I think everyone is losing sight that we are in the service business. If something is difficult or a pain in the butt, charge for it! Our first job this morning was an outsider only window cleaning job residential two level. Our standard cleaning price for this job $355. After cleaning the first two windows it was obvious the painters had over sprayed all of the windows. After informing the customer of this, we explained there are two options option one we can proceed and clean the window with soap water squeegee etc. but the paint will still be remaining or option two for an additional $200 we can remove the paint. Total price $555, two men less than three hours. If my competition passes on these jobs I will scoop them up in a heartbeat
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Same as most.
Storms - I won’t turn down a house that has 1 or 2, but I charge appropriately and will not be held responsible for damage. Whole house of storms…Nope.
CCU - Never.
Attic dormer windows on steep roofs.
Chandeliers - Only very very very simple ones that can be reached with a 6’ A-frame. Even then I’m hesitant. You break one piece of glass and it’s almost impossible to find a replacement piece.
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Good for you.
You aren’t getting old are ya?
One of the things I don’t do anymore is controlling old ladies homes. ie. inconvenient residential.
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While I agree with you to an extent, there are circumstances where I would rather not be placed in. The area I live is NEW, all the CCUs are with brand new constructions. New glass is fickle especially when most of it is tempered = no blades so removal of debris becomes long and tedious, I personally have enough “easy” work to book myself out with crap work.
All the CCUs I get asked to quote is mid to larger commercial I politely tell them I don’t have the time.
Truth
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Also - I don’t do Net 30; 7 to 10 days and I’m fine with that, if I have to wait til next clean I’m not the window cleaner for you.
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Just because we are in a service business doesn’t mean we have to do things we don’t want to do.
Back when we first started we felt like we needed to be the heroes, or we weren’t brave enough yet to say thanks , but no thanks,
Or we just couldn’t fill the schedule so we did it
There is nothing wrong with saying no thanks to something.
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@Majestic66 It is nice when you get to a point in your business where you can pick and choose the jobs you want to do. Sticking with the easier ones has helped me tremendously. We are not getting any younger.
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Be very careful if a customer asks you to remove any kind of bird nest. Most birds even sparrows are Federally protected and you can be fined $10k. I have seen it before at a Mid-West Supermarket.
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That only applies to ‘active’ nests. Old ones are fine to remove.
I didn’t realize how many people weren’t “complaining” about this until I started sending an optional feedback for with my review requests. Apparently the sills are a pain point around here.
Then I reached out to my legit competitors and realized that nobody else was doing deep sill cleaning either, so we changed or verbiage to “we dont do sills”, more or less.
Haven’t had a problem since.
At the same time we stopped cleaning screens complimentary. Yeah, we still wipe off the frames and knock a cobweb off if needed, but now a “deep cleaning” is $5 each. We run them through @JaredAI 's little profit machine now 
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also there can be all kinds of pests and diseases in those things. that is not my wheelhouse.
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Perfect! I agree and work the same way.
The customer hired you because they trust you!
Keep up the good work!
I’m glad my clients trust me and want to hire me. However, I didn’t start a business to be someone else’s paid handyman. I chose the type of work I want to do, based on the comfort I have doing the work, profitability of the work, and the type of reputation it will lead me to have.
I have had clients tell me they wished I would add landscaping and lawn care. I am not a jack of all trades, master of none. I own a window cleaning business. I don’t want to be running in a dozen different directions.
If you want to be everything to everyone, then you will have a job you are a slave to, rather than a business.
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Post Construction. (except for VERY familiar cust)
Besides the obvious…
There are always dipshits getting in the way, as if their job supersedes yours.
Well it DOES and thats whay we are clusterfucking, because YOU are behind.
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You lost me here !! elaborate stanger!
The other workers/finishers who should have already been done and gone.
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I quit scooping up the dog poop and giving out complimentary neck rubs and definitely no more happy endings. 
See, I’m the opposite with sills. Around here the bigger, employee staffed companies with the fancy vehicles with all the graphics charge extra for pretty much everything, so I learned long ago customers appreciate ‘everything included’ up front pricing. I may not have a 2000+ customer list, but what I do have comes with firm handshakes, loyalty and sometimes a hug when I change a lightbulb.
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