Is It Cheaper to Clean Windows Myself or Hire a Professional
Many people ask themselves, is it cheaper to clean windows myself or hire a professional. This short story is true and may make you think that perhaps DIY is often better left to the professionals.
A long time ago, back in 1994, I moved to 28 Ealand Road in Batley, West Yorkshire. At the time, I was already running a successful window cleaning business, primarily working on large commercial buildings in Leeds, Bradford, and the surrounding towns.
Just two days after settling in, there was a knock at the door. It was the local window cleaner, a well-dressed, polite man who serviced nearly 90% of the homes on my new street.
“I clean the windows around here and have been doing yours for a few years now,” he said. “I only charge £1 for all exterior windows.”
How could I refuse? He was professional, reliable, and I didn’t want to take away his job. So, we agreed. For the next year, our windows were always spotless, and he never missed a visit.
The Price Increase That Changed Everything
Then, one day, things changed—but not too much. The window cleaner raised his price from £1 to £1.10. A mere 10p increase. In my opinion, more than fair.
But my neighbour at number 26 disagreed.
He was furious.
“A 10% increase?” he scoffed. “I only got a 2.5% raise at work! Why should a window cleaner get 10%?”
It wasn’t about 10p to him—it was the principle. And so, he did what any rational person would do: he fired his reliable window cleaner.
The True Cost of DIY Window Cleaning
Determined to save money, my neighbour took matters into his own hands.
He bought a ladder, had a roof rack installed on his car to transport it, and spent somewhere between £100 and £150 on his new setup. I remember thinking, “That’s a LOT of 10ps!”
Armed with a bucket and rag, he set about cleaning his own windows.
Now, his house had a sloping roof over the living room window, making it particularly tricky to clean the bedroom window above. Even for an experienced window cleaner, it was a challenge.
As he climbed the ladder, carefully stretching to reach the window…
Disaster Struck
The ladder slipped.
He fell hard.
An ambulance arrived, and my poor neighbour was rushed to hospital with serious injuries. He had chipped vertebrae, putting him at risk of permanent paralysis from the waist down.
Thankfully, after months in a wheelchair and eight months of recovery, he regained full mobility.
When he returned home, guess what?
He hired the window cleaner back—without hesitation.
And never complained about price increases again.
At least, not as far as I know—I actually moved back to Bradford in 1995.
So, Is It Cheaper to Clean Your Own Windows?
It depends on how you define “cost.”
💰 Financially? He spent at least 100 times more than the original price increase.
⏳ Time-wise? He lost nearly a year of mobility.
🚑 Health-wise? He was lucky to recover—many don’t.
Sometimes, saving a few pennies can cost you pounds. And sometimes, it can cost you much more than that.
Would you rather pay a little extra for a professional job or take the risk yourself?
