The Pressure Washing Quote & Estimate Calculator ($10, Excel + Google Sheets) holds your per-sq-ft rates for 9 surfaces, adds drive time, chemical cost and your minimum charge, and fills a 1-page Customer Quote. Or get it inside the Pressure Washing Business Kit ($29, $38 if bought separately). Code RINSE20 takes 20% off through Nov 23, 2026.
Get the calculator, $10 See the $29 Kit
What the market pays (as a reference only)
Angi lists house washing at roughly $0.10–$0.50 per square foot and reports most homeowners pay $213–$449 (2026). HomeGuide lists $0.35–$0.77 per square foot (2026). Ranges that wide tell you one thing: your price should come from your own costs, then be checked against your local market.
Step 1: Measure the siding, not the floor plan
House washing is priced on the wall area you clean. For each side: length × wall height. Add the sides, then subtract big glass areas or garage doors if you skip them. A quick rule many owners use: perimeter × height = siding sq ft. Gables add a triangle (base × height ÷ 2).
Step 2: Build your soft wash rate per square foot
Most siding is soft washed (low pressure plus a sodium hypochlorite mix), so your rate is mostly labor and chemical:
- Labor per sq ft = your hourly cost to run (you, a helper, the rig, insurance) ÷ sq ft you soft wash per hour.
- Chemical per sq ft = cost of the mix you spray ÷ sq ft it covers. Track your own: jug price ÷ gallons of mix it makes × gallons used per job.
- Rate per sq ft = (labor + chemical) ÷ (1 − target margin).
Step 3: Add the two-story (and three-story) multiplier
Second stories take longer: ladders or extension wands, more setup, more care around windows and fixtures. Instead of a guess, time your own jobs and set a multiplier for upper-story wall area. Many owners use something like 1.25× for the second story and more for a third; treat that as a starting setting to test, not a rule.
Step 4: Adjust for condition and add-ons
- Heavy mildew or algae (north sides especially): more dwell time and chemical.
- Oxidized vinyl or chalky paint: quote carefully or exclude; washing can’t fix oxidation.
- Add-ons priced separately: gutter brightening, windows, deck, driveway (see per sq ft flatwork pricing), roof soft wash.
Step 5: Apply your minimum charge
Every trip costs drive time, setup and cleanup. Quote the higher of the per-sq-ft total or your minimum. More in our pricing FAQ.
Worked example (hypothetical)
Every number in the example below is made up to show the math. It is not an industry average or a recommendation. Use your own costs.
House: 2-story, perimeter 160 ft. First story 9 ft high = 1,440 sq ft. Second story 9 ft = 1,440 sq ft.
Your costs (example): $90/hr to run, soft wash 1,200 sq ft/hr = $0.075/sq ft labor; chemical $0.02/sq ft. Target margin 30%: ($0.075 + $0.02) ÷ 0.70 = $0.136/sq ft.
First story: 1,440 × $0.136 = $195.84
Second story with 1.25×: 1,440 × $0.136 × 1.25 = $244.80
Heavy north-side algae, +10% on that side (example): + $11.00
Total: $451.64, round to $450. Minimum charge (example) $200, so the per-sq-ft price stands.
Change any one input (your speed, your chemical, your margin) and the price moves. That’s why it’s worth putting the math in a calculator once.
Soft wash vs pressure wash: price them separately
Siding and roofs get soft washed; concrete gets pressure washed with a surface cleaner, which is much faster per sq ft. Keep separate rates per surface so a big driveway doesn’t subsidize a slow two-story wash. Need the quote document itself? See the pressure washing estimate template.
Get the whole pressure washing toolkit
Kit: Pressure Washing Business Kit
Four tools in one download: the Pressure Washing Quote & Estimate Calculator, Window Cleaning Quote Calculator, Pressure Washing & Soft Wash Invoice + Payment Tracker and the Pressure Washing AI Prompt Pack (44 prompts), plus a 1-page Start Here guide.
Excel + Google Sheets + PDF. $29 for the kit ($38 if bought separately); check the listing for current price. Prompts written with AI assistance and reviewed by a person.
Code RINSE20: 20% off at Payhip checkout through Nov 23, 2026.
Get the kit on PayhipAI prompts for pressure washing owners
Save time on quotes, follow-ups and reviews.
PDF: Pressure Washing AI Prompt Pack
44 fill-in-the-blank prompts for pressure washing and soft wash owners: quotes and bid letters, door hangers, Google Business Profile posts, review replies, customer texts, hiring and safety SOPs. Paste into ChatGPT, Claude or Gemini (free tiers work).
PDF + Word + text file, $7. Prompts only; no AI subscription included. Always review AI output before you send it.
Code RINSE20: 20% off at Payhip checkout through Nov 23, 2026.
Get the pack on Payhip Or on Gumroad