March 29, 2026 · 11 min read

How to Estimate Pressure Washing Jobs (2026 Pricing Per SF + Per Hour)

Pressure washing has some of the best margins in the service industry — low overhead, fast jobs, repeat customers. But pricing is where most new operators get it wrong. Charge too little and you're burning gas for nothing. Charge too much and you lose to the guy with a Home Depot rental. Here's how to price every pressure washing job for profit.

Two Ways to Price: Per SF vs. Per Hour

Per Square Foot — best for driveways, parking lots, decks, and any flat surface you can measure. Clients understand it. Easy to quote from photos.

Per Hour (or flat rate) — best for house washing, fences, and anything vertical/irregular where SF is hard to measure. Set a minimum job price to cover drive time and setup.

2026 Pressure Washing Pricing by Surface

Driveways & Concrete Flatwork

Standard concrete driveway: $0.15–$0.25/SF
Heavily stained/oil spots: $0.25–$0.40/SF
Stamped/decorative concrete: $0.20–$0.35/SF (lower PSI, more care)
Sidewalks & walkways: $0.15–$0.25/SF
Pool decks: $0.20–$0.30/SF
Paver driveways: $0.25–$0.40/SF (re-sand joints after = upsell)

Average 2-car driveway (600 SF): $90–$150. Average 3-car (900 SF): $135–$225. Set a $150 minimum for any flatwork job.

House Washing (Soft Wash)

Single-story home (1,500-2,000 SF): $200–$350
Two-story home (2,000-3,000 SF): $350–$600
Large/multi-story (3,000+ SF): $500–$900+
Per SF rate (for quoting): $0.10–$0.20/SF of exterior wall area

House washing is ALWAYS soft wash (low pressure + chemical). Never high-pressure a house — you'll damage siding, force water behind cladding, and get sued. Soft wash chemicals (sodium hypochlorite + surfactant) cost $5-$15/house.

Decks & Patios

Wood deck (wash only): $0.25–$0.50/SF
Wood deck (wash + brighten/neutralize): $0.40–$0.75/SF
Composite deck: $0.20–$0.35/SF
Brick/stone patio: $0.20–$0.35/SF

Deck staining is the premium upsell here. Wash + stain = $2.00-$4.00/SF. That's a $600-$1,200 add-on on a 300 SF deck. Always offer it.

Fences

Wood fence (per linear foot, both sides): $1.00–$2.00/LF
Wood fence (per SF, one side): $0.25–$0.50/SF
Vinyl fence: $0.75–$1.50/LF

200 LF fence = $200-$400. Add stain/seal for $1.50-$3.00/LF more. Fence staining is pure profit — minimal extra time.

Roofs (Soft Wash Only)

Asphalt shingle roof: $0.20–$0.40/SF
Tile roof: $0.30–$0.50/SF
Metal roof: $0.15–$0.30/SF
Average home (1,500 SF roof): $300–$600

Roof washing is soft wash ONLY — no pressure. Black streaks are Gloeocapsa magma (algae). Sodium hypochlorite kills it on contact. High-margin work but requires insurance and ladder safety.

Commercial Work

Parking lots: $0.08–$0.15/SF
Storefronts: $100–$300 per unit
Drive-throughs: $150–$400
Dumpster pads: $75–$150 each
Gas station concrete: $0.10–$0.20/SF
Building exteriors: $0.10–$0.25/SF

Commercial is where you scale. Lower per-SF rate but massive volume. A 10,000 SF parking lot at $0.12/SF = $1,200 for 2-3 hours of work. Lock in monthly/quarterly contracts for recurring revenue.

The Minimum Job Rule

Never leave your shop for less than $150.

By the time you load equipment, drive to the job, set up, do the work, and drive back — a small job takes 1.5-2 hours minimum. At $150 minimum, you're at least making $75-$100/hr effective rate. Below that, you're losing money to opportunity cost.

Complete Estimate Example

Here's a real-world estimate for a full exterior clean — the bread-and-butter combo job:

Job: Full Exterior Clean — 2,200 SF Two-Story Home

House soft wash (2,200 SF exterior): $425
Driveway pressure wash (700 SF): $140
Sidewalk & front walkway (200 SF): $40
Back patio (300 SF): $60
Gutter brightening (exterior, 150 LF): $150
Total: $815
Estimated time: 3-4 hours | Chemical cost: ~$25 | Effective rate: $200+/hr

Profit Margins by Job Type

Driveway/flatwork: 60-75% gross margin
House soft wash: 70-85% gross margin
Deck wash + stain: 50-65% gross margin (stain is expensive)
Commercial contracts: 55-70% gross margin
Roof soft wash: 75-85% gross margin (chemicals are cheap)

Pressure washing is one of the highest-margin trades because your main costs are fuel, chemicals ($5-$25/job), and equipment depreciation. No materials to buy, no supplies to stock.

6 Pricing Mistakes to Avoid

1. Pricing by the Hour (to the client)

Never tell the client your hourly rate. You get faster as you improve — hourly pricing punishes efficiency. Quote flat rates per surface/area. If you clean a driveway in 30 minutes instead of 60, you just doubled your hourly rate.

2. Not Charging for Travel

Build travel time into your pricing. Jobs 30+ miles away need a trip charge or higher minimums. A $150 job 45 minutes away is actually a $150 job that took 3+ hours of your day.

3. Underbidding to "Get Your Foot in the Door"

Cheap clients stay cheap. They won't suddenly pay more next time. Price for profit from day one. If you lose the job, good — you didn't want a client who only values price.

4. Forgetting Chemical Costs on Soft Wash Jobs

Sodium hypochlorite, surfactant, and downstream injection chemicals add up. $15-$25/house wash, $5-$10/roof. Not huge, but it matters over 200+ jobs per year.

5. Not Offering Bundles

"House + driveway" should be your default upsell. Bundling adds $100-$300 to every job with minimal extra time. Offer "Curb Appeal Package" (house + driveway + walkways) and "Full Property" (add deck + fence).

6. No Recurring Revenue Plan

Annual house wash, quarterly commercial contracts, seasonal deck maintenance — recurring customers are 5x more profitable than one-time jobs. Offer annual plans at a 10% discount to lock them in.

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