Running a strata in Victoria? You already know our weather throws everything at your building. Rain pours down for eight months straight, ocean breezes carry salt that sticks to every surface, and those beautiful Douglas firs we love coat windows in sticky yellow pollen. Dirty windows bug your tenants and damage your property value—it’s not just about looks.
We’ve cleaned hundreds of strata buildings around Greater Victoria. Here’s what actually works for keeping windows clean without breaking your maintenance budget.
How Often Should Strata Buildings in Victoria Clean Their Windows?
Your building probably needs 2-4 professional cleanings each year. Location matters more than you’d think:
| Where Your Building Sits | How Often You’ll Clean | Why This Matters |
| Right on the waterfront | Every 2-3 months | Salt corrodes glass fast at the shoreline |
| Downtown core | Every 3-4 months | Car exhaust sticks to everything |
| Residential neighbourhoods | Every 4-6 months | Normal coastal weather wear |
| Townhouse developments | Every 6 months | Trees block some wind and salt |
Buildings near Beacon Hill Park catch ocean spray. Oak Bay waterfront properties get hammered by salt. James Bay faces constant moisture. These locations need extra attention compared to inland areas.
What Works for Most Victoria Stratas
Plan on twice yearly as your starting point—spring cleaning after pollen season ends, fall cleaning before the heavy rains start. Some buildings need more, some can stretch it longer.
Oceanfront buildings? You’re looking at four times yearly minimum. Salt doesn’t take breaks, and your tenants pay premium prices expecting views. Ground floor retail spaces? Those storefronts need monthly attention because foot traffic and car exhaust create constant grime.
Here’s what doesn’t work: waiting until tenants complain. We get calls from frustrated councils all the time. By then, calcium has bonded to the glass. Removing it costs two or three times what regular cleaning runs. Your tenants are already annoyed, and your next council meeting won’t be fun.
| Your Building Style | Bare Minimum | What Happens When You Skip Too Long |
| Waterfront towers | Four times yearly | Salt eats into glass permanently |
| Mid-rise urban buildings | Three times yearly | Longer cleaning sessions mean bigger bills |
| Suburban low-rises | Twice yearly | Tenants move out, vacancies hurt your budget |
| Townhouse complexes | Twice yearly | Stains won’t come out anymore |
Wondering about costs? Grab a free estimate for your strata.
Why Victoria Weather Destroys Your Windows
Eight Months of Rain Plus Ocean Salt
October through May brings constant moisture. Algae loves this—it grows on frames, spreads to glass, creates dark spots everywhere. Your windows never dry out completely between storms. Organic stuff just keeps piling on.
Live near the water? Wind carries microscopic salt crystals that land on your windows. Mix that with our hard water, and you’ve got crusty deposits that stick like concrete. We’ve cleaned enough Oak Bay buildings to know waterfront properties show visible salt buildup six to eight weeks after we finish. Langford buildings farther inland? They cruise along for months before anything gets noticeable.
What Each Season Throws At You
Spring brings pollen bombs: Those gorgeous local trees dump yellow-green powder everywhere. It sticks to damp glass like glue.
Fall means gutter overflow: Leaves clog up, water backs up, dirty overflow splashes down across your lower windows.
Winter creates mineral buildup: Non-stop rain leaves calcium deposits. Your tenants notice because they’re home more during short winter days, staring at grimy glass while working from their dining room tables.
Cleaning Schedules by Building Height
Tall Buildings (6+ Floors)
Plan on: Four times yearly
Tall buildings get hit harder by wind. Upper floors take more abuse from weather. You need specialized gear and certified crews. Costs more, but skipping cleanings costs way more later.
Mid-Height Buildings (3-5 Floors)
Plan on: Three times yearly
Water-fed poles reach these heights from the ground. Safer than scaffolding, faster than lifts, cheaper overall. Most mid-rises find this schedule hits the sweet spot.
Low Buildings and Townhouses
Plan on: Twice yearly
Even short buildings need proper safety gear per WorkSafeBC rules. Don’t let council members climb ladders—one fall creates massive liability headaches.
Buildings With Retail Below
Plan on: Storefronts monthly, apartments quarterly
Store owners expect spotless glass—their lease basically promises it. Residential units can follow normal schedules.
Red Flags Your Building Needs More Cleaning
Streaks Show Up Within Weeks
Professional cleaning should last months, not weeks. Quick return of streaking means you’re fighting heavy environmental exposure.
Tenants Keep Bringing It Up
Once residents start complaining about blocked views or dark units, you’ve waited too long. Unhappy tenants don’t renew leases.
Green or Brown Stuff Growing
That’s algae. Some types release spores that irritate breathing. Not just ugly—potentially unhealthy.
Crusty White Buildup Around Edges
Hard water minerals. Left alone, they etch permanently into glass. We’ve seen buildings need full glass replacement because councils kept postponing maintenance.
One Saanich council called us after skipping cleaning for over a year. The calcium required acid treatment. Their bill tripled compared to regular maintenance costs.
Lights Stay On During Daytime
When your tenants need artificial lighting during sunny days because windows block too much light, the problem’s gone critical. Comfort drops, electricity bills climb.
