How Much Does It Cost to Pressure Wash and Power Wash a House? [2024 Data]
Normal range: $196 - $420
The average cost to pressure wash a house is $308
, but most homeowners pay between $196
and $420
, depending on the scope.
Pressure washing your home is one of the easiest ways to make it look as good as new. The cost to pressure wash your house depends on the size of your home, your location, and some other factors. Small areas like a driveway or patio can cost as little as $100
, but you might pay $700
or more to pressure wash your entire home. If you opt for power washing, the cost will go up a little more.
Pressure Washing Cost Breakdown
You can break down the costs associated with pressure washing a home into equipment and labor.
Pressure Washing Cost per Square Foot
Pressure washing costs $0.10 to $0.50 per square foot, depending on what part of your property you’re cleaning. Flat, easily accessible surfaces like driveways and patios take less effort and will come with lower prices.
However, their relatively small size means that a technician is spending little time at your home, despite having to pay for gas, insurance, and all other overhead costs. For this reason, you’ll find that pressure washing costs less per square foot when you give a professional more to do.
Cost per Project Size
The larger your home, the more water, time, and labor required to clean the surface.
Home Size (Square Feet) | Average Cost |
---|---|
1,500 | $150–$750 |
2,000 | $200–$1,000 |
2,500 | $250–$1,250 |
Cost by Project Complexity
Pressure washing prices increase when a technician has to spend more time or effort on your project. Examples of issues that can up your costs include grime buildup (requires cleaning agents), hard-to-access areas (requires more time), and larger, multi-story homes (requires more time and equipment).
If your home has particularly stubborn grime or a buildup of grease (particularly on the driveway), it may make more sense to power wash your home. A power washing machine does a more effective job of breaking up stains, but it also comes with a higher price tag.
Cost by Location
Where you live plays a big role in how much you’ll pay to pressure wash your home. Here are some cost ranges and average project costs throughout the United States.
Location | Cost Range | Average Cost |
---|---|---|
New York, NY | $260–$520 | $375 |
Portland, ME | $325–$560 | $420 |
Chicago, IL | $245–$450 | $345 |
Kansas City, MO | $215–$445 | $319 |
Dallas, TX | $165–$375 | $270 |
Phoenix, AZ | $120–$270 | $190 |
Denver, CO | $150–$355 | $250 |
Sacramento, CA | $180–$425 | $298 |
Portland, OR | $250–$565 | $405 |
Equipment and Overhead
When you hire a professional, you can rest assured that they won’t arrive at your home with a pressure washer that they picked up off the shelf at the local big box store.
Experts use professional-grade products that are faster and stronger than those most commonly made available to consumers. The cost of this premium equipment—and other operational costs like licensing, insurance, paperwork, and travel costs—are often factored into the flat-rate trip fee that most professionals work into their estimates.
Labor Cost per Hour
Labor accounts for the majority of the cost to pressure wash a house, as water and cleaning agents (if required at all) are relatively affordable. Since labor is the biggest cost factor, the price your professional charges per hour will have a big effect on your total.
Hourly labor costs for pressure washing fall between $50 and $100, with particularly difficult jobs—like those that require safety equipment and working up on a ladder—sometimes pushing the price to $150 per hour.
Some companies charge by the project instead of by the hour. If that’s the case, labor fees will automatically be factored into your estimate.
Power Washing Cost Breakdown
You can break down the cost of power washing by the size of the area and the project type.
Power Washing Cost per Square Foot
Power washing costs anywhere from $0.15 to $0.75 per square foot. It uses different equipment and can take longer than pressure washing, as it’s more often used for intensive cleaning jobs. As such, it’s a more expensive service. However, you’ll find that most costs are similar because the machine, method for washing, and optional cleaners are identical in both options.
Only the machine costs more because it produces heat in a boiler compartment before releasing the liquid. For this reason, labor, location, and project type follow a similar trend regardless of whether you choose power washing or pressure washing.
How Much Does It Cost to Pressure Wash or Power Wash by Project Type?
When talking about pressure washing a home, you might not always be referring to the house itself. Several other areas on your property could benefit from a thorough cleaning. Here are examples of the costs to pressure wash and power wash various parts of your home.
Project | Pressure Washing Average Cost | Power Washing Average Cost |
---|---|---|
Driveway | $100–$250 | $150–$350 |
Patio | $100–$200 | $100–$250 |
Fence | $150–$300 | $150–$350 |
Gutters | $50–$150 | $50–$300 |
Roof | $450–$700 | $450–$700 |
Siding | $150–$1,400 | $150–$1,400 |
One-story house | $150–$750 | $150–$750 |
Two-story house | $400–$1,400 | $400–$1,400 |
Three-story house | $700–$1,800 | $700–$1,800 |
Driveway
Driveways are one of the most popular choices for pressure washing because they tend to accumulate grime faster due to lots of car and foot traffic. For pressure washing, you’ll pay $0.20 to $0.40 per square foot to clean a driveway.
