How to Estimate Power Washing Jobs in 5 Steps: A Simple Guide for Small Businesses

Determining how much to charge for power washing jobs can be challenging. There are many factors to consider, such as local competition and demand. Cold weather climates might create only seasonal markets for power washing. Power washers in areas with lots of competition will need to keep an eye on average prices.

Follow these five steps to make pricing power washing jobs a more straightforward process, especially for small outfits that are new to the business.

FreshBooks’ online estimating software makes generating and sending estimates easy, plus you can easily convert them into invoices.

In this article, we’ll cover:

• How Much to Charge for Pressure Washing Services
• Pressure Washing Charges: Things to Consider
• Key Takeaways

How Much To Charge For Pressure Washing Services

1. Measure the Space

Most pressure washing is estimated based on the square footage or linear footage of the area to be washed, according to Power Washing Business.

It’s always best to visit the property before sending an estimate to see the site’s conditions yourself. Ask the customer questions about what exactly they want to be done and if any special services or repair work is required.

Square Footage

Projects estimated based on square footage include roofs, driveways, sidewalks, fences, decks, siding, commercial cleaning, parking lots, and garage floors.

To calculate the square footage, find the length and width of the area. A laser distance measurer works best (available at most local home improvement stores). Multiply the length by the width. Then multiply that number by 1.35 to find the approximate square footage.

Linear Footage

Other projects are estimated based on linear footage, like when you wash a house or boat. You simply measure the length of the structure, ignoring width or thickness measurements. Now you can charge by linear foot. Linear footage is charged at a higher rate than square footage.

2. Decide on a Pricing Strategy

Power washers typically estimate residential jobs based on one of three pricing strategies:

1. Per square foot or linear foot
2. Per hour
3. Flat rate

Pricing by the square or linear foot makes it easier to bid on different sizes and shapes of lots or structures. Pricing by the hour makes sure you get paid for every hour worked.

Flat rate pricing is handy if you’re an experienced power washer who already knows the prices for different jobs and how factors like rough surfaces will affect the price. In this method, find the rough cost based on the square footage and then add your markup on top. Business owners know that a successful business needs to turn a profit—and to turn a profit, you need pricing that takes into account the costs of producing your products. FreshBooks free Markup Calculator lets you calculate your markup price so you can rest easy knowing you’re in the black. Give it a try today and see for yourself how much simpler your business accounting can be.

3. Price Based on the Project

Rates also differ based on the service. Here are some standard rates based on national averages to help you estimate your power washing job, whether you plan to pressure wash a house or a parking lot:

Houses

• $90 – $275 flat rate for entire home
• $0.75 – $1.25 per linear foot (single story home’s exterior)
• $1.75 – $2.25 per linear foot (two story home’s exterior)

Gutters

• $100: single story
• $135: two floors
• $200: three floors

Boats

• $5 per linear foot: bottom only
• $10 per linear foot: whole boat

Roofs

• $0.20 per square foot
• Double or triple the fee for roofs with steep pitches

Driveways and Sidewalks

• $60 – $150 flat price (depends on size)
• $0.08 – $0.14 per square foot

Fences, Decks, and Siding

• $0.20 – $0.25 per square foot

Mobile Homes

• $50 – $85 flat rate for a mobile home (depends on condition)
• $80 – $100 flat rate for a double wide (depends on condition)

Commercial Cleaning Solutions

• $0.08 -$0.12 cents per square foot for basic surface cleaning
• $75 for standard dumpster and $150 for large

Parking Lots, Garages and Drive Thrus

• $0.05 – $0.25 per square foot for parking lots and garage floors (depends on condition)
• $10 – $20 per parking space

Also Read: How to Estimate Cleaning a House

4. Estimate Materials and Overhead Costs

Additional costs include chemicals for jobs on roofs, fences, decks, and siding. For example, chemicals to power wash a roof would cost about $50. Prices will also differ depending on whether you use cold water or hot water cleaning.

Overhead is another cost you should absolutely factor into your estimates, according to Ultimate Washer.

Let’s look at some monthly costs based on a 30-hour paid work week.

• Vehicle loan: $400 or $3.33 per hour
• Car insurance: $125 or $1.04 per hour
• Cleaning solution supplies: $400 or $3.33 per hour
• Phone and internet: $150 or $1.25 per hour
• Gasoline: $500 per month or $4.17 per hour
• Advertising: $600 or $5.00 an hour
• Equipment maintenance and fuel: $10 per hour
• Office rent: $900 a month, $9 per hour (optional)

Overhead costs are almost $40 per hour alone. You also need to account for your own salary (let’s say $29/hour at $60,000 a year) and money to put back into the company ($20,000 or $9.50 an hour).

