Local service guide
Burnaby window cleaning: hiring and planning
Arrange window cleaning in Burnaby by choosing the glass surfaces and extras you need, then comparing written quotes for that scope. Before booking, review the provider’s business authorization, coverage and plan for reaching upper windows. Burnaby requires a valid business licence for businesses operating in the city and lists a non-resident category for mobile companies without a fixed city location. [1]
Set a scope you can compare
Send photos of each side of your home and list the glass you want cleaned. Include patio doors, skylights and glass above stairs where relevant. Have the cleaner identify whether the work includes both sides of the glass, screen removal and washing, frames, sills and tracks.
Request a total in Canadian dollars with taxes, optional treatments and access charges identified. For a per-window quote, have the provider explain how they count multi-pane openings and sliding doors. Keep the same scope across offers and record any excluded windows.
Point out paint, adhesive, mineral marks, cracked glass and damaged seals before accepting the price. Discuss the expected result and proposed treatment for each mark. Set a rule that the crew needs your approval before adding work or charges.
Review the provider’s authorization and coverage
Get the provider’s business name and licence details. Burnaby distinguishes resident businesses with a permanent city location from non-resident contractors or mobile companies without one. For an unclear authorization, contact Burnaby Licensing at 604-294-7320. [1]
Request proof of liability insurance covering the planned work. For upper windows, discuss the equipment, setup location and any need to enter a balcony, neighbouring property or shared area. Resolve permission questions before the crew arrives.
WorkSafeBC lets you search registered firms using their precise legal or trade name or a six- or nine-digit account number. Checking the search result establishes the firm’s displayed clearance status. Save the letter and read the date through which the firm has satisfied its assessment remittance requirements. If you act as a prime contractor, WorkSafeBC requires the letter to be addressed to you for it to be honoured. [4]
Schedule exterior work with a weather fallback
Burnaby’s page retrieved on October 13, 2026 reported Stage 1 restrictions in effect from September 1, 2026. The City lists the regional restriction season as May 1 to October 15. Use the stage in force on your appointment date when planning exterior work; the Stage 1 cleaning permission does not establish permission under another stage. [2] [3]
Set a postponement policy with the cleaner, including who contacts whom and whether rescheduling carries a charge. Use the appointment forecast to make the final scheduling decision.
Environment and Climate Change Canada reports monthly precipitation normals of 43.5 mm in July, 156.8 mm in October and 245.2 mm in November at nearby Vancouver Harbour for 1991–2020. The chart gives regional seasonal context. It does not predict rain at your home on the booked day or set a cleaning frequency. [5]
Prepare the home and inspect the result
Clear windowsills and move fragile items away from the work area. Tell the cleaner about pets, alarms, locked gates and rooms that require permission to enter. Decide who will move furniture and remove and replace screens.
For a strata home, speak with your strata contact about who arranges exterior cleaning and approves entry to shared areas. Check which windows your own booking should cover so you can avoid overlapping with a building appointment.
Walk through the completed work with the cleaner while the crew is present. Review the agreed glass surfaces, screen replacement and stain treatment. Record inaccessible windows and establish how the provider will handle missed areas or concerns you notice after the visit.
Seasonal precipitation context for exterior cleaning
Local details that affect your job
Check the licence for an out-of-city cleaner
Burnaby lists non-resident licences for contractors and mobile companies without a fixed city location. Eligible businesses may use an inter-municipal business licence, which supplements their home municipal licence. Have an out-of-city provider identify the authorization covering work at your address rather than relying on the name of its home municipality. Burnaby Licensing can clarify the requirement at 604-294-7320. [1]
Stage 1 allows hired cleaning beyond lawn-watering hours
Metro Vancouver’s Stage 1 guidance allows all hired commercial cleaning activities at residential and non-residential properties. Under that stage, you can arrange the cleaning appointment without tying it to your address’s lawn-watering morning. Burnaby reported Stage 1 at the October 13, 2026 source check; verify the applicable stage for a later visit. [2] [3]
Discuss wastewater before exterior cleaning
Burnaby instructs businesses to keep chemicals and liquids, including cleaning wastewater, out of storm drains because those drains lead to fish-bearing creeks. Show the cleaner any street or driveway drains near the work area and have them explain how they will manage wastewater before you accept the exterior-work plan. [1]
Match the booking to the work
| Your situation | Suggested scope | Resolve before booking |
|---|---|---|
| Exterior glass needs attention | Exterior cleaning | Screen and frame inclusion, water supply and wastewater handling |
| You want both sides cleaned | Interior and exterior cleaning | Room entry, furniture movement and screen replacement |
| Glass has paint or mineral marks | Cleaning with separately priced treatment | Proposed method, expected result and approval for extras |
| Upper windows or shared areas need entry | Cleaning with a property-specific access plan | Equipment setup and permission for the areas involved |
| Your appointment falls under Stage 1 | Hired exterior cleaning is allowed under regional rules | Verify that Stage 1 applies on the work date |
Your hiring checklist
- Photograph the glass and list the surfaces and extras you want.
- Get a written total identifying taxes, optional work and exclusions.
- Review business authorization and proof of liability insurance.
- Check WorkSafeBC status; obtain a letter addressed to you if acting as prime contractor.
- Resolve equipment setup, shared-area permissions and wastewater handling.
- Set the weather fallback and check the water restriction stage for the visit.
- Clear the work area and leave time for a final walk-through.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much should I budget?
Get comparable property-specific quotes using the same photos and scope. Compare the total, including identified taxes, screens, tracks, stain treatment and access charges. Have each provider explain exclusions and how they count windows before you choose an offer.
Can I book exterior cleaning during water restrictions?
Metro Vancouver allows all hired commercial cleaning activities under Stage 1. Burnaby’s page retrieved on October 13, 2026 reported that stage in effect. Check the rules for your appointment date because this permission applies to Stage 1. [2] [3]
What should I check in a WorkSafeBC clearance letter?
Match the legal or trade name to your provider, read the status and save the letter. WorkSafeBC honours an active-and-good-standing letter up to the date shown for satisfied assessment remittance requirements. If you act as a prime contractor, the letter must also be addressed to you to be honoured. A status search alone does not meet that addressee requirement. [4]
How often should I arrange cleaning?
Start with the glass that affects your view or needs attention. After the first visit, use the result and your priorities to decide when to book again. Before accepting recurring service, settle the scope and the terms for changing or cancelling appointments.
Sources and scope
This guide combines the sources below with practical planning guidance. Figures apply to the stated geography and period; request a written quote for your property.