Starting a window cleaning business:
For budding entrepreneurs, a window cleaning business offers one of the lowest entry barriers and low start-up costs on the market. Here, we delve into everything you need to know about starting your own window cleaning business and which options are best for you.
What are the requirements for starting a window cleaning business?
You could start a window cleaning business with a sponge and a bucket, but if we’re honest – how likely is that to succeed? So, you’ll need to first invest in proper equipment. There are a couple of choices you’ll need to make at first:
Traditional cleaning method vs water-fed mechanism
The traditional window cleaning method is what you’ll probably be most familiar with. In this method, the cheapest of the two, you’ll manually apply the cleaning solution and water whilst using a squeegee to remove excess. You’ll then typically use a microfibre cloth to wipe the window sparkling clean.
Nowadays, you can opt for the more expensive water-fed cleaning mechanism. The main benefit is that it requires less labour. It’s also perfect for reaching high places, where you’d need to use a ladder with the traditional cleaning method.
Investing early into a water-fed pole is also suitable for future earning potential since many commercial properties only allow this type of method for safety reasons.
How much does it cost to start a window cleaning business?
Starting your own window cleaning business can be as cheap as you want. Buying the essential equipment can cost as little as £150. However, you’ll want to ensure that you’re investing more into good quality equipment and marketing. We’ll cover the importance of marketing to your business later in this article.
The best way to arrive at a definite start-up figure is to write a business plan. You can consider your business ambitions and the size of your starting operation to figure out how much you’ll need.
Costs you’ll need to take into account:
- Insurance
- Work vehicle
- Marketing (website, advertising, social media)
- Business admin
- Team size
Should you consider a franchise?
If you have some money saved up and would instead prefer to opt for an investment opportunity with less risk, you can always take a look at buying into a window cleaning franchise.
These are some of the cheapest franchise opportunities and can be invested into for as little as £4,000. Note that not all this needs to be your own money, as franchise investors have loan opportunities. Banks are usually more susceptible to lend to franchise investors, as the risk involved is lower than starting your own business.
The reason why franchises make such attractive propositions is that you are investing in a proven model. Usually, the franchise has an established name. For this reason, it’s easier to obtain customers and sustain a healthy network of repeat business.
If you start your own window cleaning business, you need to develop suitable marketing skills to build your brand image. In a franchise, however, marketing materials are provided by an expert franchiser, who already has a solid understanding of what works and doesn’t.
What you need for your window cleaning business to succeed
Window cleaning is a service that’s only as good as you’re willing to be. So, firstly, you need to ensure that the service you are providing is always top-notch. Repeat business will make up most of your income, and you don’t want to lose it to a competitor that goes the extra mile by offering additional services.
Marketing and brand image is a reality for companies in all sectors. Although word of mouth is still a powerful tool to generate business, you’ll need to have a basic understanding of marketing and advertising principles. You’ll need to know where and when to advertise, who to target and what to say. Failing this step can cost you poor marketing campaigns that won’t attract any customers.
Identifying business opportunities is another crucial element to building a successful window cleaning business. Is there a supplementary service you can offer clients? Can you offer better hours than your competitors? Can your prices be more competitive whilst ensuring profit margins are healthy? A good business understanding is critical for any budding entrepreneur.
Finally, you’ll need to master customer service skills. How you communicate with your clients will directly affect the likelihood of them booking with you again. If you offer hassle-free service and keep to your promises, clients will always book you over the competitor that turns up late or cuts corners to save time and costs. You can read more on starting a window cleaning business in the UK here.
Other useful links from our knowledge centre:
How To Choose A Business Name
How To Buy A House Through Your Business
11 Skills That Make a Fantastic Business Administrator
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Ally Cox is a dedicated Copywriter and Blogger for CompareYourBusinessCosts.co.uk. In under two years, the platform achieved the esteemed accolade of ‘Website of the Year’. Since its award-winning debut, Ally has been instrumental in fostering organic growth for the website, expanding its offerings to encompass comparisons across a diverse range of over 20 products to help serve all your business needs.