Looking for a step-by-step guide to starting a window cleaning business from scratch? Look at the quick guide and follow these five steps to start your business.
Since the pandemic, people have become more aware of cleanliness, which has changed the cleaning services market.
A recent study by Allied Market Research shows that the cleaning services market as a whole, which includes window cleaning, floor cleaning, and other services used by both businesses and homes, is on the path to growth. We can expect it to grow by 6.2% per year until 2022.
So, these numbers show that starting a cleaning business, especially a window cleaning business, is a good idea. We hope you're excited about starting your own window cleaning business and are looking for some tips.
We've put together a step-by-step guide on how to start a window cleaning business to help you. Jump in to find out more about them.
Simple Steps to Start a Window Cleaning Business
1. Make a plan for a window cleaning business that will work
A business plan is a key piece of planning for anyone who wants to start a business. This plan must include all of the specific steps that are needed for a business idea to be successful. So, you need to make sure your window-cleaning business has the right parts before you move forward.
Before you create the business plan, as a prospective business owner, answer the following:
What does your company do, and where does it want to go?
In simple terms, why do you want to clean windows for other people? To make a clear business plan, you must answer this question. You can't make a perfect plan to reach your goal until you know what it is and how to get there. So write down the reasons you want to open a window cleaning business.
Ask yourself where you'd like to be in three, six, or twelve months. How much money do you want to make, and how many customers do you need to get there?
How will you manage during the off-season?
Start writing your business plan after you've answered all of these questions.
Your business plan needs to be clear about who you want to sell to, if you want to join a franchise, and how much money you have to spend.
Let's check this out in detail.
Pick a market to sell to.
Your best target market could be either homes or businesses. Some examples are
- Government offices and buildings
- Universities
- Auto dealerships
- Restaurants and Gyms
- Apartments
There are a lot more kinds of buildings. Whether you want to start a business cleaning windows for businesses or homes, make sure the market is not already full.
To do a market analysis so you know exactly who to sell to.
Do you want to work for a franchise or start your own business?
You can start your own window cleaning business with little trouble and be your own boss. But we think it's better to join a franchise than to own a business because franchises cost less than starting a business from scratch. Also, when you buy a window-washing franchise from a well-known company, you can expect to get ongoing training and support, and you'll already have a customer base.
For instance, the first window cleaning franchise from Window Genie, a reputable window cleaning company, costs $33,000 and requires a minimum net worth of $150,000 and at least $75,000 in liquid capital.
Build a financial plan for your business
For window cleaning, you need to buy tools and cleaning supplies. So the good news is that you won't have to pay an arm and a leg for this. But you have to pay some money up front. You can also get started with a business acquisition.
Here is a list of the costs you need to know to make a business budget:
- Vehicle for business use
- Business Uniforms
- Insurance
- Invoicing System
- Licenses and Business Permits
- Fuel and Fleet Servicing
- Cloths and towels made of microfibers
- Advertising and Promotion
- Cleaning Equipment
- Cleansing Products
- Rent & Utility Expenses
2. Business Registration
Register your business when you have a business plan and feel ready to move forward.
To register your window cleaning business, you must:
Choose the best name for your business
Did you know that almost 30.7 million small businesses in the US have been registered with the Small Business Administration? So, when picking a name for your business, make sure it doesn't repeat itself. You can use the US Patent and Trademark Office to look up your name.
Choose a type of business
The next step is to decide what kind of business you will have. This is an important step because it can change how you file your taxes, how much protection you have from liability, how your business is set up, and more.
There are three typical business structures:
Sole proprietorship: This is the most basic and easiest business structure to set up and run. But you can't claim protection from personal liability if your business gets into legal or financial trouble. Also, the fees for your business will be sent in with your return.
Limited liability company: One person or more than one person can be a partner in an LLC.
Corporation: This is a popular way to run a business because it gives you protection from liability and tax benefits. But it requires more paperwork, like writing bylaws and putting together a board of directors.
Submit an application for an EIN number (EIN)
You will eventually scale up when your window cleaning business grows. So, if you start hiring more than one person, you need to get an employer identification number (EIN) so you can file taxes.
Even if you don't have any employees, you need an EIN to get a business credit card, business loans, and more.
3. Choose how much you will charge
This is a very important part to think about. If you charge less, your business will make less money, and if you charge too much, it can be hard to get new customers.
So check out the prices on the market and those of your competitors in the window cleaning business to get an idea of what to charge for your services. You can charge by the hour, by the window, or by the job.
