Intake Forms for Window Cleaning Companies: Property Assessment, Access Planning, and Service Frequency

By Daniel Akselrod · July 2026

Your crew arrives at a residential property for a first-time exterior window cleaning. The homeowner said “about 20 windows” on the phone. In reality, there are 34 windows, including six second-story dormers accessible only from a steep slope covered in landscaping, a skylight on a 10/12 pitch roof, two bay windows with angled side panes, and French doors with 15 lites each that the homeowner counts as “one window.” The quote you gave over the phone is now wrong by 40 percent, and you are standing in the driveway deciding whether to eat the difference or have an awkward conversation with a new customer.

This is what happens when window cleaning companies take orders instead of doing intake. A name, an address, and “how many windows?” is not enough information to price a job, plan access, or schedule the right crew with the right equipment. A proper window cleaning intake form captures the full property profile, every window type and its condition, the access challenges that determine equipment needs and safety requirements, the pricing model, the service frequency, and the special requirements that separate a routine cleaning from a project. Here is what each section should include.

Service type and scope definition

Window cleaning is not one service. It is a range of services that vary by property type, cleaning depth, and which surfaces are included. Your intake form needs to define the scope precisely before a price is ever discussed.

• Residential vs. commercial — residential work is typically priced per window or per pane. Commercial work — storefronts, office buildings, multi-story commercial properties — is often priced per visit or per square foot of glass. The intake process is fundamentally different because commercial jobs involve property managers, access scheduling, and potentially multiple buildings on a single contract.
• Interior, exterior, or both — exterior-only cleaning is faster and requires less preparation. Interior cleaning means moving furniture, working around blinds and curtains, protecting flooring from drips, and dealing with household obstacles. A combined interior-exterior job takes roughly 2.5 times as long as exterior-only, not twice as long, because of the additional setup and protection work inside.
• First-time deep clean vs. maintenance clean — a first-time cleaning on windows that have not been professionally cleaned in years takes significantly longer. Mineral deposits from sprinklers, oxidation on the glass, paint overspray from a previous exterior paint job, construction debris from a recent renovation — these conditions require scraping, chemical treatment, and multiple passes. Your intake form should distinguish between a maintenance cleaning and a restoration cleaning, because the labor time is dramatically different.
• Specialty glass — skylights (roof access required), solar panels (manufacturer restrictions on cleaning methods and chemicals), conservatories and sunrooms (dozens of glass panels at various angles), storefront glass (specific cleaning schedules around business hours), and high-rise exterior (rope descent or bosun’s chair). Each specialty type has its own access, equipment, and pricing considerations. A skylight on a walkable roof is a different job than a skylight on a 45-degree pitch.

Property assessment and window inventory

The property assessment is the section that prevents pricing surprises. Every window needs to be counted and categorized — not by the homeowner’s count, which is always wrong, but by your crew’s classification system.

• Window types and counts — standard double-hung windows, casement windows, picture windows (large single-pane, often floor-to-ceiling), bay windows (three or more angled panes in a projecting frame), French doors (typically 10 or 15 individual lites per door), transom windows (above doors or other windows), sliding glass doors, sidelights (narrow windows flanking a door), and arched or specialty-shaped windows. Each type has different cleaning time per unit. A standard double-hung takes 2 to 3 minutes per side. A 15-lite French door takes 10 to 15 minutes because each individual pane and muntin bar must be cleaned separately.
• Approximate window sizes — a “window” can be a 24-by-36-inch bathroom window or an 8-foot-by-10-foot picture window in a great room. Size affects time, and extremely large windows require different techniques (longer squeegee channels, fanning instead of straight pulls). Your intake should note any windows that are significantly larger or smaller than standard residential sizes.
• Number of stories — first-floor windows are cleaned from ground level. Second-floor windows require ladders or a water-fed pole system. Third-floor and above typically require a water-fed pole, scaffolding, or specialized lift equipment. Each story increases time, risk, and equipment requirements. Your intake form should capture window counts by floor, not just a total count.
• Window condition — hard water stains (mineral deposits from sprinklers hitting glass repeatedly — these do not come off with standard cleaning and require acid-based mineral deposit remover and scraping), paint overspray (requires razor blade scraping, which carries a risk of scratching tempered glass), construction debris (caulk, stucco, tape residue), and oxidation (a white haze that develops on older glass). Each condition is a separate service with separate pricing. Documenting the condition at intake prevents the crew from arriving expecting a routine clean and finding restoration work.
• Screen cleaning — included in the service or priced separately? Most window cleaning companies offer screen cleaning as an add-on. Screens must be removed, washed (typically with a brush and soapy water), rinsed, dried, and reinstalled. A house with 30 screens adds 45 minutes to an hour to the job. Your intake should note how many screens there are and whether they are in good condition — old, brittle screens can tear during removal, and that liability needs to be addressed before it happens.

Access planning and safety considerations

Access planning is the section that keeps your crew safe and your insurance premiums where they are. Every injury in window cleaning is an access problem — the ladder was on uneven ground, the shrubs forced the ladder angle too steep, the homeowner’s dog charged the base of the ladder. Your intake form should identify every access variable before the crew is on site.

