How Much to Charge for Pressure Washing in 2026 (Rates, Pricing Chart and Calculator)

How do you price a pressure washing job?

Measure each surface, divide the square footage by how fast you clean that surface, then add setup, drive time, chemicals and the hourly cost of running your rig. Gross that up for overhead and profit and you have a per-job price you can also express per square foot. The calculator below does it with the same engine as our job pricing calculator.

The $28 labor figure and the rig cost are illustrative. Work out your real rig cost by adding a year of fuel, maintenance and equipment payments and dividing by the hours you actually wash. If you're still picking equipment, the equipment loan calculator shows what a new washer or trailer adds per month.

Pressure washing price list by surface

Different surfaces clean at very different speeds, so one per-square-foot rate doesn't fit every job. The chart applies the worked example's costs to five common jobs, changing only the size, the washing speed and the chemical use, next to the market ranges for each.

The patio row is the minimum doing its job: a 300 sq ft patio calculates to $127.75, so the $150 minimum sets the price. The deck row lands above Housecall Pro's per-foot range for wood because a small deck still carries the full setup and drive; that's your cue to bundle it with the house wash. Bundling helps from the other side. A driveway and a house wash on one trip share the setup and drive, which brings the pair to about $472 instead of $560 booked separately. Passing part of that saving on is a good reason to quote both.

Per square foot, flat rate, hourly or contract?

What customers typically pay for pressure washing

Customers typically pay $213–$449 for a whole-house wash (about $312 on average) and $100–$250 for a driveway or deck, according to Housecall Pro's October 2026 guide. Fixr's older figures run higher for houses, with a $700 average for a full exterior job.

Commercial pressure washing rates

Commercial flatwork is priced lower per square foot but in much bigger quantities. Housecall Pro lists basic commercial cleaning at $0.10–$0.35 a sq ft, intensive grease or graffiti work at $0.40–$1, parking garages at $0.10–$0.25 a sq ft and parking lots at $8–$20 per space. Dumpster pads run $0.75–$1 a sq ft because they're small, filthy and smell. Before you take restaurant or gas-station work, check your city's rules on wash water: many municipalities restrict what can go into storm drains, and the EPA stormwater program sets the federal framework.

Add-ons that raise the ticket

• Gutter washing. Housecall Pro lists exterior gutter washing at $50–$150 as an add-on to a house wash. (Cleaning debris out of gutters is a different job; see gutter cleaning prices.)
• Concrete sealing. Fixr puts driveway resealing at $355–$600. Seal after the wash, while you're already on site.
• Oil and rust stain treatment. Price per stain or by time with a minimum. Results vary, so promise improvement, not removal.
• Second-story access. Add time in the calculator (the heavy option is +40%) or quote the house by story.
• Roof soft washing. A specialty with its own chemicals and fall risk. Housecall Pro and Fixr both put roofs at $450–$700.

Minimums, trip charges and deposits

Every job pays for loading the trailer, hooking up water and rinsing down, so set a minimum. A 150 sq ft walkway calculates to $105.54 on our inputs, below the $150 minimum. Fixr says minimums of $100–$350 are common. Add a trip charge beyond your normal radius, and confirm the customer has a working outdoor spigot and enough water pressure before you drive out. Take a card on file for one-time residential jobs and a deposit on large commercial work.

Common pressure washing pricing mistakes

1. Treating margin as markup. If you want 45% and add 45% to your costs, the driveway goes out at $137.30 instead of $172.16, a 31.0% margin. Use the markup and margin calculator or read markup vs. margin.
2. Leaving the rig out of the price. A washer, surface cleaner, hoses and a trailer wear out on a schedule. If they're not in the hourly cost, every job is subsidized by your next equipment loan.
3. One rate for every surface. Pricing a wood deck at concrete rates loses money; pricing a driveway at deck rates loses the job.
4. Not measuring. Guessing square footage from the curb is how 900 sq ft driveways get quoted as 600.
5. No price for chemicals. Bleach, surfactant and degreaser are small per job but add up over a season. Put them in per square foot.

How to present the quote

1. 1

   Measure from a satellite map, then confirm on site.

   Note surface type, stains, plants that need wetting down, and water access.

2. 2

   Quote by surface on one page.

   "Driveway $172, house wash $388, or $472 for both on the same visit."

3. 3

   Say what you won't promise.

   Old oil stains and rust may lighten rather than disappear. Writing that down prevents disputes.

4. 4

   Follow up and offer a yearly slot.

   Most houses need a wash once a year. Book next year's visit when you finish. See how to follow up on an estimate.

Starting a pressure washing business? See how to start a pressure washing business, and how an AI receptionist for pressure washing catches calls while the washer is running.