How pressure washing is priced

Price a pressure washing job from all the time and costs it requires: loading, travel, surface preparation, cleaning, equipment wear and wastewater handling. Then choose a unit that matches the scope, such as area, linear feet or a fixed visit price. Another business's advertised price does not reveal what it includes or costs to deliver.

Example: calculate the cost of one driveway

An 800-square-foot concrete driveway, 15 miles away, light oil staining. Every figure below is illustrative, not a benchmark.

The $150.50 is the example's direct cost before general business overhead and profit. The $38 labor figure includes assumed payroll burden; do not also treat it as an overhead-inclusive selling rate. Use the contractor hourly rate calculation to establish what your labor needs to earn and avoid counting costs twice.

Time your own equipment on representative surfaces. Machine output, access, condition and containment requirements affect production. For the vehicle line, use your actual operating and replacement costs; the IRS mileage deduction is not a required customer charge or a measurement of your truck.

Budget an equipment reserve: replacement cost plus expected repairs, divided by expected operating hours. The $4,000 over 800 hours behind the $5 figure is illustrative. Use the equipment's documentation and your own maintenance history rather than assuming every pump has the same life.

Specify the cleaning method for each surface

Select pressure, chemicals and dwell time from the surface and cleaning-product instructions. High pressure can damage a surface; a lower-pressure chemical method still needs protection for plants, people and surrounding finishes.

For asphalt shingles, ARMA's algae-cleaning guidance warns against power washing and scrubbing. Follow the shingle manufacturer's current cleaning instructions, including its solution, application and rinsing method. Price the protection, access and cleanup that method requires; do not promise that a general wash method preserves every manufacturer's warranty.

Name the method on the quote. "Soft wash, low pressure, roof" identifies the method; also state the surface, included treatment and exclusions.

Do not copy a per-square-foot figure without knowing the measured surface and included method. A house-wash quantity could mean walls, footprint or floor area. Define the unit and use your own job costs to calculate its selling price.

Match the unit to how the work scales

Flat wins on small residential work: homeowners want one number, and measuring to reach $260 burns the time you saved. Per square foot wins once a wrong guess costs a half-day. Either way, set a minimum service call fee that covers loading, driving and setup — the jobs that lose money here are small rather than cheap.

Check licensing, surface condition and wastewater handling

Oregon's CCB licensing guidance lists pressure washing for cleaning among work that does not require a contractor license. Do not extend that answer to a painting contract, another trade or another state. Ask the licensing authority about the work you actually offer and any local registration.

• Pre-1978 painted exteriors. Washing that disturbs paint may fall under EPA's RRP program. Its minor-repair exclusion is limited and does not cover window replacement, painted-surface demolition or prohibited practices. Check coverage, certification and containment before quoting; an EPA-authorized state program may apply.
• Deteriorated surfaces. Document loose mortar, chalking paint, spalling concrete and failed sealers. Confirm a suitable method with the surface manufacturer or a qualified specialist. Decline work where you cannot clean without unacceptable damage.
• Wastewater. Check the local stormwater and sewer authority's disposal requirements before quoting. EPA's illicit-discharge guidance explains the municipal stormwater framework; local permission determines the practical route for contaminated washwater. Price required containment, recovery and authorized disposal rather than assuming a storm drain or lawn is acceptable.

Quoting from your own numbers

Keep each unit as its own priced service, so the number the customer sees is the one you costed. If those prices already sit in a spreadsheet, import it into DoneQuote, check the services and units, and review the scope and amounts on each draft before sending.

Carry these into the next quote

• Cost one real job end to end, drive time included, before you compare yourself to anyone's price.
• Include equipment replacement and repairs in your cost per operating hour.
• Name the method, price off your own cost sheet, and never put high pressure on asphalt shingles.