Pressure Washing
High-ticket outdoor jobs where before/after photos do the selling.
A pressure washing business cleans driveways, siding, decks, and storefronts in one-off, high-ticket jobs. Each job is quoted individually, the transformation is dramatic and photogenic, and repeat business comes seasonally rather than weekly — so continuous quoting and marketing matter more than in route businesses.
You'll do well here if
- Comfortable quoting and closing individual jobs week after week
- Enjoys visible, physical transformation work outdoors
- Careful with powerful equipment around property
- Self-motivated marketer — the pipeline never fills itself
Skills you'll use
- Surface-appropriate pressure and detergent selection
- Per-job quoting from photos or walk-arounds
- Before/after content marketing
Startup costs
- Commercial-grade pressure washer$700
- Surface cleaner attachment$180
- Hoses, nozzles, detergents$140
- General liability insurance (first months)$250
- Business registration / license$100
- First marketing (yard signs, local ads)$150
- Water tank + trailer setup (optional)$800
- Soft-wash system for roofs/siding (optional)$400
Recurring monthly costs
- Fuel, detergents, wear parts (~$20/job at ~16 jobs/mo)$320/mo
- Insurance$75/mo
- Phone, quoting/software$45/mo
- Ongoing local marketing$80/mo
Pricing assumptions
- Driveways commonly $150–$300; house washes and multi-surface bundles $250–$600 depending on size and region.
- Quote per job from surface area and condition — never by the hour.
- Bundling surfaces (driveway + walkway + patio) raises average ticket significantly.
First-customer opportunities
- Your own driveway and a neighbor's — free or discounted for before/after photos
- Local Facebook groups and Nextdoor with transformation photos
- Yard signs at every completed job
- Property managers and HOAs with annual common-area contracts
Advantages
- High per-job tickets with strong margins
- Before/after photos are a built-in marketing engine
- Clear upsell path from driveways to full exterior washes
Trade-offs
- Little recurring revenue — mostly one-off and annual jobs
- Higher equipment cost and damage liability than most trades
Risks to respect
- Property damage risk: wrong pressure strips paint, etches concrete, or forces water into walls — insurance is non-negotiable.
- One-off jobs mean the pipeline must be refilled every week.
- Water access and local runoff rules vary by city.
- Equipment is the business: a pump failure stops all revenue.
Seasonality
Strongest spring through fall; winter demand drops sharply in cold climates. Many operators pair it with holiday lighting or interior work off-season.
Try the numbers yourself
Every figure is an editable assumption — change them to match your market.
- Monthly revenue
- $3,520
- Monthly profit (before tax)
- $3,000
- Jobs per month to break even
- 1
- Months to recover startup cost
- 0.9
Assumptions
- Solo operator using their own vehicle; no employees.
- Startup costs assume buying consumer-grade equipment new; used gear can cut this substantially.
- Monthly figures are operating profit BEFORE TAX and before paying yourself — not take-home pay.
- No income is guaranteed; results depend on your market, pricing, and effort.
- Default price assumes a standard driveway job (~$220); large house washes price higher.
Profit shown is operating profit BEFORE tax — not take-home pay. These are estimates, not guarantees; verify prices and costs in your own market.
Educational guidance only — not legal, tax, or financial advice.Details
OwnerLaunch provides educational business guidance, AI-generated drafts, and checklists. It is not a law firm, tax advisor, CPA, registered agent, or government agency. Information may not be complete or current for your specific location. Always verify requirements with official federal, state, city, and county sources and consult qualified professionals when needed.