How much does it cost to start a pressure washing business?

The biggest costs are a commercial pressure washer, a surface cleaner, hoses and a way to haul it, plus insurance. You can start small with house and driveway work and add equipment as jobs come in.

Do I need a license for pressure washing?

Many places only require a general business license, but some cities and states have rules about wash water and the chemicals you use. Check your local government website.

Is pressure washing a good business to start?

It's easy to show results and easy to start small. Like any business, it depends on getting steady customers, which is why reviews, photos and a Google profile matter so much.

What's the difference between pressure washing and soft washing?

Pressure washing uses high pressure for hard surfaces like concrete. Soft washing uses low pressure and cleaning solutions for siding and roofs, which high pressure can damage.

Starting a business

How to start a pressure washing business

By the Storyhand Studio team

Pressure washing is a business you can start with one good machine and a truck or trailer. The work is easy to show off, because the before and after does the selling for you. Here's how to go from owning a pressure washer to running a business with it.

1. Learn the work before you sell it

Too much pressure can etch concrete, strip paint, tear up wood and force water behind siding. Practice on your own driveway, deck and house, and on friends' homes, before you charge anyone. Learn the difference between pressure washing (high pressure, for concrete and hard surfaces) and soft washing (low pressure with cleaning solution, for siding and roofs).

2. Get the right equipment

A commercial pressure washer. Look at both pressure (PSI) and flow (GPM). Flow is what makes the work fast.
A surface cleaner for driveways and sidewalks.
Hoses, nozzles and extension wands.
A soft wash setup if you'll clean siding or roofs.
A way to carry water or connect to the customer's spigot, and a truck or trailer to haul it all.

Buy for the jobs you'll actually do first. Houses and driveways cover most homeowner work.

3. Set up the business on paper

Decide whether to run as a sole proprietor or form an LLC, get a free EIN (tax ID) from the IRS if you need one, and open a bank account just for the business. Rules differ by state and city, so check your state's business website or ask an accountant. Our new business checklist lists every step.

Get liability insurance before your first paid job. Pressure washing can damage property and plants, and customers and property managers will ask for proof of coverage. Also check your city's rules on wash water: many places don't allow soapy or dirty water to run into storm drains.

4. Price your jobs

Most pressure washers price by the job, based on the size of the surface: square feet of driveway, the size and stories of a house, the length of a fence. Customers like a clear quote they can say yes to. Look at what others in your area charge, then build a simple price sheet you can quote from on the spot. Packages, like house plus driveway plus walkway, make bigger tickets easy.

5. Build a brand people remember

Your truck and trailer are parked in front of every job, in a neighborhood full of people who need the same thing. A strong logo and a trailer sign with your name, phone and website turn every job into an ad. Matching door hangers and cards help the neighbors call you next.

6. Get found online

People search "pressure washing" on their phone and call from the map. You need a Google Business Profile and a website with your services, your area and a quote request form, plus before and after photos side by side. See what a pressure washing website should include.

7. Get your first customers

Offer to clean something visible for a friend or neighbor, and take great before and after photos.
Knock on doors next to every job: "We're cleaning your neighbor's driveway today."
Call property managers, HOAs and businesses with storefronts and sidewalks.
Post every before and after. Short videos of a surface cleaner on a dirty driveway get watched.
Ask every customer for a review.