How much to charge for pressure washing
Pressure washing is one of the few trades priced by area rather than by time, and that is a gift: you can quote accurately from a satellite image without ever visiting the property.
Quick answer
Most US pressure washing jobs land between 150 and 500 dollars, with typical residential work at 250 to 400. Priced by area, the market runs roughly 0.20 to 0.50 dollars per square foot, and driveways commonly work out at 0.25 to 0.35 or a flat 100 to 200 depending on size. A single story house wash is usually 250 to 450 and a two story 400 to 900. The national hourly figure sits around 75 to 80 dollars, but hourly is the wrong unit here: square footage lets you quote from an aerial image in two minutes and protects you when a surface turns out filthier than expected. Set a minimum of 100 to 150 so small jobs cover the trip.
US pressure washing prices by job, 2026
| Job | Typical price | Per square foot |
|---|---|---|
| Driveway | 155 to 190, or flat 100 to 200 | 0.25 to 0.35 |
| Single story house wash | 250 to 450 | 0.20 to 0.50 |
| Two story house wash | 400 to 900 | 0.20 to 0.50 |
| Deck or patio | Within the 150 to 500 band | 0.25 to 0.50 |
| Minimum charge, small jobs | 100 to 150 | Not applicable |
Step-by-step
- 1
Quote by square foot, not by hour
Hourly pricing punishes you for being fast and rewards you for struggling, and customers hate it because they cannot predict the bill. Area pricing fixes both. Measure from an aerial map, apply your rate per square foot, and you have a quote before you leave the house. It also means a surface that turns out heavily soiled costs you time instead of costing the customer a surprise.
- 2
Set a minimum that covers the trip
A 100 to 150 dollar minimum is standard for a reason. Loading, driving, setting up, packing down and driving back is at least an hour regardless of whether the job itself took twenty minutes. Without a minimum, small jobs quietly subsidise nothing and eat your best hours.
- 3
Price soft washing separately from pressure washing
Roofs, siding and painted surfaces need low pressure with chemicals rather than raw force, and using high pressure on them causes damage you will pay for. It is a different service with a different skill and different consumables, so it should sit on your price list separately.
- 4
Sort out water and power access before you quote
Commercial sites and apartment buildings often have no accessible outdoor tap, and a tank changes what you can take on. Ask about water access when quoting. A job you cannot complete is worse than a job you declined.
- 5
Photograph everything, before and after
Two reasons. The before and after pair is the most persuasive marketing this trade has, and costs nothing to collect. And pre-existing damage to a deck board or a window seal is far easier to discuss when you have a timestamped photo of it from before you started.
- 6
Bundle into annual or seasonal cleans
Most surfaces need doing roughly annually, and a customer who books once will forget by next spring. Offering a scheduled annual clean, or bundling driveway and house wash together, converts one-off jobs into a diary that fills itself and raises the average ticket at the same time.
Tips & best practices
- Quote from a satellite image. Measuring the driveway remotely turns an hour of driving to estimate into a two minute job.
- Never use high pressure on siding or roofs. Soft washing is a separate service, priced separately, and using the wrong one creates liability.
- A minimum charge isn't greedy. It's arithmetic. The trip costs the same whether the job is 200 square feet or 2,000.
Common questions
How much should I charge per square foot for pressure washing?
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Roughly 0.20 to 0.50 dollars per square foot, with driveways commonly at 0.25 to 0.35. Basic rates were reported around 0.42 to 0.52 in early 2026, varying with site conditions.
What should a house wash cost?
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Usually 250 to 450 dollars for a single story home and 400 to 900 for a two story. Most residential jobs overall fall between 250 and 400.
Should I charge hourly instead?
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The national hourly figure is around 75 to 80 dollars, but square footage is the better unit. It lets you quote remotely, it does not penalise efficiency, and customers can predict the price before you arrive.
Do I need a minimum charge?
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Yes, typically 100 to 150 dollars. Travel, setup and pack-down cost the same regardless of job size, so without a minimum the smallest jobs are the least profitable hours of your week.
What is the difference between pressure washing and soft washing?
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Soft washing uses low pressure plus cleaning solution and is what roofs, siding and painted surfaces require. High pressure on those surfaces causes damage. Price them as separate services because they are separate services.