WINDOW CLEANERS · PAYMENT LINKS
Window Cleaner Pricing and Rates Guide (UK)
A practical guide to how UK window cleaners price regular cleans, first cleans and 8-weekly jobs, and how payment links make it easier to stick to your rates without awkward doorstep chats.
Getting your pricing right on a window cleaning round is the difference between a profitable business and working for less than minimum wage. You do not want to price yourself off the estate, but turning up to wash a four-bed detached house with a conservatory for £12 will burn you out faster than anything else. When you make prices up on the spot, the round gets messy fast.
The reality for most solo window cleaners is that pricing is not just about the size of the house. It is about frequency, the state of the frames, and whether it is a regular reliable drop or a time-consuming one-off. You need a way of pricing that actually covers your time, your water, and the cost of keeping the van on the road.
This guide breaks down how a lot of UK window cleaners price their work once they’ve stopped guessing. We cover realistic ranges for 4-weekly and 8-weekly drops, setting the first clean price, and how moving to a payment link system makes it easier to handle prices without difficult doorstep conversations.
Part of the Window Cleaners Payment Links Guide Series
Your pricing rules work best when tied to an easy payment method. See how this connects to the wider business in our core hub: Payment Links for Window Cleaners – Complete UK Guide .
How UK Window Cleaners Structure Their Pricing
Most rounds end up with four main types of pricing. Each requires a slightly different approach to make sure you are not losing money to dirty frames or wasted fuel.
The Four Prices You Need to Set
- The 4-Weekly Base Rate: This is your normal regular clean price. Easy maintenance where the glass and frames only need a light pass.
- The 8-Weekly Higher Rate: Two months of traffic film and spider webs means the clean takes significantly longer. A lot of cleaners price it higher so it still makes sense if customers want to stretch it out.
- The First Clean Price: This is the heavy one. Scrubbing years of green algae off UPVC frames. It usually costs more than double the regular rate.
- The Add-On: Gutter clearing, conservatory roofs, or jet washing. Huge value, hard work, and priced separately from the normal round.
Realistic UK Averages
*Prices vary a lot by area, especially between the South and the North, but these reflect solid UK averages for water-fed pole cleaning.*
- Terraced (Front & Back): £12 to £18
- Semi-Detached (3-Bed): £16 to £22
- Detached (4-Bed+): £20 to £35+
- First Cleans: Often 2x or 3x the normal rate, depending on how bad it is.
- Gutter Clearing: usually around £75 to £165+ depending on property size, access and how blocked it is.
Where Loose Pricing Catches Window Cleaners Out
In reality, a lot of new window cleaners just want to build their round fast. So they give a slightly lower price, shake hands on it, and start cleaning. Here is what usually happens when you do not have clear pricing rules.
The "First Clean" Trap
You agree to clean a standard semi for £15. You turn up and the plastics have not been touched for three years. The frames are black with built-up dirt. It takes you an hour and a half to scrub the frames clean so the glass stops bleeding dirt. You still only charge them £15 because that was the quote. You just worked for less than minimum wage and drained a quarter of your pure water tank.
The "8-Weekly" Time Sink
A client decides they want to save money and asks to be moved to an 8-weekly or 12-weekly schedule. You keep the price at £15. When you finally go back, the dirt is so baked on from the summer heat that it takes twice as long. If you are doing twice the work for the same money, you quickly start resenting the house on your planner.
The Driveway Haggle
You knock on the door to collect the £20. They ask if you can "just quickly do the garage door". You say yes, but because asking for little extras face to face is awkward, you do it for free. Over the year, you give away hundreds of pounds in free add-ons.
A Simple Pricing System That Actually Works
You don’t need some massive pricing sheet. You just need a few simple rules so you know what to charge before you pull up.
Set a minimum price for stopping at all
Decide on the absolute minimum amount you will stop the van to pull out the hoses for. Even if it is a tiny terraced house with two windows, the setup and pack-down takes time. A lot of cleaners won’t stop for less than £12 or £15. Much less than that usually stops being worth it.
