How Long Can I expect Commercial Window Cleaning to Take?

Ben Louden from Off Your Wall, runs a commercial window cleaning business in Melbourne. We asked him how long a window cleaning job takes!

This is a tough question, we would usually perform a visual inspection of the building which would give us a better indication of the manpower required in order to estimate the time it would take for us to efficiently complete the job. Large commercial jobs would require additional manpower and it stands to reason that the larger the crew we assign, the shorter the time frame to completion.

There are several factors that are considered when estimating time frames such as weather, safety, building construction and access.

Weather

Bad weather and high winds can be problematic and pose a safety risk. High winds in particular require precautions and considerations to ensure equipment isn’t blown or dislodged in any way,our own safety measures put into place which may take additional time, and of course ensuring the safety of others in and around the building.So, understandably we cannot perform any type of building maintenance, cleaning or repairs during bad weather or storms which can cause potential delays. It is common for people to assume high rise buildings pose greater wind disruptions but often they are sheltered by surrounding building and are less windy than smaller office blocks.

Safety

In order to comply with the highest safety standards, anchor points are required by law. In order for us to perform the work safely and pose no risk of injury to both ourselves, pedestrians below and occupants of the building we need to have our team secured to various anchor points. The more anchors points there are, the quicker our team can rig up and move around, the faster and more fluid the process will be. If there are a limited number of anchor points, this can cause delays due to decreased accessibility and more time spent on securing alternative forms of safety points.

Building Construction

The actual building façade and types of windows themselves can play a huge part in how long the job might take. For example, buildings without a parapet, pose greater risks as there is no protective extension of a wall along the edge of a building where one can safely stand and look over the edge. Windows that are louvered or composed of parallel glass blinds or shutters take longer to clean simply because of their design. What many owners are not always able to see is the condition of the glass. When performing the initial inspection we evaluate if there is a need to deep-clean the windows, as opposed to a regular maintenance clean, which is suitable for minor stains and dirt like bug marks and cobwebs. Buildings that have been neglected for lengthy periods of time take longer simply because there’s more work involved. Consider hiring a professional like Maid Sailors if you unable to do the cleaning yourself. Badly stained glass may require a much longer process of using a cutting compound to scrub the windows and remove the dirt.

Access

Many building managers overlook operational or administrative delays such as having to share or request access cards or keys which can often cause further delays or the amount of time it might take to physically carry all of our equipment to the top level. For apartment buildings, say 2 or 3 levels, routine cleaning may only take a day or two, but this largely depends on the nature of the building and accessibility such as the number of anchor points.

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