Overall, the cost to pressure wash a driveway falls between $100 and $500 and sits at an average of $100 to $250, depending on the size of your driveway and the amount of work it takes. Driveways with lots of motor oil accumulation will require pressure washing with bleach or a less abrasive cleaning solution and more labor. You’ll pay $150 to $350 on average to power wash your driveway in comparison.
Patio
To have a professional pressure wash a patio or deck, you’ll pay $100 to $200. Costs depend on the size of the patio, the patio material, and the ease of access. If a technician has to deal with stairs or obstructions or reduce pressure to avoid damage to the surface, you’ll pay more for the added time and effort.
Power washing a patio costs between $100 and $250 on average, depending on the square feet and extent of the dirt and grime.
Fence
Pressure washing technicians charge $150 to $300 for fencing. Your price will depend on the length of the fence and its material type. Wood fences take longer (and thus cost more) than PVC or metal fence power washing because pros have to use less pressure and be more careful to avoid damaging the wood.
Power washing a fence will cost slightly more, falling anywhere between $150 and $350 on average.
Gutters
You’ll pay $0.50 to $1.50 per foot for a tech to pressure wash your gutters, so a single-story house costs between $50 and $150. If you have a taller home, your technician will need a ladder or a bucket truck to reach and clean the gutters, which will add to the cost of your project.
The cost to power wash gutters is anywhere from $50 to $300 on average, with two-story homes falling toward the higher end of the price range.
Roof
The cost to pressure clean a roof is higher than other types of projects. You’ll pay $0.50 to $1.00 per square foot, mostly due to the difficulty. It’s harder to get equipment on the roof and then navigate the sloped terrain, which requires safety equipment.
Expect to pay somewhere between $450 and $700 to pressure wash or power wash your roof, with power washing falling toward the higher end of the price range and pressure washing falling toward the lower end of the price range.
Siding Only
Many homeowners find that just pressure washing the siding of their home can greatly affect the building’s overall look. For this simpler project, you’ll pay anywhere from $150 to $1,400 on average, though this price can go upward of $2,500 for large power washing projects, depending on how much siding there is to clean.
One-Story House
Power washing or pressure washing an entire one-story home costs $150 to $750. The biggest factors influencing the cost include your location, the size of your house, and the difficulty of reaching every area of your home. Smaller homes may get away with as little as $150 for a pressure washing, while larger one-story homes using a power washer may go up to $1,000.
Two-Story House
Some professional pressure washers and power washers can wash the exterior of a two-story home without needing extra equipment. As such, you’ll pay $400 to $1,400 to have either type of washing conducted, with costs largely dependent on the size of your home and the difficulty of the project. Anticipate spending toward the higher end of that range for power washer services.
Three-Story House
The cost of pressure washing or power washing a three-story home is $700 to $1,800, but that price could go up based on project difficulty.
The top of a three-story home will probably be beyond the reach of most pressure washers and power washers, even the professional-grade ones that technicians use. This means that the pro who comes to your home will most likely need a ladder, scissor lift, or even bucket truck to complete your project.
Pressure Washing vs. Power Washing Cost
Overall, pressure washing is cheaper and costs anywhere from $100 to $750, whereas power washing costs anywhere from $250 to $400 on average.
Though both pressure washing and power washing are used interchangeably, there are differences between the two, both in terms of method and cost.
What Is the Difference Between Pressure Washing and Power Washing?
Pressure washing utilizes cold high-pressure water to do the job, while power washing uses heated high-pressure water, sometimes at a higher PSI. Since power washing uses heated water, it requires more expensive equipment, meaning you’ll pay more for power washing. However, you get what you pay for in this case—especially if you have tough dirt and stains you want to quickly remove from concrete surfaces or other durable materials.
Pressure Washing | Power Washing |
---|---|
Less expensive | Costs more |
Uses cold water | Uses hot water |
Best for fences and decks without stubborn stains | Best for walkways and patios with a lot of stubborn dirt and grime |
Pressure Washing vs. Soft Washing
Soft washing is another term for exterior cleaning services, but it stands apart from pressure washing and power washing because it uses low-pressure water passed through a different pressure washing nozzle and always involves the use of a cleaning agent. The low pressure is better suited for some delicate materials that could sustain damage from high-pressure cleaning methods.
