Illustration for Quoted by the Hour for Pressure Washing

The worry is the open end. “The guy quoted $150 an hour” tells you the meter rate, not the bill. Here’s how to turn an hourly quote into a job price you can compare, and what that rate has to pay for.

Why most washers quote by the job

House wash price lists usually go by size, as in our house washing cost guide, not by the clock. A flat price puts the risk of a slow day on the washer.

Hourly pricing shows up where the time is hard to predict. On a pressure washing trade forum, one commercial washer explained his rule. He bids by the square foot when his crew works alone. He bids by the hour when his work depends on the contractor. A Southern California commercial cleaning company says some companies charge $100 to $200 an hour for power washing, and that most projects take two to four hours.

You may also see hourly quotes for small odd jobs, stain work, or a handyman who adds pressure washing to other work.

Turn the hourly rate into a job price

Multiply the rate by a realistic number of hours. These washers publish how long a house wash takes.

Washer (area) Published time At $150 an hour Their flat price, if published
Gleaming Gutters (Charlotte, NC) About 1 hour, small single-story home About $150 $350 to $500 for a typical house
Rightway Power Washing (Midwest) 2 to 4 hours, average house $300 to $600 $450 to $750, standard two-story
Sonlight Services (Colorado Front Range) 3 to 4 hours, most homes, including prep $450 to $600 Not published
Sonlight Services (Colorado Front Range) 5 to 6 hours, larger homes $750 to $900 Not published

Two things stand out. First, $150 an hour on a typical 2- to 4-hour wash lands in the same range as flat prices. Second, the hours swing the bill far more than the rate does. The same rate covers a $150 job and a $900 job.

Time on site is a weak measure of quality, though. A fast crew with good gear can do a fine job. See our guide to judging a house wash by results, not the clock.

Bundle price vs unit rates

Some washers publish both a bundle discount and unit rates. An Arlington, Texas, company lists house washing at $0.25 to $0.30 per square foot of home size. Concrete is $0.18 to $0.25 per square foot, and its driveway price starts at $150.

For a 2,000 sq ft home and a two-car driveway of about 600 sq ft:

  • House: $500 to $600.
  • Driveway: $108 to $150 at the unit rate. The $150 starting price sets the floor.
  • Booked separately: $650 to $750.
  • Booked together: the page says bundles save up to 15%. That’s as low as about $553 to $638.

Keep extras on their own lines. The same page prices rust stains from $50 and oil stains from $60. A tip sits outside the job price too. Before comparing a bundle with a one-surface quote, split it by surface.

What an hourly rate has to pay for

The rate isn’t the washer’s wage. In the Wichita, Kansas, area, the median wage for cleaners of vehicles and equipment was $16.99 an hour in May 2025, and the 90th percentile was $21.70. (BLS has no separate code for pressure washers.) Two workers at the median cost about $34 an hour in wages, before payroll taxes and insurance.

The rest of the rate pays for the business. One pressure washing business trainer lists costs owners face:

  • A professional-grade pressure washer at $2,500 or more.
  • A surface cleaner at $1,000 or more.
  • Fuel that can top $500 a month.

That trainer tells owners to aim for $300 to $400 per working hour. So a $150 hourly quote isn’t high for a crew with real equipment. If you want to see the operator’s side, our guide on how much to charge for pressure washing builds a rate from costs.

Why a slow setup costs you more by the hour

On a flat price, a small machine is the washer’s problem. On an hourly price, it’s yours. A smaller machine can take longer to rinse a wall, and one person can work slower than two. Ask what equipment and crew size they’re bringing. More gear can mean fewer hours on your bill.

Questions to ask before you agree

  1. How many hours do you expect? Get a number, not “it depends.”
  2. Will you cap it? Ask for a not-to-exceed price in writing.
  3. What’s on the clock? Ask whether drive time, setup and cleanup are billed, and whether chemicals are extra.
  4. Is there a minimum? Ask whether a short job is billed at a minimum number of hours or a minimum charge.
  5. Would you quote a flat price? Many washers will. Then compare.

Our list of questions to ask a house washing company covers insurance and method too. If the job is far from the washer’s base, trip charges may be added either way. For how we check every number, see our methodology.

Sources

Based on 10 sources · How we price