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
Step 1: Measure the roof area, not the footprint
A sloped roof has more surface than the ground it covers. Take the footprint including overhangs (length × width of each section), then multiply by a pitch factor. Common factors: 4/12 pitch × 1.054, 6/12 × 1.118, 8/12 × 1.202, 10/12 × 1.302, 12/12 × 1.414. Satellite measuring tools and county records help when you can’t get on the roof to measure before quoting.
Step 2: Build your roof rate per square foot
- Chemical per sq ft: roofs usually need a stronger mix and more volume than siding. Track it: jug cost ÷ gallons of mix it makes × gallons used per 1,000 sq ft.
- Labor per sq ft: your hourly cost to run (crew, rig, insurance) ÷ roof sq ft you treat per hour, including setup, pre-wetting plants and rinse-down.
- Rate = (chemical + labor) ÷ (1 − target margin).
Step 3: Add surcharges for what makes a roof slower or riskier
- Steep pitch (walkable vs. needs harness and roof anchors).
- Height: two- and three-story roofs, ladder setups.
- Heavy growth: thick moss or lichen may need a second application or extra dwell time.
- Landscaping and access: lots of plants to pre-wet and rinse, tight driveways, no water access.
Time your own first jobs and turn each of these into a fixed dollar amount or a percentage. Treat any number you hear from other owners as a starting setting to test.
Step 4: Set a roof minimum
Roof jobs have heavy setup and cleanup, so most owners set a separate, higher minimum than for flatwork. Quote the higher of the per-sq-ft total or the minimum.
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.
Roof: footprint with overhangs 2,000 sq ft, 6/12 pitch: 2,000 × 1.118 = 2,236 sq ft.
Your costs (example): chemical $0.04/sq ft; $110/hr to run, 700 roof sq ft/hr = $0.157/sq ft labor. Target margin 35%: ($0.04 + $0.157) ÷ 0.65 = $0.303/sq ft.
Base: 2,236 × $0.303 = $677.51
Two-story access (example) +$75; heavy north-side growth, second application on 600 sq ft × $0.04 chemical × 1/0.65 = +$36.92
Total: $789.43, round to $789. Roof minimum (example) $400, so the per-sq-ft price stands.
Put these in writing on every roof quote
- Which surfaces are included (shingle field, ridge, gutters faces or not).
- That black streaks lift at treatment but some lichen and moss die off and release over the following weeks of rain.
- Plant protection steps you take, and that you aren’t responsible for pre-existing damage (lifted shingles, granule loss).
- Check the shingle manufacturer’s cleaning guidance and avoid high pressure on shingles.
Pricing the house and flatwork on the same visit? See how much to charge to wash a house, per sq ft flatwork pricing and the estimate template layout.
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