WindowBossPro Blog — Quotes & Estimates

Post-Construction Window Cleaning Quotes: Paint, Stickers and Debris

New construction and remodels leave windows in a state no regular cleaning is built for. Manufacturer stickers, paint overspray, drywall dust, stucco splatter, tape residue and sometimes mortar. Post-construction window cleaning is slow, careful work, and the biggest mistake is quoting it like a normal house.

Not a Regular Clean

In Quoting Hard-Water Stain Removal on a Window Cleaning Estimate we looked at a job where the glass needs more than soap and a squeegee. Post-construction is the same idea on a bigger scale. Every window needs inspection, scraping, product and detail work on the frames and tracks. A house that takes two hours as a maintenance clean can take a full day after a build.

Who Asks for Post-Construction Quotes

• Homeowners finishing a remodel or moving into a new build.
• Builders and general contractors who need the house ready for a walkthrough or closing.
• Cleaning companies handling the rest of a final clean who subcontract the windows.
• Commercial contractors finishing a storefront build-out.

Builders often have a deadline and want a firm price. Homeowners often want to know what is included. Both want a clear, written estimate.

Inspect Before You Price

Do not quote post-construction work from photos if you can help it. Walk the job and check:

• Stickers and labels. How many, and are they the kind that peel or the kind that leave glue?
• Paint and overspray. Light mist or heavy drips? On the glass, the frames or both?
• Stucco, mortar and concrete. These are the slowest to remove and the easiest to scratch through.
• Tape residue. From protective film left on too long in the sun.
• Tracks and sills. Usually full of construction dust and debris.
• Glass type. Tempered and coated glass need extra care with blades. Check before you scrape.
• Access. Are scaffolds gone? Is landscaping in? Is there power and water on site?

Take photos during the inspection. Existing scratches on new glass are common, and photos taken before you start protect you from being blamed for them.

Pricing the Work

There is no one right way, but most window cleaners use one of these:

Per window at a post-construction rate. A higher per-window price than your maintenance rate, plus add-ons for heavy paint or mortar. Easy to compare with your normal quotes.

Per window plus detail line items. Base cleaning per window, then separate lines for sticker removal, paint removal, track detailing and frame wipe-down. The most transparent option.

Flat project price. Common for builders who want one number. Build it from your per-window math, then present it as a total. Record the count and the conditions behind it so you can defend it.

Whatever method, include inside and outside clearly, list the extras, and say what is not included. “Does not include removal of etched marks or scratches present before cleaning.”

Setting It Up as a One-Time Job

Post-construction cleaning is almost always a one-time job. In WindowBossPro, add post-construction items to your service list so the estimate pulls the right prices: something like “Post-construction window clean, per window” and “Paint and sticker removal, per window.” Build the estimate, send it for online approval, and once approved it becomes a scheduled job on the day you agree.

Record the window details on the job as usual: number of windows, stories, inside & outside, and extras. Put the site specifics in the access notes: “Lockbox on front door, code 2280. Builder's super on site until noon. Do not use blades on the coated sunroom glass.” Those notes show on the tech's phone so the crew walks in knowing the rules.

Turning a Build Into a Recurring Customer

A homeowner who just moved into a new house needs windows cleaned again in a few months. The post-construction job is the perfect moment to offer a recurring plan. Quote the maintenance price on the same visit, so they can see what regular cleaning costs once the construction mess is gone. See Turning a One-Time Window Cleaning Quote Into a Recurring Plan.

For builders, the goal is the next house. A fast, clean, on-time job with before-and-after photos and a clear invoice is the best sales pitch you have.

Quote the Mess, Not the House

Post-construction quotes are about the condition of the glass, not the size of the house. Walk the job, photograph what is there, price the detail work on its own lines and set clear expectations. For the rest of quoting in WindowBossPro, see the window cleaning estimate software page.