A pressure washing business can be one of the most profitable home service businesses for one person with a truck. It can also be a way to buy yourself a low-paying job. The difference is in the numbers, so here they are.
What a typical job brings in
Average tickets for a residential pressure washing business usually land between $250 and $400:
- Driveway: $200 to $280
- House wash: $300 to $600
- Driveway plus house: $500 to $800
- Roof soft wash: $400 to $1,000
Call it $325 on average once you mix small and large jobs.
How many jobs a week
One person working efficiently does two to four residential jobs a day. Many owner operators settle on about 12 to 15 jobs a week in season, leaving time for quotes, marketing and rain days.
A sample year for one owner operator
Here is an example, not a promise. Your market and prices will differ.
- 13 jobs a week at $325 average = $4,225 a week
- 40 working weeks (a full year in Florida or Texas; fewer up north) = $169,000 in revenue
Typical yearly costs for that owner:
- Fuel: $6,000 to $9,000
- Chemicals: 3 to 5 percent of revenue, about $5,000 to $8,000
- Insurance (liability, truck): $3,000 to $5,000
- Equipment repairs and replacement: $3,000 to $6,000
- Marketing, software, phone: $3,000 to $6,000
- Truck payment or wear: $6,000 to $10,000
That is roughly $26,000 to $44,000 in costs, which leaves $125,000 to $143,000 before taxes and your own retirement. Even at half the job count, an owner clears more than many trades pay their techs.
Why some owners make $40,000 instead
The math above only works if three things are true: the jobs come in steadily, the prices are right, and you collect. Most struggling owners miss on one of them.
They underprice. A $99 driveway special at 75 minutes is $79 an hour before fuel and chemicals. Read how much to charge for pressure washing and set a minimum.
They drive out to quote everything. Five unpaid quotes a week at 45 minutes each is almost four hours. Quote from the satellite map instead, or let the customer do it on your site.
They miss calls. You cannot hear a phone over a gas engine. Every missed call is a $300 job that went to someone else. See what missed calls cost a pressure washing company.
They chase payments. One-time customers pay best on the spot. Invoice from the driveway and take a card before you leave.
They depend on shared leads. Paying $20 to $60 a lead that five other companies also got eats your margin. Your own Google profile and website are cheaper over a year.
Five things that raise profit fastest
- Bundle. House plus driveway in one visit, one setup, a bigger ticket
- Add roof cleaning once you have the training and insurance, for $500 to $1,000 tickets
- Sign HOA and property manager work. Ten driveways on one street in one day is the best day you will have. See HOA and realtor jobs
- Remind past customers. Mildew comes back. A text at 11 months books repeat work for free
- Collect reviews. More reviews, more calls, higher prices. Read how to get more Google reviews
How fast the equipment pays for itself
Say you spent $8,000 to start: machine, surface cleaner, soft wash setup, hose, chemicals and insurance. At a $325 average ticket and roughly $80 of direct cost per job (fuel, chemicals, wear), each job leaves about $245. That is 33 jobs to pay off the whole setup. An owner doing eight jobs a week part time is even in about a month; a full-time owner in under three weeks. Few businesses you can start this year pay back that fast, which is also why the market fills up with competitors. The ones who last are the ones with systems.
When to hire
Most owners hire their first helper when they are turning down work for three weeks in a row. At $18 to $25 an hour, a helper pays for themselves if the two of you finish one extra job a day. Price stays the same; time per job drops.
Bottom line
Yes, a pressure washing business is profitable when you price for your real costs, keep the calendar full and get paid the same day. Starting from scratch? Read how to start a pressure washing business.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a pressure washing business owner make?
It varies widely. A busy owner operator can clear $80,000 to $140,000 a year before taxes; part-time owners and those who underprice often make far less.
What is the profit margin on pressure washing?
For an owner operator, costs are often 20 to 30 percent of revenue, so margins before owner pay of 70 percent or more are common. Adding employees lowers the margin but raises total profit.