Good preparation saves time, avoids nasty surprises and improves the result. It takes no particular effort — just knowing what to anticipate. Here is a list you can use as is, the day before the appointment.
Before the day
Confirm who opens up. Will you be present? Is there a neighbour, a caretaker, an employee, a code, a badge, a deposited key? This is the number one cause of a wasted appointment. If the inside is involved, presence or organised access is essential.
Check parking. The equipment has to be transported. A spot nearby changes the set-up time. On a shopping street or in a paid-parking zone, flag it in advance; if occupying the public way is needed for a machine, that takes time.
Warn whoever needs warning. Neighbours affected by work on a shared terrace, the property manager, caretaker, colleagues, tenants. An announced visit goes better than a discovered one.
Flag anything fragile or unusual. Old glazing, coated glass, solar film, decorative stickers, stained glass, an insect screen, a jammed external blind, a frame with a fragile handle, a window that no longer closes. Better said than discovered.
Outside
- Clear access to the façades concerned: bikes, bins, garden furniture, movable planters.
- Flag what cannot be moved: planting, a pond, a vegetable patch, fixed furniture.
- Warn if a terrace, conservatory or roof light sits beneath high windows: it determines the access method.
- Fold away or secure anything that could get wet from run-off: cushions, textiles, cardboard, paper.
- Indicate whether an outdoor water point and a socket are available.
- Secure or bring in pets that could escape through an open door.
Inside
- Clear the window sills: plants, ornaments, frames, candles, appliances.
- Open or draw back curtains and nets; raise interior blinds.
- Move light furniture, fragile rugs and electronics away from the window.
- Flag delicate floors: untreated parquet, old rugs, porous marble.
- Allow access for a step ladder: about one metre clear in front of each window.
- Flag alarms, glass-break detectors and opening sensors, and give the deactivation instruction if needed.
- If you work from home or someone is sleeping, indicate which rooms to treat last or avoid.
Specific to shops, offices or shared buildings
- The time window. Before opening, after closing, during a break: decide it in advance, it drives the whole organisation.
- Reception and instructions. Who receives, who signs, who opens locked areas, who authorises access to upper floors.
- Sensitive areas. Tills, IT equipment, documents, stock, refrigerated cabinets, displays.
- Signage. A wet floor in a public space requires warning signs.
- Stickers and window graphics. Specify what must be kept — a running campaign should not disappear by mistake.
- Common areas. Lift, floor badge, car-park access hours, technical room.
What you should definitely not do
- Clean the windows the day before. It does not lower the price and does not change the working time.
- Remove a splash yourself with an abrasive. A scratch is permanent; limescale often is not.
- Hide a broken, cracked or badly fixed window. It must be flagged beforehand so it is not handled.
- Wait until the day itself to say access is impossible. A wasted trip is a loss for everyone.
After the visit
Look at the result in diffuse light, once the surfaces are dry, and face on rather than in raking backlight. Compare with the written scope of the quote: the planned faces, the frames and sills if the option was taken, the stated limits. If something does not match the agreed scope, say so straight away — it is far simpler to deal with on site than three weeks later.
FAQ
Do I need to be present during the visit? For the outside only, not always. As soon as the inside is involved, organised access is needed. This is confirmed before the appointment.
Do I have to empty the window sills completely? Remove what is fragile and what blocks access to the glass. The rest can be moved aside on site, but that takes time you pay for.
What if my alarm goes off? Hence the importance of flagging it. A glass-break detector can react to the vibrations of cleaning.
And if you cannot reach a window on the day? It is noted as untreated and not charged. We look together for a solution for a later visit.