There are several routes you can take in the window cleaning industry, depending on the clients you want to work with and the types of jobs you feel comfortable completing. If you live in a major city like Detroit, New York City, Chicago, etc., you may see a high demand for high rise window cleaners in your area. This is a high-risk, high-reward category of window cleaning that could prove to be a perfect fit for your business goals. You just have to weigh the positives and negatives to determine if this is right for you.
Here is a look at the pros and cons of high rise window cleaning so you can explore this potentially profitable opportunity.
High rise window cleaners make a lot of money because of the high risk of injury in this line of work. Apprentices may only earn $12-$15 an hour, according to NBC News, but business owners and experienced window cleaners can earn $50-$100 an hour under the right circumstances. This line of work has the potential to be much more lucrative than traditional commercial window cleaning jobs, as long as the demand is there to support the pay.
In order to properly work as a high rise window cleaner, you need a lot of safety equipment to use on the job. This will include special harnesses and cables that will keep you secure while you tower above the city and scale a building. Each state and city has its own regulations for window cleaning safety, which may include having multiple employees on each job site to keep an eye on one another. All of this translates into more money out of your pocket.
There may be a handful of high rise window cleaning companies in your area, but there will be far more residential window cleaners for you to compete with. If you manage to get into this line of work, you are pretty much guaranteed to get jobs. Businesses are always looking for new window cleaners that can do great work, and there are new buildings going up every day. As long you keep up with your job proposals, you’ll never have to worry about running out of work.
Unlike most window cleaning jobs, this work option in particular requires a lot of experience and training to be successful. There are hefty safety concerns surrounding high rise cleaning services, so you can’t just jump straight into this industry. You’ll probably need to spend time working as an apprentice under another business before you can start working for yourself. At the very least, you’ll need to complete safety courses required by the state to protect yourself on the job. If you’re wanting to start your own business right away, this is not the option for you.
Check out Part 2 of this guide where we explain even more pros and cons of high rise window cleaning.