How to Start a Pressure Washing Business

Have you ever planned to start a pressure washing business? If Yes, Check out our complete guide on how to start a pressure washing business easily.

Jeel PatelJeel Patel
||14 min read
How to Start a Pressure Washing Business

Key Takeaways

  • 01Starting a pressure washing business requires minimal training and low startup costs of $1,975-$4,900
  • 02The global cleaning services market is expected to reach $74 billion, providing strong business opportunities
  • 03First-year pressure washing businesses typically earn $40,000-$50,000 annually with potential for six-figure income
  • 04Essential requirements include proper equipment, business licensing, insurance, and strategic pricing
  • 05Marketing through websites, social media, and word-of-mouth is crucial for attracting clients

There is never a bad time to start a pressure washing company. It doesn't need much training or certification, and the initial outlay for equipment, supplies, and staff isn't too high. Additionally, the pressure washing business has low operational costs, which increase its scope to generate profits rapidly. In addition to this, there is consistently a significant demand for pressure washing services. The pressure washing business industry may offer entrepreneurs a reliable stream of revenue if it is managed well. In fact, it is anticipated that the global market for cleaning services will reach $74 billion by end of 2022, giving the pressure washer industry a secure and reliable business opportunity. In essence, establishing a pressure washing company could be a wise business move. You must ensure that everything is done correctly from the start if you want to own a successful pressure washing business. Continue reading to discover all you need to know on how to start a pressure washing business.

Table of Content

  1. Why is it a Good Idea to Start a Pressure Washing Business?
  2. How Much Investment is Needed for Starting a Pressure Washing Business?
  3. Simple Guide for Establishing a Power Washing Business

Why is it a Good Idea to Start a Pressure Washing Business?

A pressure cleaning business expands with time. You might begin with a limited budget and gradually increase it. Here are some of the reasons why it's worth it to provide pressure washing services:

Benefits of Starting a Pressure Washing Business

  • Active market everywhere - you can focus on driveways, patios, residential, or commercial clients
  • Easy to build customer loyalty with strong working relationships and repeat business
  • Highly profitable with low startup costs and potential to earn $40,000-$50,000 annually
  • No extensive training or degree required - just basic business management skills and equipment

How Much Investment is Needed for Starting a Pressure Washing Business?

For starting a pressure washing business, you need to make an investment of around $1,975-$4,900 (USD) or more.

Pressure Washing Business Startup Costs

Initial investment breakdown for launching your business

TypeCostPriority
Business registration and licensing
Required to operate legally
$75-$400High
Insurance charges
Liability and equipment protection
$700-$1,200+High
Equipment for pressure washing
Washers, hoses, nozzles, chemicals
$600-$2,600+High
Uniforms and safety supplies
Professional appearance and safety gear
$50-$150+Medium
Business cards and website
Marketing and online presence
$150Medium
Business management software
Estimating and invoicing tools
$600-$2,600+Low

Expect to invest an extra $10,000-$30,000 or more if you need to purchase a truck to carry equipment to worksites. Include gasoline, registration, and insurance charges for your vehicle as well.

Simple Guide for Establishing a Power Washing Business

1. Gain professional pressure washing skills

Pressure washing is simple, but you still need to exercise caution. Given that the water pressure is sufficient to remove dirt from any surface, your washer's jets have the potential to break your customer's car window glass with only one mistimed blast.

Gain professional pressure washing skills

How to Build Your Skills

  • Borrow or rent power washing equipment and practice on various surfaces
  • Request permission to practice on the property of a friend or relative
  • Enroll in a local training program or work for another pressure washing business to gain hands-on experience
  • Watch YouTube videos from experts to learn techniques for difficult-to-reach spots
  • Learn to use all necessary pressure washing equipment and work on essential spaces

2. Develop a strong business plan

You may optimize business potential and remove bottlenecks by creating a solid business plan. The plan must detail the intricacies of your pressure washing operation and identify unknowns. Additionally, a business strategy makes it simpler to seek financial backing, a loan, or even a partner. Typically, it needs to have the following sections:

Executive Summary

Summarize the entire business plan in a concise overview that captures your business vision and goals.

Business Summary

Outline your pressure washing company, including your mission, values, and what sets you apart from competitors.

List of Services

Detail the pressure washing services you'll offer to clients, from residential to commercial options.

Pricing Plan

Include prices for all of your services with clear breakdowns of hourly rates or per-project costs.

Market Research

Reveal the region you'll service and the consumer demographics you'll target.

