Pressure washing is priced two different ways at once, and the two do not agree. Vendors publish a rate per square foot, and they publish a price for the whole job — and on siding, fence and roof the per-square-foot figure comes out about twice the whole-job price. The calculator above prices from the whole-job figures, because those are the ones that reconcile with the hours and the hourly rate on the same page.
How the calculator works
- Surface sets the band. Driveway, house siding, deck or patio, and fence each carry their own published rate band. Picking one also fills in the area that surface typically covers, so a house wash does not get quoted at a driveway’s size.
- Area scales it, and the minimum catches small jobs. Below about 600 square feet the $150 minimum charge sets the price instead of the area, which is exactly what a minimum is for.
- Soft wash and soil move the quote. A soft wash adds about 22% where it is a choice. Heavy soil moves the quote up the range — no source prices it as its own line, so it is a position in the band rather than an invented cost.
- Your state. Rates are adjusted by a state labor-cost index.
- Your economics. “Your costs and margin” turns area into hours, adds chemicals, machine wear and travel, and shows what the market price leaves you.
Typical US pressure washing rates in 2026
| Surface | Per square foot | Typical job | Typical area |
|---|---|---|---|
| Driveway | $0.15–$0.35 | $100–$260 | 400–600 sq ft |
| House siding | $0.085–$0.18 | $170–$360 | 1,500–2,500 sq ft |
| Deck or patio | $0.30–$0.55 | $120–$240 | 300–500 sq ft |
| Fence | $0.20–$0.33 | $180–$300 | 600–1,200 sq ft of panel |
Crews bill $60–$125 an hour, with $95 the figure three separate sources agree on. Minimum charge $150. Prices here exclude sales tax, the way the trade quotes them.
The two numbers that decide whether a job pays
Production rate. Everything turns on how much surface you cover in an hour once travel, setup and cleanup are counted. Flat concrete is about 217 square feet an hour. Siding is about 650, because soft-washing a wall is genuinely faster than scrubbing a slab. Fence panel behaves like flat work despite standing upright.
Minimum charge. A 300-square-foot path at $0.20 is $60, and you cannot load a machine, drive, set up and pack down for $60. The published per-square-foot rates all assume a dense route where the setup is already paid for. Single-visit work needs the minimum.
What moves the price
- Two-storey work. Ladders, or a longer wand and more water. Quote the top of the siding band.
- Delicate surfaces. Painted weatherboard, plaster and older brick want low pressure. That is a soft wash, and it costs more in chemical and dwell time.
- Oil and rust. Sold as its own line, $40–$100, not folded into the area rate.
- Sealing after washing. A separate service priced per square foot, not a markup on the wash.
Worked example
A 2,000 sq ft house wash with heavy algae on the north wall. Siding takes the vertical norm, so 2,000 sq ft is 3.1 crew hours rather than the nine a flat rate would imply. The band for that area is $170–$360, the soil pushes the quote up it, and the typical lands at $285 (quoted range $225–$340). At a $21 wage plus chemicals, machine wear and travel your cost is about $182, so the market price leaves $103 a visit, a 36% margin. The “Fill with sample data” button loads this exact job.
What this calculator does not price
Gutters are sold per linear foot, not per area. Roofs and commercial flatwork have published prices but no published hours, and a calculator that turns area into hours cannot honestly price a surface whose hours nobody publishes. Quote those from your own records.
The calculator gives you the number. For typical rates and how to build a quote, read our pressure washing pricing guide.