Direct answer. Choose a pricing unit that matches how you measure the work, estimate the time and direct cost behind it, then protect the price for overhead and target margin. For recurring work, go one step further: the account price and route allocation should still make economic sense after the route is actually run.
1. Pick the unit
Per pane, per window, per screen, per track, hourly and flat-job pricing can all be valid. The important part is consistency: define what a unit means so a quantity from one estimate means the same thing in the next.
2. Estimate service time
Crew minutes per unit × quantity converts the scope into crew hours. Apply a difficulty factor when access or complexity materially changes the expected time.
3. Convert to worker hours
Crew Hours × Crew Size = Worker Hours. Labor cost comes from worker hours, not simply the number of calendar hours the job appears to take.
4. Add supplies and other direct cost
Include supplies and other job-specific operating costs. Do not bury these inside the labor number if you want useful estimate-versus-actual feedback later.
5. Handle travel correctly
A standalone job can use its own trip or mileage estimate. A route-linked visit should allocate the shared route run cost across expected stops instead of charging the entire route travel cost to every account.
6. Protect price
Compare the current unit-rate reference with the target-margin price and minimum job charge. If the economics require a higher price than the ratebook, the tool should surface the gap instead of silently protecting the old rate.
7. Recurring work needs another review
A route definition is a plan, not proof of route profit. After completed route runs, evaluate actual shared route cost, job-specific direct costs, revenue, worker hours, stops and margin. Do not average individual margins when route revenues differ; use total profit ÷ total revenue for the combined margin.
Sources and methodology
- Housecall Pro window-cleaning pricing guide
- OwnerLanes calculation methodology: Website v2.0 Master Build Specification and the applicable product authority.
Industry sources are contextual references. OwnerLanes does not convert published averages into default national pricing recommendations.