WindowBossPro Blog — Quotes & Estimates

Writing Window Cleaning Estimates Customers Actually Understand

An estimate is a sales document, a work order and a promise, all on one page. If the customer cannot tell what they are buying, they will not approve it, or worse, they will approve it thinking they bought something else. Clear estimates win more jobs and cause fewer arguments at the door.

The Customer Reads It Differently Than You

In Setting a Minimum Job Charge in Your Window Cleaning Pricing we covered one line customers often question. This article is about every line. You know what “2S add-on” means. You know screens are not included unless listed. The customer does not. Write the estimate for someone who has never hired a window cleaner.

Use Plain Line Names

Every line on a WindowBossPro estimate comes from your service list, so the names you choose there are the names the customer reads. Compare:

• “EXT WIN x28” vs “Outside window cleaning, 28 windows”
• “2S ADD x12” vs “Second-story add-on, 12 upper windows”
• “HW-HVY x3” vs “Hard-water stain removal, heavy, 3 windows”

The second version takes no longer to build, because the name is already on the list. Fix the names once and every estimate after that is clearer.

Put Every Extra on Its Own Line

Do not fold screens, tracks or hard water into the window price. Give each its own line with its own quantity. That does two things. It shows the customer exactly what is included, and it lets them decide. A customer who sees “Screens, 22 — $44” can drop it to bring the price down, or keep it knowing what it costs. Either way, nobody argues later about whether screens were included.

Say What Is Not Included

The most common window cleaning complaint is “I thought you were doing that.” Prevent it with one short note:

• “Inside windows not included.”
• “Screens and tracks not included.”
• “Skylights cleaned from inside only.”
• “Hard-water removal improves appearance; etched glass may not fully clear.”

It feels like you are pointing out what the customer is not getting. In practice, it builds trust, because the customer knows exactly where they stand.

Show the Window Details

Customers like to see that you counted. A short summary near the top of the estimate does it: “28 windows, 2-story, outside only, with screens.” That is the same line the crew will see on the job in WindowBossPro: “28 windows · 2-story · Outside only · Screens.” If your count is off, the customer will often tell you before you show up, which beats finding out on the ladder.

If you quoted from photos or from the curb, say so: “Count based on photos; we'll confirm on the first visit.”

Show Recurring Prices Per Visit

If you are offering a plan, show the price for each visit and how often visits happen. “Outside windows and screens, every 90 days: $180 per visit.” An annual total can be helpful too, but customers think in visits. If you are offering both a one-time and a recurring option, show them side by side so the choice is obvious. See Turning a One-Time Window Cleaning Quote Into a Recurring Plan.

Offer Options Without Overwhelming

Sometimes the clearest estimate is one with a choice. Outside only versus inside & outside. Screens this visit or not. Two or three options side by side let the customer pick a price that fits without a back-and-forth. More than three, and the estimate starts to feel like homework. If the customer is torn, a short text from the office asking which matters most to them usually settles it, and you can send an updated estimate with just their pick.

Keep the options built from the same service list items, so the difference between them is obvious line by line rather than buried in two unrelated totals.

Keep Notes Short

Notes on an estimate are for the customer. Keep them to what matters: what is included, what is not, when you can schedule, and how to approve. Save internal notes, like gate codes and where to set the ladder, for the access notes on the job, where the crew sees them on their phones.

Make Approval Obvious

End the estimate with the next step. In WindowBossPro, the customer approves online, and the approved estimate becomes scheduled services. Tell them that in your text: “Approve it online and we'll get you on the schedule.” An estimate with a clear next step gets approved faster than one that just ends with a total.

Clear Estimates Close Themselves

Plain names, separate extras, clear exclusions, the window details and per-visit prices turn an estimate into something the customer can approve in a minute. For more on quoting in WindowBossPro, see the window cleaning estimate software page.