What moves the price of quiet

  • The battery. That $399.99 is the tool-only price, so the batteries and charger are extra unless you already own the maker’s 60V packs. The 68 dB figure comes with no test distance or method, so treat it as a rough guide, not a match for a manual’s rating.
  • How loud the alternative is. One maker’s manual rates its gas pressure washers at 90 to 94 dB(A) sound pressure and a corded electric home model (a European 230 V version) at 76 dB(A). For small jobs near a neighbor’s wall, a corded or battery machine is the quieter spend.
  • Where you park. Distance costs nothing. OSHA’s technical manual says sound pressure drops about 6 dB each time you double the distance from the source in open air, and by less near walls and pavement. Running the hose an extra length is the cheapest quieting there is.
  • When the local code lets you run. In Nashville, Metro Code bars business equipment louder than 70 dB(A) between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m., measured as close as possible to the outside wall of a home in a residential district. A separate section bars outdoor construction and repair work on most parcels from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m., or 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. in June, July and August. Whether a wash counts as “repair” is a question for Metro’s codes office.

Pricing night and early-morning work

Quiet hours matter most on commercial jobs that have to happen after closing. If a restaurant or gas station wants a 10 p.m. wash near homes, check the code before you quote, and price the slot you can actually work. Our guide to bidding commercial jobs covers off-hours scheduling, and what restaurants and storefronts pay has the going rates. Homeowners can ask a washer what time the crew starts, along with our other questions to ask a house washing company. Choosing a machine? Electric or gas for your house weighs the rest. Rules vary by city; read your own code. This is general information, not legal advice. How we check figures: methodology.

Sources

Based on 6 sources · How we price