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Pressure Washing · Services

Pressure washing services

Pressure washing services cover house exteriors, driveways and walkways, decks, patios, fences and gutters. Fixr's 2026 data puts house washing at $0.30 to $0.80 per square foot with a $500 to $900 typical total, driveways at $0.30 to $0.40 per square foot, and decks and fences at $0.30 to $0.40 per square foot. On many of these surfaces the correct method is soft washing - low pressure plus a cleaning solution - not high pressure, and a good company will tell you that before you ask.

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In short

What pressure washing services actually cover

The industry name is misleading. The best contractors spend most of their time soft washing: applying a cleaning solution at low pressure, letting it dwell, then rinsing gently. Pressure is used where the surface can take it - concrete, some masonry - and avoided where it cannot. Fixr prices soft washing a house at $0.25 to $0.35 per square foot, or roughly $375 to $525, which is generally cheaper than pressure washing the same house.

Different surfaces have completely different pressure tolerances. Fixr's fence data alone spans 500 to 600 PSI for softwoods like pine and cedar, 1,200 to 1,500 for hardwoods, under 1,500 for composite, under 1,800 for aluminum, and 1,800 to 2,000 for steel. Its house washing data notes recommended PSI ranges from 500 for brick up to 3,500 for concrete. A company using one setting for the whole property is going to damage something.

Roofs are the clearest line. The Asphalt Roofing Manufacturers Association is explicit: "Never use a pressure washer to clean an asphalt shingle roof as this will cause granule loss and very likely premature failure." ARMA's recommended method is a 50:50 mix of laundry-strength liquid chlorine bleach and water, applied with a sprayer, left to dwell 15 to 20 minutes, then rinsed thoroughly with low pressure water. Fixr's house washing guidance agrees that most roofing materials should never be pressure washed.

Pricing is usually by square foot with an hourly floor. Fixr puts professional rates at $50 to $150 per hour with most house jobs running two to four hours, and notes fence work may carry a travel fee of $25 or more. Ask whether you're being quoted by area or by time, and what happens if the job runs long.

How to choose

Picking the right pressure washing job

The judgement calls that decide the bill, before anyone quotes you.

  1. Ask which surfaces they'll soft wash

    A company that answers 'roof, siding, anything painted, anything wood' understands the work. One that says they pressure wash everything is telling you they'll damage something.

  2. Ask what PSI they'll use on each surface

    There should be a different answer for concrete, siding, wood and painted metal. A single number for the whole house is the wrong answer.

  3. Get the roof excluded - or get it soft washed

    ARMA says never pressure wash an asphalt shingle roof. If a company offers to pressure wash yours, that alone should end the conversation.

  4. Ask about plant protection

    ARMA advises protecting landscaping from the bleach solution. Reputable crews pre-wet and rinse plants. Ask what their process is before they start spraying.

  5. Confirm insurance in writing

    Water forced behind siding, etched stone or a stripped deck are expensive mistakes. Ask for a certificate of insurance sent by the insurer, not a photo of one.

Two people working through home paperwork at a kitchen table
Illustration, for reference.
Before you call anyone

The wrong service call is the expensive one

Most people booking pressure washing work are buying a diagnosis, not a job - and the trade you pick decides what diagnosis you get. Book the wrong specialist and you pay a call-out fee to be told it is somebody else's problem.

  • Describe the symptom What you can observe, and when it started. Not what you think it is.
  • Ask what the visit includes Whether the diagnostic fee is credited against the work is a question with a real answer.
  • Get the scope in writing A number with no line items cannot be compared to a second number.
FAQ

Pressure Washing services - common questions

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Fixr's 2026 national average for a house is $700, typically $500 to $900, at $0.30 to $0.80 per square foot. Driveways average $225 for a 600 square foot area, decks average $145, and fences average $180. Hourly rates run $50 to $150.
Pressure washing uses water force to remove dirt. Soft washing uses a cleaning solution at low pressure and lets chemistry do the work. Soft washing is the correct method for roofs, most siding, wood and anything painted. Fixr prices soft washing a house at $0.25 to $0.35 per square foot, generally less than pressure washing.
Yes, easily. Fixr notes most roofing should never be pressure washed because it can remove protective layers and lead to leaks. Today's Homeowner puts anything above 2,000 PSI as excessive for wood and warns of splintering, etching and stripped wood fibers. Guidance for vinyl siding warns against aiming the stream upward because it can force water behind the panels.
Fixr says most jobs take two to four hours at professional rates of $50 to $150 per hour. Larger homes, heavy organic growth or multiple surfaces will take longer.
Sources

Where these figures come from

Sources last checked

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Who wrote and checked this

Written by

The HomeMatchup Content Team

Editorial
Reviewed by

Michael Thompson

Senior Home Improvement Reviewer · 20 years

Senior technical reviewer.

Team-written. Second-person reviewed. Sources dated. Report a correction.

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