How to Price Pressure Washing Jobs for Profit

Measure the correct billable area

Separate surfaces with different production rates: flat concrete, siding, roofs, fences, decks, and detailed areas. Record linear feet when that better matches the work. Do not apply one rate to every surface merely because the measurement unit is the same.

Note height, access, water availability, fragile materials, oxidation, staining, vegetation protection, furniture moving, and runoff requirements during the site visit.

Estimate production time

Use your own completed jobs to estimate realistic square feet per hour. Include setup, pretreatment, dwell time, rinsing, breakdown, and customer walk-through—not only trigger time.

New businesses can begin with conservative assumptions and update them after every job. Track estimated versus actual hours by surface type so the calculator becomes more accurate.

Build the full job cost

Multiply estimated hours by loaded labor cost. Add chemicals, fuel, water when supplied by the business, equipment wear, travel, parking, subcontractors, and any job-specific protection or cleanup supplies.

Allocate overhead consistently and establish a minimum service charge. A small job can consume nearly the same travel, setup, scheduling, and collection time as a larger one.

Convert cost into a profitable price

Once total cost is known, divide it by one minus the target gross margin. Do not confuse a 25% markup with a 25% margin. A margin-based calculation keeps the intended share of revenue available after estimated job costs.

Use per-square-foot rates as a final reasonableness check and sales shorthand, not as a replacement for cost awareness.

Worked pressure-washing example

A 3,000-square-foot concrete job is estimated at five production hours plus one hour for setup and breakdown. Loaded labor is $32 per hour, chemicals and supplies are $70, travel and equipment are $85, and allocated overhead is $95. Total estimated cost is $442.

At a 35% target margin, $442 ÷ 0.65 equals $680. The resulting rate is about $0.23 per square foot. Before quoting, confirm that this price covers the site conditions and meets the company minimum.

Estimate checklist

• Measured area by surface type
• Realistic production rate
• Setup and breakdown time
• Loaded labor cost
• Chemicals and protection supplies
• Travel and equipment costs
• Allocated overhead and minimum charge
• Target margin and payment terms

Common questions