Competition Research

Analyze local pressure cleaning companies to understand the competitive landscape.

Workforce Planning

Include any necessary positions and a hiring schedule for your team.

Financial Forecasts

Create a cash flow plan covering income, business expenses, and salaries for the first year of operation.

3. Purchase equipment & supplies

For your business to get off the ground, you'll need the appropriate pressure washing equipment, gear, and other supplies. Renting pressure washing equipment when you initially start out can be a better idea. In the long run, though, you'll have to buy your own. You may require the following pressure washing gear:

Essential Pressure Washing Equipment

  • High power pressure washer and pump
  • High and low pressure hoses
  • Angled tips and nozzles
  • Surface sanitizers and chemicals/soaps
  • Ladder and telescoping wand
  • Hose reel and water tank
  • X-jet and drain jetters
  • Dual lances and heavy-duty extension cord
Heavy-duty extension cord

A van or vehicle to transport your equipment that has logos on the side with the name of your pressure washing business and contact information to aid in marketing. Additionally, use the right pressure washing estimating and invoicing software, like InvoiceOwl, to make your business operations easier.

4. Pick the services you'll provide

You may provide a variety of services as a pressure washing business. Whether you choose to service residential customers, or commercial & industrial clients will all depend on your decision.

Residential pressure washing services:

  • Washing the driveway and sidewalk
  • Window washing
  • Gutter and roof cleaning
  • Patios and decks cleaning
  • Cleaning of siding, fences, and concrete
  • Garbage containers and furniture washing
  • Washing vehicles

Industrial or commercial pressure washing services:

  • Cleaning the grease trap
  • Heavy equipment cleaning
  • Removing graffiti
  • Cleaning of commercial vehicles
  • Cleaning up after construction
  • Cleaning of traffic and street signs

5. Price your pressure washing services

Prior to reaching out to prospective consumers, you must determine prices. Consumers typically pay in the range of $192-$401 for the services of pressure washers. So you should consider whether to pick the high or low end of the price range. Lower rates may make it simpler to attract a large number of customers, but you must decide if it is worthwhile to put in your time and effort. Consider if you'll charge by the hour or by the job when setting your pricing. Remember that if you bill by the project, you must be aware of how much time each project will require.

$100-$300
Home Siding
Exterior cleaning
$100-$200
Driveway
Per cleaning
$250-$500
Patio/Deck
Per project
$50-$200
Vehicle
Per cleaning

Key Pricing Considerations

Research competitors: Find out how much other nearby pressure washers charge for their services and understand the rationale behind their pricing.

Calculate your costs:

  • Labor cost: Multiply your hourly rate by the approximate hours required
  • Monthly overheads: Determine overhead costs per hour worked each week
  • Material cost: Calculate cleaning agents, gas, and supplies with appropriate markup
  • Profit margin: Aim for 10-20% of the total project value
  • Taxes: Account for income and sales tax percentages

Add all figures together to determine your final pricing, whether hourly or per-project rates.

6. Set up your power washing business correctly

The appropriate business license, business insurance, and permissions are necessary to establish a successful pressure washing business. Your local rules and regulations will determine whether specific permissions are needed. Therefore, be sure to get in touch with your county clerk or local licensing office so they can let you know what the criteria are. For now, let's discuss the basic steps that you need to follow for your business establishment:

(A) Decide on a business name

Choose a name for your business and get a matching domain name. Ensure the domain name is pertinent to your business name, as it will serve as your website address.

(B) Choose a business structure

Deciding on a business structure and submitting the necessary papers to offer services lawfully are among the initial steps in launching a business. You can select one of three business structures:

Business Structure Comparison

StructureLiability ProtectionComplexityBest For
Sole ProprietorshipNo personal asset protection - you are personally accountableSimple and economicalSolo operators willing to accept personal risk
LLCBusiness is a separate legal entity - personal assets protectedModerate complexityPartnerships or those seeking liability protection
CorporationStrongest protection against personal liabilityMost expensive and complexLarger operations seeking maximum protection and funding options

(C) Work out the legal requirements

To avoid legal trouble, you must be aware of what is needed to operate a pressure washer business legally. Obtaining the necessary licenses, permissions, and business insurance is part of this. Contact the county clerk's office or your area's licensing office to get the precise specifications for your region regarding the appropriate business paperwork. The following list of documentation is required to begin a pressure washing business:

Required Legal Documentation

  • Business License - Register your business with the state
  • Bond - May be required to obtain a license in your region
  • Sales tax registration - Register with the IRS and apply for your Employer Identification Number (EIN)
  • Contractor permit - Check with local licensing authority for special permits
  • Environmental permission - Some states require permits for water discharge into storm drains

