How to Price a Pressure Washing Job | Reddit & LinkedIn

Square footage is the starting point, but surface type and soil level are what actually move the number. A smooth concrete driveway cleans fast. Textured pavers, an oil-stained shop floor, or algae-covered siding take more time, more chemical, and sometimes a different method. Price each surface separately and factor how dirty it is, because a light rinse and a heavy degreasing of the same area are two different jobs with two different costs.

Most residential pressure washing runs about $0.15 to $0.75 per square foot in 2026, so a typical house wash or driveway lands at $200 to $600. Larger commercial flatwork, parking areas, and heavy degreasing price higher per job. Many contractors quote by area for big surfaces and by the job for standard packages like a house wash or a driveway. Price from square footage, surface, and soil, and always check the total against your minimum so a small job still pays.

Not every surface can take high pressure. Vinyl and painted siding, stucco, and especially asphalt shingle roofs can be damaged by a pressure washer, so those call for soft washing, a low-pressure application of detergent and surfactant that kills mold and algae and rinses clean. Soft washing uses more chemical and knowledge and less raw pressure, and it is priced accordingly. Quoting the right method for each surface protects both the customer's property and you from a damage claim.

The easy costs to miss are chemicals, water and power access, and setup time. Detergent and surfactant for a heavy soft wash add up. If the property has no working spigot or the water pressure is poor, you may need to bring water, which is a real cost. Setup, hose runs, protecting plants and fixtures, and cleanup all take time before and after the actual washing. List these so a job that looked simple on square footage alone still covers the work it really takes.

Pressure washing has high fixed costs per visit, drive time, setup, and teardown happen no matter how small the job. Without a minimum, a $120 driveway can lose money once you count the round trip and setup. Set a minimum job price that covers mobilization and a base labor block, and quote small jobs at that minimum or higher. It is one of the simplest ways a washing business protects margin, and it filters out the tiny jobs that are not worth the truck roll.

ContractShield lets you save washing packages, a house wash, a driveway, a deck, a commercial flatwork rate, with your per-square-foot and per-job pricing, chemical cost, and minimum. Snap a photo, pick the package, adjust for soil level, and send a signable quote the same day, often before you leave the property. You run the job and invoice on milestones or on completion for a flat 2% per job (1% each side), capped at $250, no per-lead fees.