00 or 000 for example as they may scratch the glass. It’s also very important to not do this on tinted windows or use it when it’s rusted. Typically, you just apply the soap then gently rub in a circular motion on the wet glass.
Tip #3 Use a window cleaning squeegee instead of towels. You may have seen professionals doing the “fanning technique” and felt intimidated by that. The truth is you can quickly learn how to do straight pulls. Just start on one side of the window, and pull the squeegee to the other side. If you’ve never used a squeegee before it does help to be at about a 30-40 degree angle, use a medium grip, and confidently move the squeegee from one side to the other side then use a dry towel to wipe the edges. I’m not saying it will be as good as professional does it, but it will be better than using a spray bottle and towels.
If you buy $50-$80 of basic tools, and at the end of the day decide it’s still frustrating then we’re always here for you. Just fill out the estimate form on our home page, and we’re happy to give you an estimate so you don’t have to spend 5 hours on a Saturday messing with this.
Gutter Cleaning pricing
Some people want a quick flat price over the phone for gutter cleaning, but the truth is it’s not quite as cookie cutter as say window cleaning. We don’t know how steep the roof is, how full the gutters are, and if there’s going to be height issues. If the roof is too steep that creates more work because now you have to move your ladder every 10’ or so instead of easily walking the roof line. If the gutters are super full of debris, it can turn a 2-hour job into 3-4 hours. Sometimes the downspouts easily flush out, and other times you might have to take it apart just to clear it out.
It’s also important to understand what you’re paying for. A standard gutter cleaning includes removing debris, and making sure downspouts are mostly cleared out to be functional. If you’re expecting pressure washing, and gutter brightening type of work then that’s a separate service that’s more in alignment with “house washing”. If you just want a ballpark idea in 2025 about gutter cleaning pricing it can range from around $150 all the way up to $1,500 depending on the factors listed above. $150-$300 range is normal for 1 story homes that are about 2,000 ish sq ft. The two-story homes is where prices start going up based on difficulties.
Window cleaning isn’t for everyone!
The truth is nobody has to pay for window cleaning. There I said it! If people are living check to check and trying to decide between food or window cleaning, then you should pick food. Window cleaning isn’t for everyone. Infact, you can do a decent job cleaning your own windows. You can also cut your own grass, wash your own car, clean your own house, and the list goes on and on. Even if you’re not living check to check, you may simply not really care about window cleaning. Just shut the blinds and basically ignore the windows.
There’s basically 4 categories of people who will pay for window cleaning…
#1 About to sell/rent a home:
If you’re about to ask someone to pay hundreds of thousands of dollars to buy your home, or thousands monthly to rent it then having everything clean is key. Avoiding paying a few hundred for a professional window cleaner or even a floor cleaner for example may result in a buyer selecting a different home. Whenever you’re about to sell or rent a home it’s no longer just a home. Now it becomes an investment, and everything you do to get it ready is simply part of getting a better ROI.
#2 You value time over money
Yes, you can buy basic window cleaning equipment, watch videos, and spend maybe 6 hours on a Saturday cleaning your own windows. This may “save” you $200-$300 but now you’ve lost a Saturday, and notice all of the streaks on your windows because you didn’t really know what you were doing. The person who realizes time with family, time relaxing, or even time working overtime is more valuable than a couple hundred bucks will gladly pay for window cleaning.
#3 You are not physically able to DIY
This one is pretty self explanatory. You may not be physically able to clean them yourself for a number of reasons, or you could but recognize the safety risk that comes with that.
#4 Hosting a gathering
A lot of people like to wait until the week before Thanksgiving as an example before paying for window cleaning. Really, though it can be any type of gathering at your house where the windows may look dirty/green and be almost embarrassing if people notice them.
Whatever your reason for window cleaning might be we hope you will consider using us if you live near Valdosta, GA. Simply fill out the form on our website home page.
Why “Simply Window Cleaning”
I want this first blog to be about our name, and why this name is important to us. Have you ever called around for 3 quotes for any type of service to realize that people are difficult to work with at times? Maybe 2 out of 3 actually answered the phone, and the 2 that answered gave you a run-around about prices and timing. I know this has happened to me with services like painting, flooring, junk removal, and other services.
Our mission is to make everything as simple as possible for you! We want the whole experience from start to finish to be as simple as possible. Here’s some examples of what we’re doing to give you a great experience…
We shortened the quote form on our website so anyone can request a quote in 2-3 minutes
Our prices are clearly posted based on sq footage so it’s not a mystery
We have software that sends out reminders, and invoices for your convenience
We provide a 14-day rain Guarantee for homes so you don’t feel nervous and reschedule due to weather
We don’t ask or expect you to remove your window screens
We don’t ask a bunch of questions about your windows
Whenever you hire a service provider you don’t want to answer 18 questions, and be on the phone for 20 minutes just to figure out a price. You also don’t want a company that’s always booked 5 weeks out. We know your time is valuable so we make it simple. We know the small things matter like wearing shoe covers, having proper insurance, and background/drug testing anyone we hire. If you are a person who enjoys making everything difficult then we may not be a great fit for you. If you enjoy simplicity, then we’d love to serve you!