How much does it cost to pressure wash a single-family home?

Most homes fall between $150 and $600, with $300 the common middle for a two-storey on average siding. The spread is driven by square footage, number of storeys, siding material, and build year (pre-1978 paint needs separate handling). A detailed breakdown moves with the method: soft wash on siding vs pressure on driveway.

Is house washing the same as pressure washing?

Not if it's done correctly. House washing on siding should be a soft wash — cleaning solution doing the work at low pressure. High-pressure on siding drives water behind the lap joints and causes damage. The search term is 'pressure wash a house'; the correct job is a soft wash.

Why does a two-storey house cost so much more to wash?

Because of access. Above roughly ten feet, crews use ladders, harnesses, or water-fed poles, all of which add setup time and require safety gear. OSHA's ladder standard (1926.1053) has real requirements that cost time. A quote that doesn't account for this is either too low to be safe, or not accounting for proper work.

Why do two quotes on the same driveway differ by 50%?

Often because one uses a wand (handheld lance) and the other uses a surface cleaner. A wand leaves striping on concrete and can damage delicate surfaces. A surface cleaner spins its jets at a fixed height for consistent pressure. Ask: 'Do you use a surface cleaner on flatwork?'

Is it safe to pressure wash a house painted before 1978?

No, not with a pressure washer. Homes built before 1978 may have lead-based paint. EPA guidance identifies disturbing old paint as a primary exposure route for children. A proper job involves testing or presuming lead, containment, and controlled water collection — all of which cost more than a standard wash.

Pressure Washing Cost | Pressure Washing Cost Guide

The most common exterior cleaning job, and why price can range from $100 to $600 for a typical home — with the biggest driver not being size, but method, access, and what you're actually paying for.

“Pressure washing” is what everyone calls it, but two completely different jobs wear the same name. On delicate surfaces like siding, roofs, and stucco, the right method is **soft washing**: low pressure plus a cleaning solution that does the actual work. On hard surfaces like concrete driveways, genuine pressure is the correct tool. A crew that uses high pressure everywhere is either not thinking about the surface, or they’re doing a cheaper, riskier job under the same name.

What actually moves the price

Three things matter more than square footage:

Factor	Typical effect	Example range
Method	Soft wash vs pressure, material chemistry	House siding: $150 – $600 vs $100 – $300
Access & height	Second storey adds 50–100%	Single storey vs two storey can double the price
Surface condition	Stains, sealers, pre-1978 paint are separate jobs	Rust treatment: +$50–150; lead paint: separate job

Cost by surface type

Pressure washing costs vary wildly by what you’re cleaning. Here’s the national baseline:

Surface	Price per sq ft	Typical total	What it actually is
Concrete driveway	$0.10–$0.25	$150–$400 (2-car)	Pressure + surface cleaner, high PSI allowed
Vinyl siding	$0.15–$0.30	$200–$600 (1,500 sq ft)	Soft wash — solution, not pressure
Brick/masonry	$0.15–$0.35	$200–$700	Soft wash with specific pre-wet/rinse rules
Wood deck	$0.20–$0.45	$250–$500	Low pressure, wide fan tip, not a pressure blast
Roof (shingle)	$0.20–$0.60	$300–$900	Soft wash only; ARMA says never use a power washer
Roof (tile/metal)	$0.20–$0.60	$400–$1,000	Professional low-intensity wash; requires licensed roofer

Why the cheapest job is often the wrong job

A quote that’s well below the local band is usually skipping something. Look for what’s missing:

Plant protection — a careful crew pre-wets landscaping. A cheap quote often skips this, which is an extra charge if something gets damaged.
Rinse quality — hard water spots or residue mean the crew didn’t rinse properly. On wood, this causes furring (splintering). On brick, it damages mortar.
Stain treatment — oil, rust, or efflorescence need a separate chemical treatment, not just pressure.
Surface protection — on older painted wood (pre-1978), lead-safe handling adds $100–$300. A cheap quote isn’t accounting for it.

Safety isn’t optional

OSHA’s ladder standard and fall-protection rules set a real cost floor. A crew that can’t or won’t name their setup plan on a two-storey job is taking a risk that shows up in the price. Ask: “How do you reach the upper elevations?” The answer (ladder positioning, water-fed pole, harness system) tells you whether their price includes proper safety.

For roofs, the rule is even stricter. The Asphalt Roofing Manufacturers Association warns: “DO NOT use a power washer or any type of brush or broom to clean algae from the roof surface.” A crew that doesn’t say this up front is not following industry guidance.

Where the wash water goes matters

A typical residential wash produces 20–40 gallons of detergent-laden water. EPA’s stormwater BMP menu covers best practices for keeping that water off streets and into proper containment. A crew with an answer to “Where does the runoff go?” is a crew that’s thought about the job, not just the clean.

Find a local pro

Whether you need a simple driveway blast or a full soft-wash of the house, our pressure-washing crews cover all 14 metro markets in our network. Pick your city below for a flat-rate quote from a crew that knows the local methods and surfaces:

To compare the method side-by-side, see our DIY vs. Professional guide, which breaks down exactly what you’re paying for when you hire a pro versus renting a machine yourself.

Pressure Washing Cost