What should you charge for window and gutter cleaning?

Exterior cleaning is a numbers game in the literal sense: the most consistent operators price per pane and per linear foot, not by eyeballing the house. A per-unit rate protects you when a "small" house turns out to have 40 windows, and it gives the customer a quote they can actually understand. Here's how to set both.

Window cleaning pricing

Window cleaning is best priced per pane or per window, commonly $4 to $12 per pane cleaned inside and out, which usually totals $150 to $400+ for a typical house. What sets your number:

• Interior + exterior vs. exterior only. Interior work means moving furniture, removing and reinstalling screens, and protecting floors, so in-and-out costs meaningfully more than exterior-only.
• Stories. Second- and third-floor glass needs taller ladders or water-fed poles, more repositioning, and more care; price higher per pane as height increases.
• Window type and count. Divided-light (grid) windows, large picture windows, and storm windows take longer per pane than simple single panes.
• Add-ons. Screen cleaning, track and sill detailing, and hard-water or construction-debris stain removal are separate charges, not freebies; stain removal in particular is slow, specialized work.

Count the panes, set a clear per-pane rate by story, and list add-ons separately. See quoting and booking tools on our window cleaning page.

Gutter cleaning pricing

Gutter cleaning is commonly priced by home size and stories, or by linear foot at roughly $1 to $2.50, typically totaling $100 to $350+. The drivers:

• Linear footage. The simplest honest basis: measure or estimate the run of gutter. A single-story ranch has far less than a large two-story home.
• Stories and roof pitch. Height and steep or complex rooflines add time, ladder work, and risk, so they raise the price.
• Debris load. Gutters cleaned regularly are quick; ones full of compacted leaves, shingle grit, or seedlings take far longer; first-time and long-overdue cleanings should price higher.
• Gutter guards and downspouts. Removing and reinstalling guards, and flushing or unclogging downspouts, are add-ons worth charging for.

Be honest about access on the quote: a back roofline over a deck or landscaping is slower and riskier than a simple front run, and your price should reflect it. See route and invoicing tools on our gutter cleaning page.

What drives exterior-cleaning price

Height is the biggest single driver on both window and gutter work, because it changes the equipment, the time, and the risk all at once. After that it is condition, access, and add-ons, roughly in that order. Two houses with the same square footage can sit 40% apart on price once you account for a second story and a hedge you have to lean a ladder over.

• Stories / height is the single biggest factor for both services; it adds equipment, time, and risk.
• Condition. Heavy debris, hard-water stains, and long-overdue buildup all add labor that a clean-ish home doesn't.
• Access. Decks, landscaping, steep grade, and tight side-yards slow setup and ladder placement.
• Add-ons. Screens, tracks, downspouts, and guards are real work; bundle them transparently rather than absorbing them.
• Market. Local rates and seasonality vary; as of 2026, price against your own area and your true cost per hour.

Bundling and recurring work

The strongest move in exterior cleaning is to stop selling one-off jobs. Two habits do most of the work:

• Bundle windows and gutters. You're already on site with ladders up. Adding the second service is efficient, so a modest bundle discount raises your average ticket without much added time.
• Sell the season, not the visit. Most homes want windows a couple of times a year and gutters in spring and fall. Recurring seasonal plans turn scattered jobs into a predictable route, which is what makes this a real business rather than a string of one-offs.

Whether you price per pane, per window, or per linear foot, pick one method and apply it consistently, that's what keeps your quotes fair to the customer and profitable for you.