Pressure Washing Prices and Rates

During your time as a pressure washing business owner you are going to have to do estimates or create bids for a variety of different jobs for both residential and commercial work.

Sometimes it can be difficult to determine how much to charge a customer for certain jobs when you're out in the field. Especially if your new to the business, you may not know how much time some jobs will take to complete compared to others. You may underestimate how much chemicals or fuel will be needed to complete a job. Business experience will have to be your guide in some situations, but most importantly you should have some basic guidelines from which to draw your pricing and rates for any situation you will come across.

A good place to start is to try to come up with an hourly rate that is suitable for your business. A good hourly target for example could be in the $100 range. The hourly rate should be based upon several important factors.

Let's take a look at the four main factors which will help us determine an hourly rate.

• Operating Costs
• Time
• Profit
• Average Competitors Pricing

Operating Costs
When you first started your pressure washing business you should have created a solid business plan. One of the most important things to do for the business plan is to estimate all of your operating costs and materials. Remember this is only an estimate. You won't fully know what your operating and material costs are until you are a few months or more in the business. Your operating costs are going to be things such as your business and vehicle insurance, equipment costs, rent and utilities, fuel, telephone, taxes, advertising etc.  

Time
As you gain experience you will start to figure out how much time it takes you to do jobs whether it be roof cleaning, driveway or house washing. You will also become more efficient as you gain experience. Keep this in mind when you do estimates. A job that may take you 8 hours to complete now, may only take a few hours as you become more efficient. Your customers shouldn't be overcharged because it takes you 8 hours to complete a job that would normally only take 3 hours.

Profit
What do you want your company to make the first year in business? You should have a target goal in mind. If you want to make $50,000 dollars your first year you can figure out how many billable hours you're going to need to reach your goal.

Average Competitors Pricing
You should do some research and get a general idea what your bigger competitors are charging for their services. People often get several different estimates before deciding on a company so you may land less jobs if you are charging significantly more than your competitors. 

In this business you are going to run across competitors that will undercharge for any job they can get their hands on. You will find that in just about any type of business, however they don't tend to stay in business for very long.

Customers don't always want the lowest price. They may be more interested in the quality of the work, especially when it means pressure washing their most valuable investment such as their home.  If you keep your prices reasonable and do professional work your customers may be fine with paying a higher price.
 
Below are some industry average prices for both residential and commercial pressure washing services.

Residential Services
 
Houses $250 - $350 flat price

$0.45 - $1.75 per linear foot.

$0.10 - $.20 per Sq. Ft.

Driveways & Sidewalks

$60 - $150 flat price

Mobile Homes

Single Wide - $50 - $75

Double Wide - $75 - $95

Commercial Services

Gutters $.40 per Sq. Ft.

Roofs $.07 - $.14 per Sq Ft.

New Construction Surface cleaning - $.03 - .05 Sq. Ft.

Parking Lots, Sidewalks & Drive-Thrus

Banks / Restaurant Drive-Thurs - $10- $50 per lane.

Parking Lots, Garage Floors - $.05 - $.25 per Sq Ft.

Parking Spaces - $10 - $20 each