Set a clear first-clean price
Make it a fixed rule: every single property requires an initial deep clean before it goes onto a maintenance schedule. Quote exactly like this: *"The first deep clean is £45. After that, it drops to the regular £15 every four weeks."* Never do the heavy lifting for a tenner.
Charge more for 8-weekly jobs
If a £15 4-weekly customer wants to shift to 8-weekly, you must explain that the price increases because the work is harder. A lot of cleaners add around 25% to 50%, depending on how dirty the property gets and whether it is still worth keeping on the round. You’ll also get the odd customer who wants 8-weekly but still expects the 4-weekly price. It discourages time-wasters and keeps your route profitable.
Ditch cash to stop the driveway haggling
When you rely on cash on the doorstep, it is incredibly awkward to put prices up or charge for extra work. By moving to a link-based system using guidelines from the sending payment links guide, the transaction becomes digital. It is far easier to text an invoice for £20 than ask for another £5 on the doorstep.
Run large add-ons via a deposit system
Any large up-sell quote—such as a £250 gutter and fascia clean—should be treated separately from the normal round. Treat these as premium day-rate jobs. As mapped out in the deposit guide, you secure the date by sending a £50 upfront link before the job starts.
What to Say When You Need to Stick to Your Prices
You do not need to be pushy. You just need a clear way of saying it before you arrive.
1: Quoting a new lead (Including the First Clean rate)
2: Handling the 8-Weekly request
3: Introducing a yearly price increase to the whole round
What Changes When Your Prices Are Clear
When you stop guessing and stick to clear prices, everything about your round becomes easier to manage. Here is what happens in reality:
- You stop losing money on the horrible first cleans. Because you actually get paid for the heavy first cleans, you stop subsidising filthy properties with free labour.
- You get fewer awkward conversations about money. Some people will push back, but they are often the same ones who would have been hard work anyway. The customer that haggles over £2 is usually the same one that skips payments and complains.
- It makes the round more consistent. A round with clear prices and reliable payments is easier to manage, easier to grow, and usually easier to sell later on.
Common Pricing Questions
Should I charge extra for conservatory roofs?
Usually, yes. A standard clean normally covers the main house glass and frames. A conservatory roof is separate work and should be priced as a bolt-on. Many cleaners charge around £80 to £180 depending on size, access and condition.
How do I quote without visiting the property?
A lot of window cleaners now quote off Google Street View, at least for straightforward houses. Some houses look fine on Street View and are filthy when you get there though. You can apply your standard pricing rules, and send them the numbers over WhatsApp.
What if they refuse to pay the higher first clean rate?
You politely thank them for the inquiry and walk away. If they are not happy with a fair first-clean price, they are often not the right fit for the round. Let them find someone cheaper and keep your diary clear for clients who value your service.
Do I charge if the customer is not home?
In most cases, yes, as long as you can access and clean what was agreed. If you turn up, you clean the exterior windows (or whatever you can access), send a link from your van, and charge the agreed rate. You do not skip drops just because they are empty.
How does using payment links help with rate increases?
When you rely on cash slips or hoping they check their banking app, a new rate usually leads to confusion or "oh I only left £15 out under the mat mate". When you send an exact invoice via a payment link to their phone, they simply tap and pay whatever the stated amount is. It makes it a lot easier.
Related Guides
Continue learning with these related guides:
Payment Links for Window Cleaners — Complete UK Guide
The complete UK guide to payment links for window cleaners. Learn how to drop evening cash collecting, take deposits securely, reduce cancellations, and get paid faster.
Read guideHow Window Cleaners Get Paid — UK Methods Explained
A breakdown of the common ways UK window cleaners accept payments for regular drops and bigger jobs.
Read guideMake Your Prices Easier to Stick To
Simply Link helps window cleaners send the right amount every time, whether it’s a first clean, an 8-weekly rate or an add-on job. That means less awkwardness on the doorstep and a lot less guessing when it comes to getting paid.
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