Categories
Window Cleaning
Window cleaning is a recurring contract — exterior storefront glass, interior partitions, vestibules, mirrors. NYC operators usually want weekly or bi-weekly service with proof of insurance, OSHA-compliant rigging for anything above the second story, and a route schedule that fits before doors open.
NYC window cleaning — match access method to building height
NYC window cleaning is the single routine building-maintenance task that systematically places workers above grade on suspended-access equipment — which is why it carries the heaviest liability and licensing burden of any commodity exterior trade. NY Labor Law §240 — the New York State Scaffolding Law — imposes ABSOLUTE (non-comparative) liability on building owners and contractors for gravity-related injuries to workers at heights. A single Manhattan high-rise window-washer fall typically settles $5M-$25M. Class A insurance minimums have ratcheted upward post-2020 incidents — operators in covered buildings can't treat window cleaning as a commodity line on a generic janitorial RFP.
Hospitality scope splits sharply into three operational tiers. Storefront / low-rise (under 40 ft, ground-accessible): restaurant exteriors, bar facades, hotel lobby fronts, retail display windows. Weekly to monthly cadence, ladder or 4-step pole, $3-$7 per pane in/out for 3'×3' panes, no permits, no rigger, no NYS §202 trigger (1- and 2-story exempt). Empire Window Cleaning's $150+tax minimum is typical. Lowest-margin commodity tier — dominated by owner-operators and small immigrant-owned firms. Mid-rise / boom-and-bucket (40-100 ft): boutique hotel mid-height, restaurant rooftop bars below 8 stories. Bucket truck or aerial lift with NYC DOT street-occupancy permit (7-14 day lead). Water-fed pole (Unger nLite, Tucker, Xero Pure) with DI water reaches up to 80 ft from the ground — Big Apple, Top Team, Total Service all market this. High-rise (100+ ft): hotels, towers, suspended scaffold or rope access (SPRAT/IRATA). NYC Industrial Rope Access (IRAP) limits 250 lb per line, suspension >1.5 hrs requires swing seat, no construction work permitted on rope.
Four-layer regulatory stack: Federal OSHA (29 CFR §1910.66 powered platforms, §1926 Subpart M fall protection at 6 ft on construction sites), NY State (§240 scaffolding law absolute liability, §202 building-owner duty exempts ≤6 stories, 12 NYCRR Part 21 boatswain's chairs + anchor inspections), NYC DOB (Master Rigger or Special Rigger license; DOB NOW: Build Suspended Scaffold filings since Nov 15 2023; Industrial Rope Access Application Procedure / IRAP), and NYC Local Laws (LL 196 Site Safety Training — 40 hrs for crew + 62 hrs for supervisors on jobs with Site Safety Plan; routine cleaning typically exempt but PCWC + jobs under permit must comply). Most premier NYC vendors (Top Team, Total Service, Big Apple, Atlantic) train their entire workforce to SST as a standard practice because it's a frequent client demand.
Pricing benchmarks: storefront $3-$7/pane in+out, $75-$200 minimum visit; WFP mid-rise $0.05-$0.15/gallon DI water + crew labor; bucket truck $1,200-$3,500/day + $400-$900 DOT permit + insurance + rental; rope access ~$200-$500/man-day premium over WFP for the rigger + SPRAT/IRATA labor. Post-construction window cleaning (PCWC) runs 1.5-3× routine pricing because of silicone overspray, plaster smear, and Glass Renu hard-water restoration. Weekly storefront contracts typically $400-$1,500/month for a single restaurant; mid-rise hotel quarterly clean $3,000-$15,000; high-rise hotel semi-annual full-exterior $50,000-$300,000+. NYC-specific traps: verify the firm holds Master or Special Rigger license on file with NYC DOB; require COI naming building + landlord as Additional Insureds; for high-rise, confirm IRAP filing on every rope-access job (24-hr inspection log requirement); always write "scaffolding-law indemnification waived to extent permitted by §240" into your contract — vendor liability for §240 falls is non-waivable on the worker side, but contractual indemnification between owner + contractor is permitted within §240 limits.
- •Top Team Window Cleaning— Premier NYC firm. Storefront → high-rise full-stack. Master Rigger + SST workforce.
- •Total Window Service— Scratch-free PCWC + CompanyCam timestamped/geotagged photos. Rope + bucket + boom.
- •Big Apple Window Cleaning— Up to 80 ft water-fed pole reach. Atrium + glass-roof published expertise.
- •Empire Window Cleaning— $150+tax minimum visit. Storefront route specialty for restaurants + bars.
- •Atlantic Cleaning— NYC commercial cleaning with full window vertical. Workforce SST-trained.
Types — what to buy when
6 typesStorefront / Low-Rise (under 40 ft)
Restaurant + bar + hotel lobby exteriors. Ladder or 4-step pole. No permits.
Water-Fed Pole / DI (up to 80 ft)
Ground-based ladder-free. DI water (0 TDS) rinses without spotting.
Bucket Truck / Aerial Lift (40-135 ft)
Articulating or telescopic boom + DOT street-occupancy permit (7-14 day lead).
Suspended Scaffold / Rope Access (100+ ft)
Two-point outrigger or davit · IRAP rope access. Master or Special Rigger required.
Skylight / Atrium
Glass roofs (Plaza Food Hall, Time Warner atrium, hotel rooftop lounges).
Post-Construction Window (PCWC)
Silicone overspray + plaster smear + Glass Renu hard-water restoration.
