How do I calculate pressure washing prices per square foot?
By OwnerKits Editorial · Reviewed before publishing · · 4 min read
Short answer
Divide your hourly target by the square feet you clean per hour. At $100 an hour and 500 sq ft an hour, washing costs 20 cents per square foot. Then add setup, supplies and travel for the whole job, divide by 0.80 for a 20% margin, and divide the result by the area to get your rate for that job. Published cost guides put driveway washing at about 30 to 55 cents per square foot, so use that range as a check, not as your price.
Why one rate can't fit every job
Every visit has costs you can't bill by the foot: unloading, moving cars, pre-treating, cleanup and the drive. On a big driveway those costs almost disappear. On a small patio they can be more than the washing.
So your rate should fall as the job gets bigger. Here is what happens with an hourly target of $100, a speed of 500 sq ft per hour, a 20% margin and $80.20 in fixed costs per visit ($50 of setup time, $15 of supplies and $15.20 of driving):
300 sq ft: $175.25, or about 58 cents per sq ft
920 sq ft: $330.25, or about 36 cents per sq ft
2,000 sq ft: $600.25, or about 30 cents per sq ft
That is also why you need a minimum charge. Quote a small job at your driveway rate and you can lose money on it.
Each surface needs its own speed
Concrete, siding, decks, fences and roofs don't clean at the same pace. Our free calculator starts with these example speeds, which you should replace with your own timed numbers:
House siding: 1,000 sq ft per hour
Roof: 600 sq ft per hour
Concrete: 500 sq ft per hour
Fence: 300 sq ft per hour
Deck: 250 sq ft per hour
At $100 an hour, the washing costs 10 cents per square foot on siding, 20 on concrete and 40 on a deck. Roofs and wood also carry more risk of damage, so give them their own line on the quote.
What the market pays
Fixr lists 30 to 40 cents per square foot for standard pressure washing of a driveway and 40 to 55 cents for power washing with heated water. Homewyse estimates basic driveway work in the low 40s to low 50s. National figures hide big local differences, so ask two or three local companies what they charge as well.
Steps
-
Set your hourly target
Add up what one hour on site has to bring in: your pay, equipment wear and repairs, insurance, phone, marketing and other overhead. Base it on your monthly costs and the hours you can actually bill.
-
Time your speed on each surface
Time your next five to ten jobs from the first pre-treat to the final rinse, then divide the area by the hours. Keep a separate number for concrete, siding, decks, fences and roofs, and update them as you get faster.
-
Measure the job
Use a measuring wheel or tape. Split odd shapes into rectangles, and list each surface as its own line so the customer can see what is included.
-
Add up the washing and the fixed costs
Area divided by speed, times your hourly target, gives the washing cost. Add setup and cleanup time at your hourly target, supplies and round-trip miles. The IRS business rate of 76 cents a mile (July to December 2026) is a simple way to cost the drive.
-
Add your margin and round up
Divide the total by 0.80 for a 20% margin, or by 0.75 for 25%. Round up to the next $5. Divide the price by the area if you want to see your rate per square foot.
-
Compare it and set a minimum
Check the price against the published range and local competitors. Then set a minimum charge that covers setup, travel and a short wash, and don't go below it.
Worked example
Say a customer wants an 800 sq ft driveway, a 400 sq ft patio and a 200 sq ft walkway washed, 1,400 sq ft in all. These numbers are examples, so swap in your own. Your hourly target is $100, you clean 500 sq ft of concrete an hour, setup and cleanup take 30 minutes, supplies are $20 and the round trip is 20 miles. Washing: 1,400 ÷ 500 = 2.8 hours × $100 = $280.00 Setup and cleanup: 0.5 hours × $100 = $50.00 Supplies: $20.00 Travel: 20 miles × $0.76 = $15.20 Total cost: $365.20 With a 20% margin: $365.20 ÷ 0.80 = $456.50, rounded up to $460. That is about 33 cents per square foot, and it leaves $94.80 above your costs. Market check: 1,400 sq ft at 30 to 55 cents is $420 to $770, so $460 sits inside the range. Enter 800 and 600 as the two concrete areas in the free calculator, with $20 for supplies, and you will get the same numbers.
Common mistakes
- Copying a competitor's rate. Their equipment, speed and costs are not yours.
- Using one rate for every job size. Small jobs lose money when setup and travel are ignored.
- Using your concrete rate on decks, fences or roofs. Those surfaces run at different speeds and carry different risks.
- Multiplying your cost by 1.20 for a 20% margin. That only gives about 16.7%. Divide by 0.80 instead.
- Estimating the area from the curb. Every square foot you miss is work you do for free.
Try it with your own numbers
Free, no sign-up.
Everything for pressure washing businesses
Guides to read next
- How Much to Charge for Pressure Washing a Driveway (2026)
What US pressure washers charge per square foot for driveways in 2026, how to build your own rate from your costs, and a worked quote for a 920 sq ft driveway and walkway.