How To Estimate Power Washing Cost?

Power washing is a great way to clean the exterior of your home. It can remove dirt, stains, and even graffiti. But how much does it cost to have this service done? Read on for tips on how to estimate the power washing cost.

Expense

The primary expense is labor. The average cost of power washing for a single-story home with 2,000 square feet of the exterior surface is about hundred dollars per hour. For two stories the average rate is little bit more than a single-story home per hour; and similarly for three stories. If you do not know how large your home is, multiply the height (in feet) by the width (in feet) to get its approximate size in square footage, then multiply this number by the hourly rates listed above.

Materials

In addition to labor, your power washing company will charge for materials. In most cases, the cost of chemicals used in power washing is included in the price quote given by the contractor. If the contractor does not include the chemical costs in his or her estimate, it’s safe to assume that charging extra for them will add about 10 percent to your total bill. The type of material used depends on what is being cleaned and how well it holds up under water pressure; some types last longer than others do. Other considerations are whether certain surfaces need pre-treating using different kinds of chemicals; if there are many cracks and crevices to the surface, if it is large or small, or if there are any obstacles around the area that needs cleaning.

Time

Your service provider will estimate how long power washing your exterior is expected to take. Remember this includes time for pre-treatment, setting up equipment, and moving objects out of the way as needed. Along with the size of the home, other things that will factor into how fast the job gets done include its age (newer homes are generally easier to clean than older ones), condition (how to level the surfaces are), and height of the ground. If you have a wood deck or porch involved in your project, expect an additional fee for these items being included in the estimate due to their greater complexity.

Additional Expenses

In most cases, power washing the exterior of a home includes cleaning the gutters and downspouts. Power washing can also be negotiated with companies to include roof washing in their estimates. Usually, a small fee will be charged for this service depending on how many roofs you have. In addition, some power washing services charge an additional fee if you want your driveway or sidewalks included in the estimate; it’s important to ask about this when getting quotes from different contractors. For decks and porches, any furniture included will usually come at an extra cost as well. Check with your contractor to confirm if items that need moving out of the way are not going to be included before they get removed by them.

Most power washing companies have service areas that they generally work in, so if you live outside the normal area, expect to pay a little bit more. Also, keep in mind any type of fuel surcharge may be added depending on the location and the time of year your job is being done.