Brands — how the big names compare
5 brandsTop Team Window Cleaning
Top Team is a premier NYC window-cleaning firm covering storefront → mid-rise → high-rise full-stack. Master Rigger on staff (required for high-rise bid eligibility). Trains entire workforce to LL 196 Site Safety Training as standard practice. Strong fit for hotel + commercial portfolio operators wanting a single vendor across multiple building heights and access methods.
- Storefront routeWeekly + monthly cadence$400-$1,500/mo per restaurant
- Mid-rise WFP / boom40-80 ft hotel + restaurant$1,500-$8,000/quarter
- High-rise rope accessIRAP-compliant Master Rigger$10K-$100K+ per project
- +Full-stack: storefront → high-rise
- +Master Rigger on staff
- +Entire workforce SST-trained
- +Strong hotel + commercial portfolio
- −Premium NYC pricing
- −Booked 4-12 weeks ahead in peak season
Total Window Service
Total Window Service is a NYC firm with a "scratch-free post-construction" differentiator — uses CompanyCam timestamped + geotagged photos for documentation (operator gets verifiable proof-of-work). Bucket trucks + boom lifts for buildings where rope access is logistically infeasible. Strong fit for post-construction window cleaning + ongoing high-rise + commercial buildings needing photo-documented service.
- Post-construction windowScratch-free + CompanyCam docs1.5-3× routine pricing
- Bucket truck mid-riseJLG E300 / Genie Z-60$1,200-$3,500/day
- High-rise rope/scaffoldIRAP + Master Rigger$10K-$200K+ per project
- +Best post-construction window specialty
- +CompanyCam documentation = verifiable proof-of-work
- +Bucket + boom + rope cross-stack
- +32-hour suspended scaffold supervisor training
- −Mid-rise focus less suited for storefront-only restaurants
- −PCWC pricing premium
Big Apple Window Cleaning
Big Apple Window Cleaning markets water-fed pole capability up to 80 ft from the ground — strong WFP specialty. Published explainer on atrium + glass-roof cleaning notes that NYC glass roofs accumulate exhaust soot, pigeon excrement, and tree pollen at 3-4× the rate of vertical glass. Best fit for boutique hotels (4-6 story), restaurants with atriums or glass canopies, and operators wanting ladder-free WFP service.
- WFP up to 80 ftUnger nLite / Tucker / Xero Pure$0.05-$0.15/gal + crew
- Atrium / glass roof clean3-4× rate of vertical glassPremium per-project
- Restaurant + boutique hotelMid-rise WFP routeQuarterly / monthly
- +Up to 80 ft WFP — ladder-free safety
- +Atrium + glass roof published expertise
- +DI water = no streaking
- +Faster than scaffolding for mid-rise
- −WFP-focused — less high-rise rope/scaffold capacity
- −Best for buildings with ground accessibility
Empire Window Cleaning
Empire Window Cleaning is the NYC storefront + restaurant route specialist — $150+tax minimum visit is typical. Per-pane $3-$7 in+out for 3'×3' panes. Best fit for single-restaurant operators wanting weekly to monthly storefront cleaning at the lowest commodity tier of the trade. Owner-operator-tier small firm with route-density pricing efficiency.
- Storefront weekly routeRestaurant exterior + lobby$150+tax min · $3-$7/pane
- Bi-weekly / monthlyLower-frequency routesDiscounted vs weekly
- Bar facade / awningGlass + awning combinedPer-visit pricing
- +Storefront route specialty
- +Lowest-tier commodity pricing efficient
- +$150+tax minimum is industry-standard
- +Strong for single-restaurant indie operators
- −No mid-rise / high-rise capability
- −No rope access / scaffold for towers
- −Storefront-only
Atlantic Cleaning
Atlantic Cleaning is a NYC commercial-cleaning firm with full window vertical — bundles janitorial + window cleaning under one contract. Trains entire workforce to LL 196 SST. Best fit for hotel + commercial operators wanting integrated facilities management (janitorial + window) under a single vendor relationship.
- Janitorial + window bundleSingle-vendor FM contractBundled monthly retainer
- Window-only mid-rise routeHotel + commercial mid-risePer-visit + retainer
- High-rise window projectMaster Rigger requiredPer-project pricing
- +Janitorial + window single-vendor bundle
- +Workforce SST-trained
- +Cross-vertical integrated FM
- +Hotel + commercial portfolio
- −Bundle pricing less flexible than window-only RFP
- −Less window-only focus than Top Team or Total Service
By venue type — recommended setup
| Venue | Recommended setup | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Single NYC restaurant — storefront only | Empire Window Cleaning weekly route ($150+tax min) | $400-$1,500/mo |
| NYC restaurant group (5-25 venues, storefront) | Top Team storefront route across all venues | $300-$1,200/mo per venue (volume discount) |
| Boutique NYC hotel (4-6 story, 50-100 keys) | Big Apple WFP quarterly + interior monthly | $3,000-$15,000/quarter exterior + $1-3K/mo interior |
| High-rise NYC hotel (100+ ft, 200+ keys) | Top Team or Total Service rope access semi-annual exterior + monthly interior | $50K-$300K+/yr exterior + $5-15K/mo interior |
| New build / gut renovation handover | Total Window Service PCWC + CompanyCam documentation | $15-100K+ depending on glass area |
Common operator questions
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The 30 top vendors
Sorted by profile completeness · NYC-first
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CJS Global
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Majestic Commercial Cleaning
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MissMaid
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