• Interior access — furniture near windows that needs to be moved or protected, blinds and shutters that must be raised or removed, pets that need to be contained in another room (a 90-pound Labrador and a bucket of soapy water in the same room is a problem), and any rooms the homeowner does not want entered. Bedrooms, home offices with sensitive documents, and nurseries are common restrictions.
• Exterior access — terrain around the building (flat, sloped, soft, hardscaped), landscaping that restricts ladder placement (shrubs against the house, flower beds under windows), clearance for ladder extension (overhead power lines, tree branches, eaves), and ground conditions (will ladder feet sink into wet soil or mulch). A window on a second-story gable end over a slope with a fence and a flower bed is a high-difficulty access point that requires a specific plan — not improvisation with a 32-foot extension ladder.
• Equipment requirements — water-fed pole systems require a water source. Does the property have an accessible exterior spigot? What is the water pressure like? For traditional methods, is there a place to set up a bucket and squeegee station? For commercial high-rise work, are there roof anchors for rope descent? Is there a loading dock or service entrance for equipment delivery?
• Property access logistics — parking for the service vehicle (critical for residential streets with HOA parking rules or commercial buildings with loading zones), gate codes for gated communities, alarm system information if the homeowner will not be present, and lockbox or key arrangements for interior cleaning when the homeowner is not home.

Pricing model and service agreement

Window cleaning pricing is more variable than most service industries because the unit of work — a “window” — is not standardized. Your intake form needs to document the pricing model clearly so the client understands exactly what they are paying for.

• Per window vs. per pane vs. flat rate — per-window pricing is simplest for the customer to understand but can be problematic when window types vary dramatically. Per-pane pricing is more accurate (a 15-lite French door is 15 panes, not one window) but can produce sticker shock when the customer multiplies. Flat-rate pricing based on the property assessment avoids the per-unit debate entirely. Your intake form should show whichever model you use with the specific counts and rates.
• First clean premium — most companies charge 15 to 30 percent more for a first-time cleaning because accumulated grime, mineral deposits, and unknown conditions add time. Document this premium on the intake form and explain that subsequent maintenance cleanings will be at the standard rate. This prevents the customer from comparing your first-clean price to a competitor’s maintenance price.
• Add-on services and separate pricing — screen cleaning, track and sill cleaning (wiping out the window tracks where dirt, dead insects, and debris accumulate), hard water stain removal (a restoration service, not a cleaning service, priced per window or per hour), storm window cleaning (removing, cleaning, and reinstalling combination storm windows), and gutter face cleaning (wiping down the exterior face of gutters while the ladder is already up). Each add-on should be listed on the intake form with its price so the client can select what they want.

Scheduling and service frequency

Window cleaning is either a one-time service or a recurring relationship, and the intake form is where you set the cadence and the expectations for both.

• One-time vs. recurring — one-time cleanings are often triggered by events: selling a house, hosting a party, post-construction cleanup, or spring cleaning. Recurring service is the backbone of a window cleaning business — monthly for commercial storefronts, quarterly for most residential clients, semi-annually or annually for budget-conscious homeowners. Your intake form should capture the frequency preference and set the schedule.
• Preferred scheduling — day of the week, morning or afternoon, must the homeowner be present or can the crew clean exteriors while no one is home? Commercial accounts often require before-hours or after-hours cleaning to avoid disrupting business operations. Documenting the scheduling requirements at intake prevents conflicts on every subsequent visit.
• Weather policy — what happens when it rains on the scheduled day? Most companies reschedule to the next available day. Some clients insist that rain does not matter for exterior cleaning (and they are partially right — professional window cleaning with squeegees leaves a clean surface regardless of light rain, though heavy rain during the cleaning is impractical). Document the weather reschedule policy on the intake form so there is no argument the first time it rains on cleaning day.

Special requirements and property-specific notes

Every property has something unique. Your intake form needs a section for the details that do not fit neatly into standard categories but will determine whether the job goes smoothly.

• Water-fed pole vs. traditional — water-fed pole systems use purified water and extension poles to clean windows from the ground, eliminating ladder use for upper stories. This requires a water source, space for the filtration system, and a power supply for the pump. Some clients prefer traditional hand-cleaning for quality reasons. Some properties require water-fed pole for safety reasons (windows above three stories, no safe ladder placement). Document the method at intake.
• Cleaning solution preferences — some clients want eco-friendly, ammonia-free solutions. Some properties have fish ponds below windows where chemical runoff would be harmful. Some window manufacturers void warranties if certain cleaning chemicals are used. Post-construction cleaning may require solvents that need ventilation and surface protection. These preferences and restrictions must be captured before the crew is on site with the wrong products.
• Post-construction cleaning — this is a specialty service that goes well beyond standard window cleaning. Construction debris — concrete splatter, stucco dust, adhesive residue, silicone caulk overspray, label glue from new windows — requires specific scrapers, solvents, and techniques. Most importantly, many new windows have a fabrication debris defect where tiny glass particles from the manufacturing process are embedded in the surface, and scraping can drag these particles across the glass, leaving scratches. This risk needs to be disclosed and documented at intake with the right intake form before work begins.

A profession-specific intake form is not overhead — it is the tool that turns a phone call into a profitable, dispute-free job. Every field on the form exists because a window cleaning company somewhere learned the hard way what happens when that detail is not captured up front.