# How much does it cost to start a window cleaning business?

ProfitDrawer's window cleaning business guide gives an example budget of about $500 to $5,300 for a solo cleaner working on one and two-story homes. The high end includes a water-fed pole system ($0 to $2,000). Other big lines are general liability insurance for the first months ($100 to $800), ladders and a stabilizer ($150 to $600) and registration with a local license ($50 to $500). These are example ranges; your costs will differ.

**Example budget (your costs will differ):**

| Item | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Squeegees, channels, scrubbers, buckets, tool belt, towels | $100 | $350 |
| Ladders and ladder stabilizer | $150 | $600 |
| Water-fed pole system | $0 | $2,000 |
| Business registration and local license | $50 | $500 |
| General liability insurance (first months) | $100 | $800 |
| Simple website or booking page, business cards | $0 | $400 |
| Marketing (door hangers, flyers, local ads) | $50 | $500 |
| Phone and software for the first months | $50 | $150 |
| **Total** | **$500** | **$5,300** |

Storefront routes are a lower price per visit but steady, and add-ons such as screens, tracks and sills are easy extra income on each visit.

In the guide's worked example, a two-story home with 24 windows takes 3 hours: $105 of your time at $35 an hour, $4 of supplies, $9.80 of driving and $10 of overhead, for $128.80. Adding 20% to the cost (a 20% markup) gives $154.56, rounded to $155, or about $6.50 a window. Put your own numbers into the free startup cost calculator and price per job calculator.

- Source: [How to Start a Window Cleaning Business (ProfitDrawer guide)](https://profitdrawer.com/guides/how-to-start-a-window-cleaning-business.html)
- Updated: 2026-10-29
- Published: 2026-10-29
- Category: Start a business
- Canonical: https://profitdrawer.com/answers/how-much-does-it-cost-to-start-a-window-cleaning-business.html
- Publisher: ProfitDrawer (https://profitdrawer.com)