What decides the price of window cleaning in north London: property size, access, condition and frequency, and how to compare quotes fairly.
Ask five window cleaners what they charge and you'll get five different answers. Most of them won't mean much until you know what's sitting behind the number.
That's the honest starting point for any article about window cleaning prices, and it's why you won't find a neat price table below. A table would be averaging jobs that have almost nothing in common.
What we can do is show you what actually moves the price, so you can sense-check any quote you're given, ours included.
How much does window cleaning cost in north London?
It depends on the property, and anyone who gives you a flat figure without knowing what the house looks like is either guessing or building in a cushion.
Think about the range of homes we work on. A two-bedroom flat in a modern block, with a handful of flush UPVC windows all reachable from one side, is a quick job. A four-storey Victorian terrace in Islington with bays, sashes, a basement lightwell and a rear extension is a different job entirely. Both are "a house with windows". They are not remotely the same amount of work.
So rather than a number, here's what decides it.
The six things that set the price
1. How many windows, and how many panes. The count matters, but the construction matters more. A single large pane is quick. A Georgian-style window divided into many small panes has far more edges, more glazing bars and more drying time for the same amount of glass. Ten windows is not ten identical jobs.
2. Height and access. Ground floor, first floor, third floor: reach is part of the job. So is getting to the glass at all. Side passages, locked gates, parked cars, a basement lightwell or a flat roof over an extension all change how long it takes. Our water-fed pole system works from the ground with no ladders against your facade, which means access is mostly about getting the poles to where the glass is.
3. Property type. Period homes are slower than modern ones. Sash windows, bays, dormers and leaded lights all take more care than a flat run of modern double glazing. Much of north London's housing stock falls into the slower category, and it's a big part of why prices here don't match a national average.
4. Condition and time since the last clean. Windows cleaned regularly come up quickly. Glass that hasn't been touched in two years, with algae building on the frames and sills and a film of traffic dirt on the panes, takes a lot longer. The condition of the glass is often the biggest variable and the one you can see for yourself before you ask for a price.
5. What's included. Glass only, or frames, sills and doors as well? Do conservatory glazing, skylights or a back door come with it? This is the most common reason two quotes for the same house are miles apart: they're not quoting for the same thing. We'll tell you what a price covers before any work starts.
6. Frequency. A one-off clean of a neglected house is the most expensive way to buy window cleaning. Regular visits stop the build-up from ever getting serious, so each clean is quicker, and many cleaners price accordingly. If you want the windows looking right all year, a regular schedule is usually better value than occasional big cleans.
How to compare window cleaning quotes fairly
Price alone tells you very little. These four questions tell you a lot.
What exactly is included? Glass only, or frames and sills too? Every floor, or ground and first only? Get it in writing, or at least clearly stated, so you're comparing like with like.
What method do they use? A water-fed pole system using purified water cleans from the ground and leaves no residue, because pure water dries without marks. The older bucket-and-ladder approach works too, but it puts a ladder against your windows and frames, and tap water can leave spotting on London's hard water. Neither is automatically wrong. You should simply know which you're buying.
Are they insured? Anyone working at your property should hold public liability insurance. It costs them money, which is part of why the cheapest quote is sometimes the cheapest for a reason. We are fully insured.
Is it a fixed price or a "from" price? A quote that starts low and rises on the day is not a low quote. Ask whether the figure is for the whole job as described.
What a very low quote usually means
Not always something bad, but worth understanding. A price well below everyone else's usually means one of a few things: the quote is for glass only while the others include frames, the job will be done quickly rather than thoroughly, the cleaner is uninsured, or the price will move once they see the property.
Window cleaning is a job where a rushed result is immediately visible. Streaks, smeared corners and dirty frames are exactly what you were trying to get rid of, and a cheap clean that has to be redone isn't cheap.
Is it worth paying for?
For most homes, yes, and the reasons are practical rather than cosmetic.
Clean glass changes how a house looks from the street and how much light comes into it. Windows that are never cleaned also deteriorate: algae and grime build up on frames and sills and are harder to shift the longer they sit.
Doing it yourself is possible on the ground floor. Above that it means a ladder, which is the main reason people stop doing their own windows. Falls from domestic ladders cause serious injuries every year, and the saving isn't worth it.
Windows, gutters and the rest of the exterior
If you're already booking a window clean, it's worth thinking about the other jobs that sit at the same stage of the year. Gutters are the obvious one, and the timing matters: see our guide, why autumn is the critical window. If you have a conservatory, our guide on how to clean a conservatory roof explains what you can safely do yourself and when to call us, and our conservatory cleaning service takes care of the glass and frames.
Combining jobs usually makes sense, because the same visit covers more. It's also an easy way to keep the whole exterior in one consistent condition instead of cleaning one part and leaving another looking tired.
How we quote
We give a free, no-obligation quote. To price it properly we need to know the type of property, how many floors, which windows you want done, and anything that affects access. From that we can tell you what the price includes before anyone turns up.
We've been cleaning windows across north London since 2009. If you want a figure that reflects your actual house rather than an average, that's the way to get it.
Frequently asked questions
How much does window cleaning cost in London?
It depends on the size and type of the property, the number of windows and panes, how high and accessible they are, their condition and what's included. A flat with a few accessible windows and a four-storey period terrace with bays and sashes are very different jobs, which is why a fair price comes from looking at the property rather than quoting an average.
How much should I pay for window cleaning?
Compare like with like. Check that each quote covers the same windows and the same extras, such as frames and sills, and ask about the method and insurance. A noticeably lower price often reflects a smaller job being quoted, not a bargain.
How often should windows be cleaned?
Most homes do well with a regular schedule rather than occasional deep cleans, because regular visits stop heavy build-up. Properties near busy roads, under trees or facing the prevailing weather get dirty faster and benefit from more frequent visits.
Is a regular window clean cheaper than a one-off?
Usually, per visit. Windows that are kept up take less time to clean than neglected ones, and many cleaners price regular customers accordingly.
Is cleaning windows without a ladder as effective?
Yes. A water-fed pole system with purified water reaches upper floors from the ground and leaves glass clean without residue, because pure water dries without leaving marks. It also avoids placing a ladder against your windows and frames.
What should be included in a window cleaning price?
At minimum, the glass on every window you've asked for. Ask separately whether frames, sills, doors, skylights and conservatory glazing are included, since that is the most common reason two quotes for the same house differ.
Do you offer free quotes?
Yes. We give a free, no-obligation quote for homes and businesses across north London.
Window cleaning across north London
We clean windows across north London, from the terraces and Georgian townhouses of Islington to the larger villas around Hampstead, and out through Barnet, Enfield and the surrounding postcodes. Everything is done from the ground with a water-fed pole system, and we're fully insured.
Tell us about your property and we'll give you a price that fits it.