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How to price window cleaning (per window vs per pane)
Updated November 8, 2026 by Qazzly
A plain guide for residential window cleaners: how to count a house, when to charge per window and when per pane, how to handle inside and outside, upper floors and screens, and worked examples you can rerun in the free calculator.
Count before you quote
Walk around the house once and count the glass by type: standard windows, large or picture windows, French or divided-light windows, sliding doors and skylights. Note which ones are above the ground floor and whether there are screens. Ten minutes of counting saves you from a quote that is too low on a house full of small panes.
Per window or per pane
Both methods are common, and both are fair when they match the work. Per window is quick to quote and easy for customers to understand. Fixr says most cleaners charge a flat rate per window of $8 to $16 for an average home [1]. Per pane follows the actual work more closely: a French window with ten small panes takes far longer than one big sheet of glass. Fixr gives $4–$8 per pane for cleaners who charge that way, and $1–$3 for small panes [1]. This Old House quotes $4–$8 per pane or $10–$15 for an average window [2].
Fixr also notes that the per-pane total comes out about the same as paying per hour or per window [1]. That is the point: whichever unit you choose, it should land near what the job takes you. Many cleaners mix both, per window for ordinary windows and per pane for divided-light ones. The calculator lets you do that on one quote.
Inside and outside
Outside glass is usually the dirtier, harder half. Fixr says exterior washing is usually about 80% of the in-and-out price, and that interior-only jobs are rare [1]. In the calculator, the "sides cleaned" choice scales price and time for the whole job. The example value for outside only is 0.6; if you follow the 80% rule of thumb instead, change it to 0.8 under "Edit multipliers", or adjust your per-window rate.
Upper floors
Second and third floors mean ladders or water-fed poles, more setup and more care. This Old House suggests budgeting $3–$5 more per window above ground level [2]. The calculator uses a multiplier instead of a flat add-on: two story = 1.25 by default, applied only to the lines ticked "height applies". On an $8 window that is $2 more; at $12 it is $3. Pick the multiplier that matches your own time on a ladder, and only take on heights you have the equipment, training and insurance for.
Screens, tracks and hard water
Extras are where quotes go wrong, so list them as separate lines. Fixr says tracks and sills are typically included in the basic rate and screens are charged extra, about $0.50–$5 for a regular screen and up to $10 for solar screens [1]. This Old House lists window screens at $5–$10 per window [2]. Hard water stains can take longer than the window itself; price them per window, after you have seen them.
Check it against an hourly rate
Even if you never quote by the hour, your hourly number tells you whether a quote works. Fixr gives $40–$75 per hour for cleaners who charge by the hour, and says most charge for a minimum of one hour [1]. The calculator shows the worker-minutes behind each quote and your profit per hour, so you can see when a per-window price is too low for the time it takes.
Set a minimum job
A small job still costs you the drive and the setup. A minimum charge keeps every visit worth the trip. In the calculator the minimum applies after any discount, and the top-up shows as its own line on the quote.
What published guides say
These figures come from cost guides written for homeowners. They are not "the market rate": prices vary by region, house and season. Use them as a sanity check next to your own costs and times.
| Source | What it covers | Published range |
|---|---|---|
| Fixr [1] | Per pane, when a cleaner charges per pane | $4–$8 per pane |
| Fixr [1] | Per small pane | $1–$3 per pane |
| Fixr [1] | Flat rate per window, average home | $8–$16 per window |
| This Old House [2] | Per pane, or per average window | $4–$8 per pane, or $10–$15 per window |
| Fixr [1] | Outside of a standard window | $6.40–$12.80 |
| Fixr [1] | Inside of a standard window | $1.60–$3.20 |
| This Old House [2] | Windows above ground level | $3–$5 more per window |
| Fixr [1] | Regular screens, on top of the washing | $0.50–$5 per screen |
| This Old House [2] | Window screens | $5–$10 per window |
| Fixr [1] | Hourly rate | $40–$75 per hour |
Worked examples
These use the calculator's example values. They are placeholders, not a recommendation: replace them with your own rates and times.
- Standard window $8 and 6 worker-minutes; large window $12 and 9; French window $2 per pane and 1.5 minutes per pane; sliding door $10 and 8
- 15 minutes of setup and travel time, 1 worker, labour cost $22 per worker-hour
- Supplies 3% of the work price, minimum job $120, no tax or travel charge
- Outside only = 0.6 on every line; two story = 1.25 on the "height applies" lines (not the sliding door)
Inside and outside, ground floor (the calculator's example values)
| Standard window, 15 windows | $120.00 |
| Large / picture window, 2 windows | $24.00 |
| Sliding glass door, 1 door | $10.00 |
| Total for the customer | $154.00 |
| Time | 2.2 h on site (131 worker-minutes) |
| Labour cost at the example $22 per worker-hour | $48.03 |
Same house, outside only, two story
| Standard window, 15 windows | $90.00 |
| Large / picture window, 2 windows | $18.00 |
| Sliding glass door, 1 door | $6.00 |
| Minimum job charge top-up | $6.00 |
| Total for the customer | $120.00 |
| Time | 1.6 h on site (95 worker-minutes) |
| Labour cost at the example $22 per worker-hour | $34.76 |
Outside only and two story bring the work to $114.00, so the $120 minimum adds a $6.00 top-up. The sliding door is on the ground floor, so only the 0.6 applies to it.
Mixed: 10 standard windows plus 4 French windows of 10 panes each
| Standard window, 10 windows | $80.00 |
| French window, 40 panes | $80.00 |
| Sliding glass door, 1 door | $10.00 |
| Total for the customer | $170.00 |
| Time | 2.4 h on site (143 worker-minutes) |
| Labour cost at the example $22 per worker-hour | $52.43 |
Here is why per pane matters. Priced as four standard windows at $8, the French windows would bring in $32 for 60 worker-minutes of work. Priced per pane at $2, they bring in $80.00 for the same time. Open the calculator, set standard windows to 10, large windows to 0 and French window panes to 40, and you get the same $170.00. Then put in your own rates and print the quote.
Sources
- Fixr, "How much does it cost to have windows cleaned?" (updated Aug 29, 2025; checked 2026-11-08). https://www.fixr.com/costs/window-cleaning
- This Old House, "How Much Does Window Cleaning Cost? (2026 Expert Reviewed)" (updated 03/27/2026, rates drawn from Fixr and HomeGuide; checked 2026-11-08). https://www.thisoldhouse.com/windows/window-cleaning-cost
Ranges are quoted as published by each source on the date shown; they change. The worked examples use the calculator's example values, not market rates. This page is general information, not business or tax advice.