This increases your rate to $78.50 an hour.

Since you’re only getting paid for 30 hours of work and you typically spend at least ten more hours on administrative tasks, you need to account for these ten unpaid hours in your hourly fee.

Rounding $78.50 up to $80, you should earn $3,200 a week for a 40-hour workweek. You need to earn $800 more. Divide $800 by the 30 hours you’re working, and you’ll find you need to charge $26.66 more or $106 per hour total.

5. Calculate the Total Price

Now that you have your square or linear footage, calculate the cost based on standard rates for the job, making sure to account for materials and overhead. Or use one of the standard flat rates listed above.

Here’s another strategy:

(Cost of Materials x 2) + Cold or Hot Water Pressure Washing Costs = Project Estimate

Cold water cleaning should cost $45 to $50, and hot water cleaning should cost $55 to $60.

• For example, if the cost of materials is $200, double it to get $400. Let’s say you’re using hot water cleaning.
• $400 + $60 = $460 project estimate

Pressure Washing Charges: Things to Consider

When setting your prices for pressure washing, there are some additional things worth considering:

Service Packaging

One thing to contemplate is packaging multiple services together. Most homeowners have a part of their property they wouldn’t book for power washing on its own, but if they already have someone coming for a pressure wash, why not pay a little more to have added curb appeal? Combining services can be a great way of upselling and increasing income.

Seasons

Pressure washing companies will have different peak times depending on the climate and market they find themselves in. Cold winters will not be periods of high demand and will likely not be worth the potential damage to equipment. Take off-seasons into account when setting a price point to ensure you’ll bring in enough money over the entire year.

Labor

If you’re operating a small business and performing all pressure washing services yourself, your salary will cover your labor. However, if you have a team of employees, the cost of labor will likely be the highest portion of your pressure washing costs.

Putting more employees on a single job will increase your overall cost to power wash. However, charging someone hourly and being understaffed for a large job can lead to you angering and losing clients. Determine what works best for you in terms of workers and time.

Key Takeaways

Deciding how much to charge for pressure washing is crucial to your professional power washing services. Set your pressure washing prices too high, and you won’t be competitive. Set prices too low and you won’t make enough money to sustain your business.

Decide on a pricing strategy that works for your business. This can be based on size, time, or a flat rate. Calculate the rate you’ll charge based on your overhead costs and research into your market. Check out the property in person whenever possible before committing to a price. Consider packaging different services together to encourage additional jobs and upselling.

People also ask:

• How do you price a power washing job?
• How much does it cost to pressure wash per square foot?
• How much does pressure washing cost per hour?
• Is a professional pressure washing business worth it?
• What is the difference between power washing and pressure washing?

How do you price a power washing job?

Power washing typically costs between $183 to $380 in the U.S., with the national average being $281, according to Home Advisor.

House power washing usually costs between $220 to $380, pressure washing a driveway costs $130 to $220, and a deck or patio costs $250 to $420. The price depends on any cleaning chemicals that might need to be used and the size of the surface.

Power washers usually price jobs by the square foot, the hour, or using a flat rate. Details on each of these methods can be found above.

How much does it cost to pressure wash per square foot?

It typically costs between $0.08 and $0.35 per square foot to do pressure washing. This figure depends on the average rates in your region.

A pressure washer will charge $0.40 to $0.80 per square foot if there are problems like stains, dirt, or mold that take longer to clean, according to CostHelper.

How much does pressure washing cost per hour?

Pressure washing typically costs between $60 to $100 an hour, according to Fixr.com.

For example, a 1,200-square-foot home takes about six hours to pressure wash and costs between $360 to $600.

To pressure wash a driveway or sidewalk will take about an hour ($60 to $100), a roof takes two to three hours ($120 to $300), and decks, porches, and patios take about one to two hours ($60 to $200).

Is a professional pressure washing business worth it?

Pressure washing services can be great, but like any business, it depends on the market and the people running it. If you’re excited to be a professional power washer and willing to work hard at it, this may be the perfect business for you. Look at the amount of power washing services already on offer. Price yourself competitively and be patient as your business and clientele grow.

What is the difference between power washing and pressure washing?

Although often used interchangeably, pressure washing and power washing are different ways to clean surfaces. Both use high-pressure sprays, but a power washer uses hot water, and a pressure washer uses cold. For simple cleans, this may not make a huge difference. However, the hot water will make a big difference for difficult cleans, such as a thick build-up of mildew, grease, or salt.

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