This is a business that can make you rich very quickly… it’s a kind of service business that can be operated very profitably by only one person. The basic knowledge needed for this business is simple and easy to learn. Very little monetary investment is required for equipment and there are virtually no storage space requirements. You can operate out of your own home for as long as you wish and yet, there’s a real demand for this type of business everywhere.
Ideally, your plan should be to solicit new accounts, do the work yourself, and establish a regular customer route. You should concentrate on providing regular window washing services for all the one and two story office buildings and storefronts in your area, starting with those closest to your home and expanding your efforts outwards.
Usually, you won’t have to do much more than introduce yourself, briefly explain your services, and leave your business card. It’s best to call on every business, one after the other, as you make your way through the area; later you could call upon churches, private schools and even homes if you’d like to try getting into that market -single homes can be time consuming but apartments and condominiums are quite different.
Talk to your potential customers, listen to what they have to say, and get to know them. Find out who’s currently doing their windows for them, if they have any complaints, and if you could offer them an improved service at a more cost effective price. Don’t be afraid to submit a proposal to them offering them a better deal.
As the size of your company increases and you hire crews of people to handle work assignments, you can usually get more time for yourself to answer the phone and search for more business for even larger earnings.
The start-up supplies you’ll need should include a 12 inch window brush, aluminum telescopic brush handle, 10 inch squeegee with replacement rubber blades, a couple of plastic water pails, an 8 foot step-ladder, 5 gallon liquid soap, a good supply of clean rags, towels & chamois, and a sharp razor blade scraper.
You’ll find the Spring & Summer months to be your busiest, but there is an increase in businesses painting holiday scenes and sales announcements on their windows, so be alert for year round opportunities.
Your prices should range between $20 to $25 per hour. It’s important that you decide whether to charge an hourly rate or a per job rate. I would do a little research and see how your competition do their pricing. Look in the yellow pages or go online and see what you can discover about the competition in your area.
