Window Cleaning Guide for Mount Royal (TMR) Homes
Most detached homes in Town of Mount Royal fall in the 11 to 20 window range, which puts exterior window cleaning at $329 or $409 on Altara's flat rate. The crew washes the outside glass, frames and sills from the ground with a water-fed pole and pure deionized water, so the second floor and the dormers don't need a ladder. Exterior visits run until roughly the end of November, so early in the month is the time to book a fall clean.
TMR has a look of its own: wide lots, tall cedar hedges, big maples and lindens along the streets, and plenty of brick two-storey homes with finished basements. Each of those details affects how a window visit goes. This guide walks through them in order.
The kind of homes you find in TMR
The town was laid out as a planned garden city, and it shows in the housing. You see a lot of detached and semi-detached houses, many with a garage, a deep back yard and a mix of original and replaced windows. Some homes have been expanded at the back with large picture windows or patio doors that open onto a deck.
For window cleaning, this means:
- More glass at the back than at the front. Renovated kitchens and family rooms often have the biggest panes in the house.
- Basement windows in wells. Many TMR basements are finished, with windows set in metal or concrete wells that collect leaves.
- Dormers and small attic windows. These are easy to forget when counting, but they count.
- Divided-light windows. A window with grilles between the panes is still one window for the count.
Counting windows for your tier
The flat rate is set by the number of exterior windows, not by square footage or the number of floors. Walk around the house once and count every pane of glass that faces outside.
| Typical TMR home | Windows | Exterior flat rate |
|---|---|---|
| Semi-detached or compact cottage | 6 to 10 | $249 |
| Standard detached two-storey | 11 to 15 | $329 |
| Larger detached or extended home | 16 to 20 | $409 |
| Very large home | 20+ | Custom quote |
A sliding patio door counts as glass to clean, and so does a fixed sidelight next to the front door. If you land right on the line between two tiers, count again before booking. All tiers are listed on the pricing page.
Hedges, trees and access
Cedar hedges
Tall hedges are part of the TMR streetscape, and they sometimes grow right up against the house. The pole can reach over a hedge to an upper window, but ground-floor glass hidden behind thick cedar is harder to clean well. If a hedge touches the glass, trimming it back a little before the visit helps, and it lets the crew see the frame and sill too.
Mature trees
Large street and backyard trees drop sap in summer and leaves in fall. Sap leaves small sticky dots that ordinary rain won't remove, and leaf debris settles on sills and in window wells. Booking after most of the leaves are down means the glass stays cleaner going into winter. Normal sap spotting, dust and pollen are part of the regular visit.
Gates, garages and back yards
The crew needs to get to the back of the house with a pole and a water line. Unlock the side gate, note any dog in the yard, and say so when booking if the only way to the back goes through the garage. Exterior-only work doesn't need anyone home as long as the yard is open.
Height
The pole reaches up to three storeys from the ground. Nearly every home in TMR is well within that, including houses with a raised ground floor. Taller homes, or glass above a sloped roof the pole cannot angle to, get a site visit before a price is set.
What the flat rate covers, and what it doesn't
- Included: exterior glass, frames and sills, with screens rinsed in place.
- Optional add-ons, priced extra: interior glass, removing and washing screens, and track cleaning.
- Quoted separately: skylights, solariums or sunrooms, heavy mineral stains and cleanup after renovation work.
Screens are not repaired. If the crew sees a tear or a bent frame, it points it out so you can take the screen to a repair shop over the winter. The details of the standard service are on the residential window cleaning page.
After a renovation
Renovations are common in TMR, and they leave marks on glass: plaster dust, paint specks, silicone and stickers on new windows. That residue needs more careful work than everyday dirt and is quoted on its own. If your contractor finished recently, mention it when you get in touch so the visit is planned for it.
Timing this month
Exterior cleaning in the Montréal area runs from about March to November. In early November the leaves are mostly down and the glass still has a few weeks before road salt and slush start flying. Once the temperature stays well below freezing, water won't sheet off the glass properly and exterior work stops until spring.
Interior add-ons can be booked any time of year. Some owners do the outside now and leave the inside for later in the winter, when the low sun shows every smudge.
Recurring service
Homes under big trees tend to get dirty faster than the open suburbs. A quarterly program carries a 10% discount, bi-monthly 15% and monthly 20%. Bi-annual and annual programs come with reminders but no discount. Most TMR homes do well with a spring and a fall visit.
Frequently asked questions
How much does window cleaning cost in Town of Mount Royal?
On Altara's flat rate, exterior cleaning is $249 for 6 to 10 windows, $329 for 11 to 15 and $409 for 16 to 20. Most detached TMR homes fall in the middle two tiers. Homes with more than 20 windows get a custom quote, and interior work is an add-on on top.
Does someone need to be home during the visit?
Not for exterior-only cleaning, provided the crew can reach the back yard through a gate. If you booked interior add-ons, or the only way to the back is through the house or garage, someone needs to be there.
Can windows behind a hedge be cleaned?
Upper windows, yes, since the pole reaches over. Ground-floor glass pressed against a dense hedge is harder, and trimming the hedge back a little before the visit gives a much better result.
Is it too late in November for exterior window cleaning?
Exterior work continues through November while the weather allows. When temperatures stay well below freezing the season ends, so booking earlier in the month is the safer bet.
Book your TMR home
Count your windows and choose your tier online, see the Mont-Royal service page, or send a question about access or renovation residue through the contact form.