Insurance Requirements

You'll likely need three different kinds of insurance for your pressure washing business:

  • Equipment insurance: Insure against theft or damage to your equipment
  • Liability insurance: Coverage for potential harm from pressure cleaning
  • Workers' compensation: Cover accidents you or your employees may have while working

(D) Open up a new corporate bank account

You may keep your personal assets distinct from the company's assets by using a corporate bank account. If you wish to maintain your personal asset protection, this is very crucial. The ease of accounting and tax filing is another benefit of using a separate business bank account. For the purpose of segregating your personal and business expenses, you can even apply for a business credit card. This will benefit both your company's credit history along with your relationship with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Separate personal and business accounts also help in keeping track of business cash flow and even makes accounting more efficient.

What You'll Need

To create a business bank account, you'll require:

  • Employer Identification Number (EIN)
  • Business incorporation documents
  • Confirmation of your business's address

(E) Organize your marketing channels

From Word-of-mouth recommendations to web listings, all fall under the category of marketing. To attract more customers and increase income for your power washing company, come up with efficient marketing ideas.

Build a website

It goes without saying that your pressure washing business needs a website. It's definitely the best strategy for drawing in new customers. It also provides a mechanism for potential customers to get in touch with you and verify your legitimacy.

Make use of social media

Social Media Marketing Strategies

  • Make company profiles on popular social media sites to advertise your products to prospective customers
  • Given its huge user base and wide reach, Facebook is perhaps your greatest option to market your pressure cleaning sector
  • Get featured on websites that list services, such as Yelp and the Google business pages
  • Start promoting on TikTok or Instagram Reels, where viewers enjoy seeing satisfying before-and-after transformations
  • Post before and after images of your services, client endorsements, and deals to increase interaction
  • Request that your current clients share your online content or provide reviews

Outdoor advertising

  • The best method to market today is online marketing. However, that doesn't mean you can't use offline marketing strategies and network with your community to get additional customers.
  • Spread the word first to get started. Get business cards printed with the name of your business and contact details on them. These may be used while you knock on doors to introduce yourself and your new pressure washer business.
  • Inform everyone who will listen about your pressure washing business, including your friends, family, acquaintances, and coworkers. Request testimonials and recommendations from them.
  • Additionally, you have the option of using the time-tested door-to-door advertising strategy, car wraps, or flier distribution. You never know what could succeed and bring in your next customer.

Get More Pressure Washing Jobs with Professional Estimates & Invoices

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Frequently Asked Questions

The cost of hiring employees, leasing charges for the vehicle and equipment, insurance costs, and the sum allotted for monthly marketing strategies are among the recurring costs for the pressure washing business.

Numerous recurring customers patronize some of the most prosperous businesses in this field. Pressure washing companies offer a set cost of $50 to $100 for straightforward tasks like cleaning a car using pressure washing, which includes "detailing." After pressure washing is complete, detailing is the finishing touch. Waxing the car and giving it a brand-new appearance are both included in the detailing part. Performing the cleaning work on real estate's outside surfaces is another pillar of this industry. Power cleaning residential as well as commercial buildings is quite profitable. You can bill on the basis of the square foot of the cleaned outside surfaces.

With a national average of around $295, pressure washing jobs may bring in between $192 and $401 in revenue, as per HomeAdvisor. For instance, if you provide pressure washing service to a house for $295 over three hours, it comes out to around $98 per hour. According to HomeAdvisor, pressure washer prices typically range from 15 cents to 75 cents per square foot.

Conclusion

That's all there is to it. Everything you need to know about starting a pressure washing business has been addressed. Once you start your pressure washing business, increasing revenues should be your first focus. This entails expanding and growing your business. As you expand, you begin adding additional clients, which will result in more work and less time for paperwork. In such a case, you'll need cloud-based automated estimating and invoicing software, like InvoiceOwl. It will automate and streamline the time consuming process of making estimates and invoices and sending them to the client. With just a few clicks, you can create quotes and get them approved by the client. Using the software, you can also track payments and even access auto-generated financial reports.

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Written by

Jeel Patel

Founder & CEO at InvoiceOwl

Jeel Patel is the founder of InvoiceOwl, a highly-rated estimating and invoicing software designed to streamline contractor businesses' invoicing and estimating workflows. He holds a degree in Business Administration and Management from the University of Toronto, where he developed strong analytical capabilities and business acumen.

More about Jeel

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