You’ll pay between $0.30 and $0.60 per square foot for soft washing. Some areas of your home that your professional might recommend soft washing for include the following:
Asphalt roofs
Exterior windows
Window screens
Stucco siding
Older siding or roofing materials
Outdoor furniture
When to Pressure Wash Your House
It’s best to pressure wash your home once per year, but never during a season that is too cold. The best time is between March and November in most areas, as these months rarely have temperatures that dip too low and would freeze the water or damage the machines. Pressure washing in the hotter months is always safe. However, demand is higher in the spring and summer, so you could experience longer wait times for a professional to come (or even higher costs).
Siding
Your home’s siding best withstands pressure washing during mild temperatures in the spring or fall. Keep in mind that if your siding is old or peeling, the pressure of the wash may incur more damage. That’s when it’s time for a paint job rather than simply pressure washing it.
Driveway
Driveways can look grimy due to stubborn oil stains, sunbaked dirt and dust, and grime buildup over the year. That’s why it helps to give them a thorough pressure wash once a year during the milder seasons. However, you may notice stains more during the warmer months when the driveway sees a lot of use. It’s fine to wash small sections any time of year, but aim to schedule your big annual professional pressure wash in the spring or fall.
Patio or Deck
Your patio can take a beating in the summertime, from the weather conditions to foot traffic to spills during a weekend barbecue. Give it a good cleaning at the beginning or end of the summer to create a blank slate before or after its peak season.
How Much Does It Cost to Pressure Wash or Power Wash a House Yourself?
When you take on the job of pressure washing or power washing a house yourself, you’ll save on labor costs, which could translate to $50 to $150 per hour. However, you’ll need to pay to rent or purchase equipment, which will cut into your savings.
Rental Costs
If you rent a pressure washer, you can expect to pay $35 to $175 per day. Depending on your experience level and available time, you can finish most cleaning projects in a day. For larger jobs, such as pressure washing a home's exterior, you might spend more than a day, especially if you have hard-to-access areas or two or more stories.
Purchase Costs
Buying a pressure washer is another option, but you may pay quite a bit upfront. Most pressure washers cost $100 to $1,000, but more affordable, entry-level models aren’t designed to hold up to long-term, repeated use. If you plan to use your pressure washer regularly, you’ll want a more expensive one that lasts.
DIY vs. Hiring a Pro
Pressure washing is a relatively easy job, but it does have its risks and dangers. When pressure washing, it’s important to understand the capabilities of your machine and the limits of the materials you’re washing. For example, wood is softer than concrete, so you won’t use as much pressure to clean it. Otherwise, you may risk damaging the wood and racking up additional repair fees.
Pressure washers can also be dangerous when used incorrectly or carelessly. The greatest risk comes from accidental laceration, which might happen when the extremely strong spray from a pressure washer passes over your skin. It’s also inherently dangerous to do any labor up on a ladder or your roof, so if you need to pressure wash a second-story, roof, or gutters, the risk goes up.
Because of these dangers, it’s a good idea to hire a local pressure washing company. Professionals will have the training and personal safety equipment to do the best job.
Key Questions to Ask a Pressure Washing Pro
Finding the right local power washing company for your exterior clean-up should start by getting multiple quotes from providers. When you connect with each pro, make sure to ask the following questions to narrow down your options:
Do you charge by the hour or by the project?
Will you provide a written estimate for all of the work?
What chemicals do you use? Are they safe for the environment and for use around pets and children?
How quickly can you get my project on your schedule?
How long will the job take?
Do you supply the water, or will you connect to my water supply?
Do you offer any kind of warranty for your work in case something gets damaged?
Are you fully insured?
Allie Ogletree contributed to this article.
Frequently Asked Questions
When hiring someone to pressure wash your home, you should always look for a company that’s bonded, licensed, and insured. Working with an unlicensed or uninsured company can spell disaster if something goes wrong. Beyond that, look for companies with good reputations, and be sure to ask for a written estimate that details all the costs for your project.
Pressure washing seems like a straightforward activity—after all, you just point and shoot, right? But it can actually take quite a bit of effort and know-how, and if you’re not careful, you can seriously hurt yourself.
If you’re debating whether you should hire a professional or pressure wash your home yourself, consider that the cost of renting a machine for a weekend could be more than just hiring a pro in the first place.
It’ll take around 30 minutes to three hours to pressure wash a home, depending on the square footage and how many stories it is. You’ll also need to account for equipment set up and take down, which takes about 30 minutes. Tackling a pressure washing job yourself can take significantly longer. A DIY job can take an average of six to eight hours, but you should plan for it to take an entire day.