How to Price a House Wash (Soft Wash) Without Losing Money

House washing is where a small pressure washing business makes its best money per hour. It is also where owners lose the most by guessing. Here is how to price it.

Soft wash, not high pressure

Almost every house wash today is a soft wash: a mix of water, sodium hypochlorite and surfactant applied at low pressure, left to dwell a few minutes, then rinsed. High pressure on vinyl siding forces water behind the panels, and on stucco or painted wood it can strip paint and etch the surface. A soft wash kills the mildew and algae instead of just blasting the top layer, so the house stays clean longer.

That matters for pricing: the job is mostly mixing, applying, protecting plants and rinsing. Time depends on the size of the house, the number of stories and how much there is to protect.

Price by the square foot of the home

The simplest reliable method is to price by the living area of the house, which the customer usually knows and which you can check on the county property site or the satellite map:

• Square foot only: 15 to 25 cents per square foot of living area, with a minimum of about $300
• Base plus square foot: $200 to $300 per house for setup, plant protection and cleanup, plus 8 to 12 cents a square foot
• Two stories: add $100 to $200 for ladders, reach and slower rinsing

A common setup is $250 base plus 10 cents a square foot, adjusted up for stories and condition. That puts a 2,000 square foot one-story home at about $450, and most US house washes land between $300 and $600.

What makes a house take longer

• Two or three stories. More ladder work, more rinse time, more care at windows
• Stucco. It soaks up the mix and needs more product and a slower rinse. In South Florida, stucco is the default
• Heavy landscaping. Plants against the walls need pre-wetting and post-rinsing so the mix does not burn them
• Screen enclosures and lanais. Common in Florida, priced as an add-on
• Oxidation. Old vinyl and painted aluminum get a chalky film. A soft wash will not remove it, and scrubbing it is a different job. Point it out before you start, so the customer does not expect new siding

How long a house wash takes

For one experienced person with a good soft wash setup, a 2,000 square foot one-story house takes about two hours, including setup and plant care. A 3,000 square foot two-story home takes three to four hours, or about two with a helper. At $450 for two hours, the job clears your $100 to $150 hourly target with room to spare.

The add-ons that double the ticket

House wash customers are already paying for the setup, so this is the best moment to offer:

• Driveway and sidewalks: the most common add-on, often at a bundle price
• Gutter brightening: removing the black tiger stripes on the outside of gutters, $100 to $150
• Window rinse: a spot-free rinse on the outside of windows, $75 to $125
• Screen enclosure or lanai: $150 to $250
• Fence wash: priced per linear foot
• Roof soft wash: priced separately by roof area

Measuring a house from the satellite map

Outline the roof line on the satellite view. On a one-story home, the footprint is close to the living area; on a two-story home, double it. That is good enough to quote a range and confirm on arrival. Our guide on measuring a driveway and a house from the satellite map covers pitch, overhangs and old images.

With an estimate calculator on your site, the homeowner does the outline and sees your house wash price before calling.

When people book house washes

Spring is the big season almost everywhere, when pollen and winter grime show. In the Southeast and Gulf Coast, mildew on the north wall makes house washing a year-round job. Homes going on the market are the other big source. See the pressure washing marketing calendar for when to push each service.

For every other job, read how much to charge for pressure washing.