Are you looking to start a window washing business? Are you unsure how much to charge for your services?

Starting a window business doesn’t have to be intimidating. An established glass franchise can help you navigate all the important calculations that come with being your own boss.

Determining a fair labor rate for your own window franchise may seem complicated at first. But once you understand the basics, you’ll know how to set prices that keep you, your employees, and your customers happy, while keeping your competitors unhappy.

If you’re looking at a window business opportunity but aren’t sure what your labor will be worth, here’s a basic guide to help you get started.

Determine the Cost of Starting-up 

Start-up costs can be the highest hurdle to starting your own business. Many small businesses fail because they run out of money after paying their start-up expenses. Or they take out predatory loans to cover it.

Your labor value should include recouping the start-up costs. Working with a franchise can help mitigate start-up stress. For example, Window Medics offers interest-free loans to qualified candidates covering half of the initial licensing fee. This loan can subsequently be paid off from your profits.

Calculate the Overhead Costs

Small businesses that fail to calculate their labor value to cover their overhead will also quickly run out of money. Overhead costs are the expenses required to run your company. This can include fixed costs like rent or fluctuating costs like office supplies.

Other overhead costs include:

• Utilities
• Property taxes
• Insurance
• Marketing and advertising fees
• Salaries of office personnel (like personal assistants or accountants)
• Office Supplies
• Legal expenses

Fortunately, a window business allows you to be flexible with your overhead. You can skip renting an office building if you can run your business from home. You or a family member may do your own accounting or office work.

For Window Medics, starting a home-based window franchise is not an issue. Window Medics will also provide you with marketing support whenever you need it. You’ll become part of an established business brand so brand recognition, the heavy lifting part of marketing, is already done for you.

Calculate the Operating Costs

Operating costs are similar to overhead. Operating costs are the expenses required to deliver your service to your customers. Small businesses find it especially useful to budget overhead and operating costs separately. This way you can figure out the best strategy for managing your overhead while remaining flexible to the ups and downs of your market.

Operating costs include:

• The cost of your employee labor (wage and benefits)
• Equipment
• Supplies
• On-the-job travel expenses

Operating costs are dependent upon how you run your business, so you’ll want to do your homework. Your labor value should cover your particular business needs.

You’ll rely on durable window washing tools. You’ll also buy large quantities of window-washing solution that must be replenished after each job. An established glass franchise will share its insider secrets for finding the best quality supplies for the best price.

In addition to a standard window washing franchise, Window Medics also utilizes a unique, state-of-the-art window defogging method that requires specialized equipment. The licensing fee covers the cost of this equipment and training sessions on how to use it.

Learn How a Window Washing Business Works

To set labor prices, you’ll learn how to wash windows the most effective way depending on the job. Although it is a straightforward process, the best way to wash windows depends on the building and the type of windows. Your prices should reflect an accurate estimate of the labor and time needed to complete the job. You want to avoid undercharging yourself or overcharging the client.

For certain jobs, it may be better to charge the pane, for others by the hour or by the square footage.

Commercial Buildings

Large commercial buildings, like office buildings and apartment complexes, can have a sizable amount of windows. However, they may have comparatively fewer panes per window. They can also include multiple stories.

It may be more practical to charge by the square footage or per window for these jobs. They will take considerable time and labor. If you charge by the hour or by the pane, you could undercharge yourself and lose money. 

Residential Buildings

Residential buildings such as single-family houses and condominium buildings may require more complex assessments. For some jobs, you may want to charge by the hour, for others per pane. In some cases, you may do a mix of both.

Residential buildings have a number of factors to consider:

• The type of windows- simple (standard two-four pane windows) or complex (bow windows)
• Special windows like skylights and casements
• Interior and exterior washing vs. exterior only
• Cleaning screens, sills, and tracks
• Cleaning stains, paint, and mineral deposits
• Number of stories
• Accessibility of the windows

If a multi-story building has dirty and stained windows that are hard to reach, you may want to charge by the hour. If the job is for a repeat customer with standard windows, you may charge by the pane. Customers with many complex windows may feel overcharged if you charge by the pane, so hourly or a mixed rate of hourly and per pane may work best.

You will also want to work out a reasonable price for cleaning other parts of the window, like screens and window tracks. These parts usually cost extra.

Window Medics lets you train with experienced specialists so you won’t have to figure out the window washing processes on your own.

Start a Window Washing Business Today

As you can see if you start a window washing business you have a greatopportunity. The demand for clean windows is reliable work. You won’t be outsourced or downsized out of your job.

Calculating start-up, overhead, and operating costs may seem complicated, but there are guides to help you estimate the costs. 

When you join an established glass franchise like Window Medics, you won’t have to start from scratch. You’ll have insider tips, financial help, training, and marketing support.

Click here to start the registration process and take the first step into your new window business venture.