How to start a pressure washing business

How to start a pressure washing business, step by step

1. 01

   Pick the surfaces you'll clean

   Pressure washing covers very different jobs. Flatwork means driveways, sidewalks and patios. House washing means vinyl, brick or painted siding. Then there are decks and fences, and commercial work like storefronts, dumpster pads and drive-thrus, usually at night.

   Start with driveways and house washes for homeowners. They're easy to quote from a photo, the results photograph well, and every clean driveway is an ad to the neighbors. Add commercial accounts once you've got a reliable rig and a system for wash water.

2. 02

   Learn when to soft wash

   Soft washing cleans with low pressure and a cleaning solution that does the work, instead of high pressure that can strip paint, etch wood or force water behind siding. The Power Washers of North America's house wash course teaches low-pressure methods for cleaning homes, alongside chemical application and surface protection.

   Use high pressure and a surface cleaner on concrete. Use soft washing for siding, roofs and painted surfaces. Getting this wrong is how new washers end up paying to replace a customer's siding.

3. 03

   Buy for flow, not just PSI

   PSI is how hard the water hits. Gallons per minute is how much water moves dirt off the surface, and it decides how fast you finish a driveway. A homeowner machine at 2 to 2.5 GPM will work, but slowly. Generac's 4,200 PSI, 4.0 GPM gas unit is the kind of machine to start a business on.

   Add a 15- or 20-inch surface cleaner for flatwork, extra hose, and a set of nozzles. Buy soft wash gear once you start selling house washes.

4. 04

   Plan where the water goes

   Wash water carries soap, oil and grime, and many cities ban it from storm drains. Portland, Oregon prohibits pressure washing wash water from the stormwater system. Non-toxic water may go onto unpaved ground on the property, and water with detergents goes to the sanitary sewer under a Mobile Washer Discharge Authorization, which costs $205 a year.

   Before every job, find the nearest storm drain, cover it, and plan how you'll collect what runs toward it. Ask your city's stormwater office what applies to you, because a fine for one job can cost more than your machine.

5. 05

   Price by square foot and surface

   Measure every surface before you quote: length times width for a driveway, wall height times perimeter for a house. Set a price per square foot for each surface type, and a minimum job charge so small patios still cover your drive and setup.

   Ask for photos on your quote form so you can spot oil stains, rust, mildew and tight access before you show up. Price stain treatment as a separate line.

6. 06

   Register and insure before washing

   Get a free EIN from the IRS, register with your state and city, and buy general liability insurance before your first job. High-pressure water can break windows, lift paint and flood a garage, and commercial clients will ask for a certificate of insurance before you start.

   Take photos of every surface, window and plant bed before you start, and close every window yourself. A dated photo settles most damage questions in a minute.

7. 07

   Show your before-and-afters online

   Pressure washing sells on photos. Your site needs a before-and-after gallery, your services with starting prices, the area you cover, reviews, and a quote form that asks for the address, the surfaces, rough square footage and a photo. Replo builds that site from a description and puts it live on your domain.

   Replo doesn't book jobs or send invoices. Embed Jobber's online booking or a Cal.com calendar on the page if you want customers to pick a date themselves.

What it costs to start a pressure washing business

A one-machine startup for homeowner flatwork and house washes in Portland, Oregon. A smaller used machine is the cheapest way in.

Your first 30 days

1. Week 1

   Rig and rules

   • Buy a 4 GPM machine, surface cleaner, hose and nozzles.
   • Call your city's stormwater office about wash water and permits.
   • Get your EIN, register the business and buy liability insurance.

2. Week 2

   Practice and price

   • Wash your own driveway and two friends' driveways for photos.
   • Time each job and set a price per square foot.
   • Launch your site with a before-and-after gallery and quote form.
   • Print yard signs and door hangers with your domain on them.

3. Week 3

   Work one street

   • Offer the neighbors of each finished job a same-week price.
   • Leave a yard sign at every job for three days.
   • Quote every request within a day from the customer's photos.

4. Week 4

   Add house washing

   • Practice soft washing on your own siding before selling it.
   • Offer house washes to every driveway customer from weeks two and three.
   • Ask each customer for a review and add new photos to your site.

Build your pressure washing site

Frequently asked questions

How much does it cost to start a pressure washing business?

About $1,630 in Portland for a 4.0 GPM gas machine, a storm drain filter, a wet/dry vac, the city's mobile washer fee and a domain. Add liability insurance and scheduling software, and less if you start on a smaller used machine.

What is soft washing?

Soft washing cleans with low pressure and a cleaning solution instead of a high-pressure blast. It's used on siding, roofs and painted surfaces that high pressure can damage. Trade groups like Power Washers of North America teach it in their house wash training.

Is a 3,000 PSI pressure washer good for commercial use?

It can work, but flow matters as much as pressure. Gallons per minute decide how fast you clean, so a 2.5 GPM machine at 3,000 PSI will be slow on big flatwork. For daily commercial work, look at 4 GPM machines like Generac's 4,200 PSI model.

Where can pressure washing water go?

Not into the storm drain, in many cities. Portland bans it from the stormwater system, lets non-toxic water soak into unpaved ground on the property, and sends water with detergents to the sanitary sewer under a mobile washer authorization.

How should I price driveway cleaning?

By square foot, with a minimum charge. Measure length times width, set a rate for plain concrete, and add separate lines for oil stains, rust and sealing. Ask for a photo on your quote form so there are no surprises on site.