Most window cleaners don't charge by the hour. Instead, they charge based on the number of panes and the type of cleaning, such as inside and out or just outside.
On average, window cleaning costs range between $10 and $15 per window pane and $4 and $8 per screen.
It's best to charge commercial clients more than residential clients. Also, charge less for clients who use your services often and more for cleaning construction sites. You can also get paid for cleaning the window tracks and sills.
4. Get insurance, permits, and licenses for your business
Once you've made sure you'll be paid for your window-washing services, you need to get all the business licenses and permits.
Get the licenses and permits your business needs. Window cleaning businesses must have licenses and permits from the state.
First, get a state business license. Then, get a license to clean windows and any other licenses you need. In each state where you run your window washing business, the paperwork may be different.
Because there is no single license or permit required to run a window cleaning business, make sure to check your state's business resources and other legal requirements. You should talk to a business lawyer to make sure you have all the necessary licenses.
Insurance
We can't take chances with safety, whether we use a traditional way to clean or a pole that is fed with water. In any business, accidents and mistakes are bound to happen. This is why you need insurance for your window-washing business.
Getting the right insurance for your window-cleaning business not only gives you peace of mind. But you should also work to earn the trust of your clients and the people who work for you.
What kind of insurance do you need?
Business equipment insurance lets you get money from the insurance company if your specialized cleaning equipment is lost, stolen, or damaged.
Employer's liability insurance: If you have people working for you, you need this insurance. So, by law, you have to have insurance for employers' liability.
Note: If your business doesn't have employer's insurance, it could be fined.
Public liability insurance covers the costs if your employees, clients, or members of the public get hurt or if their property is damaged.
5. Advertise your window cleaning business
Let's say you've set up your window-washing business and gotten it off the ground. What's next? How will you start working?
You need to find more customers, right? Whether you run a franchise or a brand-new business, you need to use a variety of marketing methods to find potential customers.
So, how would you go about getting new clients? Now, let's talk about this in more depth.
Traditional marketing
Well, we know that we live in a digital world, but traditional forms of marketing like flyers and business cards still work. Going door-to-door to spread the word about your window cleaning business and generate leads has also been shown to be effective.
Cold-calling
This is another old way of doing things, but it's worth going into more detail about it. There are some good things about cold calling, but more businesses have moved to online marketing. One of the benefits is that you can talk to potential clients right away. It is also important to keep in touch with clients after the first meeting.
Online marketing
When you need to solve a problem, what's the first thing you do? You looked it up on Google, right?
People who might hire you to clean their windows will also use Google. So make a website, do SEO on it, and get it to the top. People who visit your website will buy from you, giving you more business. Even though it sounds easy, getting your site noticed is hard because there is a lot of competition. To complete it, use proper SEO methods.
Other marketing ideas for window cleaners include:
Putting your logo and brand on your window cleaning van or any other vehicle you and your employees use can help people remember your brand. Also, put your logo on T-shirts and work with other business owners to promote each other's services. This can get more people interested in your brand.
After starting a window cleaning business, you'll need to advertise your services to get customers.
How Much Does It Cost to Start a Window Cleaning Business?
You don't need a lot of money to start a window cleaning business. If you are single and already have a van and truck, you can start your own business with $1,000. If you don't have a car, you shouldn't spend money on a new one. Instead, rent cars. Aside from this, you will have to pay some costs up front to start your business. For example, you will need to buy window cleaning tools, clean uniforms, and pay for other costs.
Pro tip: If you run your business from home, you can save money and learn free business skills on YouTube.
Summary
You should now know how to start a business cleaning windows. If you want to start a service business by yourself, be ready to do a lot of different things. When you run a day-to-day business, you have to do things like.
- Get started on your new project of cleaning the windows.
- Market your business
- Keep track of your inventory
- Giving out quotes
- Setting up meetings with possible clients
- Manage business costs.
- Invoicing
Even though starting a business is hard at first, once it gets going, you can't stop it. When your business is making money, you might want to grow it and hire more people. But make sure that you do these things correctly.
We know it's hard to keep track of payments and bills. Even today, many window cleaners still have trouble with the traditional way of making invoices. This is why it is important for contractors to get a reliable estimate and invoicing system, like Blinksale.
Blinksale is software that lets you make estimates and invoices in less than a minute. Why use the old way when Blinksale Online Invoicing lets you go paperless?
You can also try it for free for 14 days. Check it out immediately.
