As the owner of a commercial or industrial building, you know how important it is to keep your building and property in top notch shape. Tenants, customers and prospects get their first impression of your business and building when they get out of the car and walk up to your front door or lobby.
Having windows that sparkle contributes significantly to your building’s curb appeal. Windows that show hints of dirt or grime send a message that your property, and maybe your business, are not very appealing. Check out window cleaning prices and sign up to have your commercial or industrial building’s windows professionally cleaned if you want to make a great, and lasting, positive first impression. When you are looking to hire a professional window washing company, one of the ways you can make sure you are hiring the right firm is by thoroughly reading the online reviews.
Key Factors Affecting Commercial Window Cleaning Costs
There are a number of factors that come into play when it comes to figuring out commercial window cleaning prices. Each industrial or commercial building is different, and these unique elements can come into play when a professional window cleaning company is preparing your quote. Some of the key factors to be considered include:
Size of the Windows
Large windows in a building have a greater surface area, and therefore take more resources and time to clean. Cleaning them may also require the use of different equipment. For instance, a large window may require a mop while smaller windows only need a rag or squeegee.
Number of Windows to Be Cleaned
The total number of windows to be cleaned is a major factor in determining the final cost of the project. If a building has more windows, that increases the time and cost of cleaning. The greater number of windows is a major factor in the final price, especially if you are working with a company that charges per window.
Window Design
When a building has windows with an elaborate design, that will affect your industrial window washing quote. Complex windows take far longer to clean. If a building has windows with a lot of panels, cleaners will have to do more work moving between all of the panes.
Building Height and Window Access
Typically, the higher the building the more windows there are to clean and the greater the need for specialized equipment and safety protocols. Buildings generally fall into one of three categories. Window cleaning for multi-level buildings between one and three floors can require ladders and temporary scaffolding. For mid-rise buildings between four and six floors, workers will need ropes, safety harnesses and suspension equipment. The cost of window cleaning rises with each floor above three. Typically, only specialized services tackle the challenges of cleaning windows in high-rise buildings. You will pay an hourly premium for high rise window cleaning cost.
Frequency of Window Cleaning
It takes a lot more work for a company to clean windows that are not regularly cleaned or maintained. While you will pay more often if you have frequent cleaning, you will spend less for each cleaning. It’s recommended that most commercial windows should be cleaned every one to two months. This is especially true for areas that have high traffic or for any industries that require a higher level of cleanliness.
Mineral Deposits on the Windows
There are high amounts of magnesium, lime, calcium and other minerals in hard water. It can be very difficult to remove any mineral deposits that have built up over time. Doing so may require specialized cleaning products, and will increase the per pane cost of cleaning.
Take the Time to Study the Online Reviews
You can find a wealth of information about a window cleaning company if you take the time to thoroughly read their online reviews. If you go online, you can use the search engines to find applicable reviews for commercial and industrial window cleaning companies that are potential candidates for the job you need done.
You can also find specialized sites offering ratings and helpful, detailed reviews. Typically, each of the reviews will offer both a customer rating and detailed feedback into the company’s professionalism and the work they have done.
Find Out How the Company Quotes the Job
You want to make sure that your window cleaning company understands the work that has to be done, and has detailed knowledge about your unique building. As you read through reviews, look to see whether the company does an on-site survey of your building, and meets with you before they quote the job.
You don’t want to work with a window cleaning company that just throws out estimates over the phone. If they do that, it’s likely they are only interested in luring you in with an attractive, and unrealistic, price.
Verify That the Window Cleaning Company is Properly Licensed
Commercial and industrial window washing projects are inherently complex, and come with safety issues that need to be carefully considered. You’ll want to know that you are dealing with a reputable company that is licensed in your state, rather that a fly by night outfit with no license at all.
To further verify licensing, you can look online and find the name of the contractors licensing board in your state. Each agency may have a different name depending on the state you are in. You’ll be able to contact that agency and verify how long your prospective window cleaning company has been in business, and also check that their existing license is in good standing.
Make Sure They Are Fully Insured
As you peruse the reviews, make sure you take note about whether customers verified that their window cleaning service was fully insured. If one of their workers were to get injured on the job, and the company did not have insurance, you would be liable for damages including medical, lost wages and the like.
You’ll want to see that the window cleaning company takes care to let their customers know they are fully insured. When they carry property damage, liability and worker’s compensation coverage you can rest easy knowing you are protected. Also see if reviewers mentioned asking for the company’s certificate of insurance coverage.
Do They Clean Both the Outside and Inside of the Windows?
If you want your windows to truly sparkle, you might consider getting both the interior and exterior of the windows cleaned. See if customers who left reviews opted for this dual service when the company worked for them.
It will be helpful if the customer reviews made note of the cost to clean windows inside and out. Everyone, from employees to clients and prospective customers, will appreciate the major difference cleaning the interior and exterior of windows can make in your building.
Stellar Track Record of Success
When you are researching the online reviews, you want to look for companies with feedback and ratings that highlight their stellar track record of success. Rating with high stars are a good indication of the type of job they do, and their overall commitment to customer satisfaction.
It’s also helpful to take a look at any negative ratings. Not every job goes perfectly, so what you are looking for is to see how the company worked to make everything right. It’s a good sign if you see that they listened to the customer feedback, and did everything they could to take care of the customer in response.
Do They Offer Any Helpful Guides?
If you are new to commercial window cleaning, it’s often helpful to see if the different window cleaning companies offer any educational guides. You can learn a lot with this material, and it can help you make a more informed buying decision.
You might see if any reviews mention a window cleaning price guide, or something similar. Although getting a quote from a company is the best way to know exactly what your job would cost, this sort of guide can help you get a ballpark idea of what you might expect to spend.
Professional Staff and Workers That Customers Love
The best companies always have a professional staff and workers that customers love. When a window washing company has a great team, they’ll be able to get your window washing project done right and take care of everything as promised.
Having the right workers makes a huge difference, from the project manager to the supervisor to the individual workers doing the window cleaning. You want to see that existing customers were happy with both the skill level and professionalism of all of the employees on the job.
State of the Art Equipment
When you are hiring a professional window washing company, you want to know that they are using state of the art equipment. This is especially true when the companies are going to be working at height, multiple stories above the parking lot or city below.
If reviews indicate that customers had questions about the equipment the window washing company was using, this is a bad sign. Old, or poorly maintained, equipment may not even satisfy state regulations, and using it on your job would create unnecessary risks and liabilities.
What about Safety?
Safety has to be a priority when it comes to window cleaning jobs and projects. This is especially true if your building is above a single story. When employees have to work on ladders or scaffolding they must take all necessary precautions to stay safe.
It’s helpful to see what the customer reviews said about the company’s commitment to safety, and about how that translated to the employees they sent out on the job. See if any reviews mention the safety training programs that the company has, and whether employees were careful to follow common sense safety protocols.
If you are thinking of getting your commercial or industrial windows cleaned, you want to choose a company that has a great track record and workers who are trained to get your job done the right way. You’ll want to know that the window cleaning firm has a premier focus on safety, utilizes state of the art equipment and is knowledgeable and experienced enough to tackle your window cleaning tasks. Take the next step and have us come out and give you a free estimate for professional services. You can call us today at (773) 227-4522 or email us at anchors@shineongroup.com.
