Price a Washing Job
Surfaces on this job
Leave an area at 0 to skip that surface. Production rates are starting points; replace them with your own timed numbers.
Your business numbers
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How this price is built
- Washing time for each surface = its area ÷ your production rate for that surface.
- Total job time = washing time + setup and teardown + round-trip drive.
- Chemicals = total area ÷ 1,000 × your chemical cost per 1,000 sq ft.
- Price = total job hours × your target hourly rate + chemicals, never less than your minimum job charge.
- Price per sq ft = job price ÷ total area. Use it to sanity-check quotes, not as the only way you price.
How Much to Charge for Pressure Washing
Most pressure washing companies quote by the square foot, but the number that matters is what you earn per hour once you count setup, drive time and chemicals. A 400 sq ft patio and a 1,500 sq ft driveway take nearly the same time to set up and drive to. Price per square foot alone underprices small jobs and can overprice large flat ones.
Price by Production Rate, Then Check Per Square Foot
Time how many square feet you clean per hour on each surface type. Flat concrete with a surface cleaner goes fast. Siding soft wash is mostly application and rinse time. Wood is slow because it needs low pressure and care. Once you know your rates, the calculator converts any job into hours and dollars. The price per square foot it shows is a useful cross-check against your area.
Set a Minimum Job Charge
Loading the trailer, driving out, setting up, washing and breaking down takes a big chunk of the day even for a small job. A minimum charge makes sure small jobs pay for that time. Many companies also offer a bundle (driveway plus walks plus patio) to move customers above the minimum.
What Raises the Price
- Heavy staining: oil, rust and organic growth take extra pre-treatment and dwell time.
- Height and access: second stories, steep grades and tight side yards slow you down.
- Water source: if you have to bring water or the spigot pressure is low, add time.
- Sealing: sealing concrete or staining wood is a separate service with its own material cost.
Pressure Washing vs. Soft Washing
Soft washing uses low pressure and a cleaning solution, typically for siding and roofs where high pressure can cause damage. Price it on its own production rate and chemical cost; the solution usually costs more per square foot than a degreaser on flat concrete.
Frequently Asked Questions
Work it out from your own numbers: your hourly rate divided by how many square feet you clean per hour, plus chemicals per square foot. Then add setup and drive time for the whole job. This calculator shows the resulting price per square foot for each job.
Measure the driveway's square footage, divide by your production rate on flat concrete to get washing time, add setup and drive time, multiply by your hourly rate and add chemicals. If the result is below your minimum job charge, quote the minimum.
Yes. Setup, teardown and travel take nearly the same time on every job, so a minimum keeps small jobs profitable. Set it at what a short job costs you in time at your target hourly rate.
Estimate the wall area (perimeter × wall height, minus large glass areas if you prefer), divide by your soft wash production rate, and add setup, travel and the cost of your cleaning solution. Second-story work and difficult access justify a higher rate.
