Commercial window cleaning in the UK generally costs GBP100-GBP500-plus per job depending on size and access, roughly GBP2-GBP10 per window or about GBP1-GBP3 per square metre. Hourly rates run GBP30-GBP60. High-level or hard-to-access work costs more because of the equipment and Work at Height rules. Figures are indicative for 2026 and attract 20% VAT.
How much does commercial window cleaning cost in the UK?
As a 2026 guide, a commercial window cleaning job is GBP100-GBP500-plus depending on size and access, which works out at roughly GBP2-GBP10 per window or about GBP1-GBP3 per square metre of glazing. On an hourly basis it is GBP30-GBP60. A small ground-floor shopfront on a regular round sits at the low end; a large multi-storey facade requiring reach-and-wash poles, cradles or rope access sits far higher. Regular scheduled cleaning is cheaper per visit than ad-hoc jobs.
What drives the price of window cleaning?
Access is the biggest driver: ground-floor glazing is quick, but height changes everything. The Work at Height Regulations 2005 require employers to avoid working at height where possible, prevent falls with safe equipment, and only then mitigate a fall - so high-level work uses water-fed poles, mobile platforms, cradles or rope access, all of which add cost. Frequency, the number and size of panes, internal versus external, and the level of soiling also move the price.
Window cleaning as a periodic task in your contract
For most commercial sites, external window cleaning is scheduled as a periodic task - monthly, quarterly or as agreed - within an ongoing commercial cleaning contract, with internal glazing handled in the routine clean. Bundling it keeps a consistent standard and one point of accountability. See our window cleaning service and the commercial cleaning prices pillar for the wider budget.
How do the wage floor and VAT affect window cleaning?
Window cleaning rates rest on the same wage floor - National Living Wage GBP12.71 an hour from April 2026, real Living Wage GBP13.45 UK / GBP14.80 London - plus access equipment, insurance for working at height, and margin, which is why high-level rates are higher. A VAT-registered contractor adds 20% VAT to the per-window, per-m2 or hourly price.
How do you get an accurate window cleaning quote?
Access defines the price, so we assess the building and glazing before quoting. We agree the frequency and method and return a fixed price, or fold window cleaning into your monthly contract. Request a fixed monthly quote to begin.
Indicative UK commercial window cleaning costs (2026 guide only)
| Basis | Typical price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Per job (commercial) | GBP100 - GBP500+ | Size and access dependent |
| Per window | GBP2 - GBP10 | Ground floor to high-level |
| Per square metre | GBP1 - GBP3 | Roughly 10p-30p per sq ft |
| Per hour | GBP30 - GBP60 | Higher for high-level access |