Making Your Budget Work
Contracts Save Money Long-Term
Annual agreements usually knock 15-25% off per-visit costs. You also avoid emergency premium rates when buildup gets severe. We’ve seen quarterly-maintained buildings pay $1,200 per cleaning. Same building after three years of neglect? $3,000 restoration just to get back to baseline.
Think About Turnover Costs
Losing one tenant costs thousands—lost rent during vacancy, advertising expenses, showing appointments, move-in prep work. A 40-unit building investing $4,800 yearly in quarterly cleaning breaks even preventing just one move-out triggered by building appearance complaints.
How to Sell This to Your Council
Don’t present it as optional cosmetic work. Frame it as infrastructure maintenance, like elevator servicing or roof inspections. Break down the math per unit, per month. That $4,800 annual investment? It’s ten bucks monthly per unit in a 40-unit building. Trivial compared to typical strata fees.
| How You Approach Maintenance | What You’ll Pay Yearly (40 units) | What You Actually Get |
| Quarterly professional cleaning | $4,800 | Clean building, happy tenants who renew |
| Once yearly cleaning | $1,800 | Visible dirt most of the year, complaints pile up |
| Clean only when it looks terrible | $3,000+ each time | Permanent damage, eventual glass replacement |
Why Tenants Shouldn’t Clean Windows Themselves
BC Safety Laws Apply to Everyone
WorkSafeBC has strict rules about working above ten feet. Fall protection gear, certified training, written safety plans—all mandatory. Council volunteers and tenants must follow these same rules. One fall and your strata faces massive liability.
Your Insurance Won’t Cover DIY Accidents
Strata insurance policies typically exclude coverage when injuries happen during work that should involve licensed professionals. Professional companies carry their own comprehensive insurance and WorkSafeBC coverage. Their insurance protects you—DIY attempts leave you exposed.
The Equipment Gap
Professionals use water-fed poles extending multiple stories while operators stay safely on the ground. Purified water systems eliminate spotting—no squeegee work needed. Safety harnesses for tall buildings. Specialized solutions that won’t damage treated glass.
Shine Pros runs water-fed systems reaching five stories from ground level. Zero ladder risks. For taller buildings, we follow every WorkSafeBC protocol including certified harness inspections.
Speed and Quality Differences
Our crews finish typical 40-unit buildings in a few hours. Volunteer groups take days, produce streaky inconsistent results, and risk injuries throughout. We also spot problems during cleaning—failed window seals, deteriorating weatherstripping, structural issues—that untrained eyes miss completely.
| What You’re Comparing | Professional Crews | DIY Volunteers |
| Following safety laws | Complete WorkSafeBC compliance | Usually violates multiple regulations |
| Results you get | Consistent, streak-free, lasts months | All over the place, often streaky |
| Time invested | Done in hours | Stretches across days |
Ready to book professional service? We cover Victoria, Oak Bay, Saanich, Esquimalt, and James Bay. Contact us about your specific building.
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s this actually cost?
Typical 40-unit buildings run $1,200-$1,800 per exterior cleaning session. Annual contracts usually discount compared to one-off bookings.
Can’t tenants just handle their own windows?
Residents can clean inside surfaces. Exterior work on multi-story buildings falls under WorkSafeBC fall protection rules. Anything above ten feet legally requires proper safety gear and certified training. Professional service protects your corporation and your residents from liability disasters.
What if we skip cleaning for a year or two?
Mineral deposits permanently damage glass. Algae spreads. Tenant complaints escalate. Eventually cleaning costs significantly more because of accumulated buildup. Some damage can’t be reversed—you’re looking at glass replacement.
Doesn’t rain clean windows naturally?
Rain makes things worse. It carries minerals and airborne junk that deposits on glass. When water evaporates, calcium and magnesium stay behind creating spots and streaks. Professional cleaning uses purified water that evaporates clean.
How far ahead do we book?
Most companies book weeks out during busy spring and fall seasons. Annual contracts guarantee scheduling priority without constant rebooking hassles.
What should we verify before hiring?
Confirm they carry comprehensive liability insurance and WorkSafeBC coverage. Ask about safety protocols. Get references from other Victoria stratas. Make sure they use proper water purification systems, not just tap water and squeegees.
How do we know if we need more frequent cleaning?
Watch for visible streaking within weeks of service, tenant complaints about views, algae on frames, hard water staining, or reduced natural light getting through. Waterfront buildings and properties surrounded by mature trees typically need more attention.
Can you clean during our rainy season?
Year-round service works fine with proper planning. Light rain doesn’t stop us—purified water systems work regardless. Heavy storms, strong winds, or freezing temperatures might require rescheduling for safety.
Victoria’s coastal location means strata windows need regular professional attention. Whether your building faces ocean spray in James Bay, sits along Oak Bay’s tree-lined streets, or stands downtown, the right cleaning schedule protects property values and keeps tenants satisfied.
Professional window cleaning prevents expensive repairs, maintains what your building’s worth, and keeps everyone safe. Regular service pays back through longer-lasting glass, fewer tenant departures, and fewer headaches for your council.
Ready to set up your maintenance schedule? Shine Pros specializes in window cleaning for Victoria strata buildings across Greater Victoria. Contact our team for quotes customized to your specific property.
