How to Price a Pressure Washing Job in 2026 (The Complete Guide)

Pricing a pressure washing job correctly is the single most important skill you can develop as a business owner. Price too low and you're working for nothing. Price too high and you lose the job to the guy with a cheap trailer and no insurance.

This guide covers exactly how to price pressure washing work in 2026 — from driveway washes to full house treatments.

The Core Formula

Every pressure washing quote starts with the same foundation:

Base Price = Square Footage × Rate per sq ft

Then you layer on modifiers:

• Surface type multiplier
• Story height premium
• Travel / mobilization fee
• Add-ons (gutter cleaning, screen wash, stain treatment)

2026 Square Footage Benchmarks

These are national averages. Adjust ±20–30% based on your local market.

| Surface Type | Low | Mid | High | |---|---|---|---| | Concrete (driveway, walkway) | $0.08/sqft | $0.12/sqft | $0.18/sqft | | Wood deck | $0.15/sqft | $0.20/sqft | $0.28/sqft | | Vinyl siding | $0.10/sqft | $0.14/sqft | $0.20/sqft | | Brick | $0.12/sqft | $0.16/sqft | $0.22/sqft | | Roof (soft wash) | $0.20/sqft | $0.30/sqft | $0.45/sqft |

Most operators in competitive suburban markets land in the "Mid" column. In rural areas or markets with low competition, "Low" may apply. In high-income urban markets, "High" is achievable.

Driveway Washing: Example Pricing

A standard 2-car driveway runs about 400–600 square feet. At $0.12/sqft:

• 400 sqft: $48 → round up to $79 minimum (below this, it's not worth the trip)
• 500 sqft: $60 → charge $89–$109
• 600 sqft: $72 → charge $99–$129

Minimum job charge: Never go below $79–$99 for a single driveway. Your drive time, setup, and overhead eat the margin on anything smaller.

House Washing: Story Multipliers

House washing is where most operators undercharge. The second and third story costs more — water pressure drops, safety risk increases, time goes up.

Apply these multipliers to your base surface price:

• 1 story: 1.0× (no adjustment)
• 2 story: 1.4–1.6×
• 3 story: 2.0–2.5×

A 2,000 sqft 2-story house at $0.14/sqft × 1.5 story multiplier = $420. That's a reasonable starting point; adjust for condition and access.

Common Add-On Pricing

These should be line items on every quote:

• Gutter cleaning (exterior flush): $75–$150 per linear 100ft
• Screen washing: $3–$5 per screen
• Algae / mold stain treatment: +20–30% surcharge
• Post-construction cleanup: flat $150–$300 surcharge
• Rust stain removal: $50–$150 depending on severity

How to Handle Travel / Mobilization

If the job is more than 20–30 minutes from your base, add a mobilization fee:

• 30–45 minutes: $25 flat
• 45–60 minutes: $50 flat
• 60+ minutes: $75+ or decline the job

Most operators underestimate how much windshield time costs. At $40/hour labor rate, 1 hour round trip is $40 you never billed.

Build a Consistent Quoting System

The fastest way to improve your pricing accuracy is to stop quoting from memory. A consistent system — with pre-set rates per surface, standard add-ons, and a minimum job charge — removes the guesswork and ensures you quote the same job the same way every time.

Software like Roostr lets you configure your pricing rules once (surface rates, story multipliers, add-ons) and then generate itemized quotes in seconds — either from manual measurements or from an AI photo analysis. The quote goes to the customer as a professional link they can approve on their phone.

Summary: Quick Reference

• Start with square footage × surface rate
• Apply story multiplier for multi-story work
• Charge minimums ($79–$99) on small jobs
• Always offer add-ons as line items
• Add mobilization fee for distant jobs
• Use a consistent system so every quote is priced the same way

Pricing is a learnable skill. Once you have a repeatable system, you'll close more jobs, earn more per hour, and stop second-guessing yourself on every call.