How much does pressure washing cost in 2026?
Cost breakdown
| Job type | Typical low | Typical high |
|---|---|---|
| Typical professional job, all surfaces | $150 | $700 |
| Two-car driveway, 400-600 sq ft | $100 | $300 |
| Driveway, full range | $100 | $500 |
| Driveway, national average | $175 | $210 |
| House siding | $250 | $600 |
| Hourly rate | $60 | $160 |
What a job costs
Most professional pressure washing lands between $150 and $700. A standard two-car driveway of 400 to 600 square feet is $100 to $300, with a national average near $175, and driveways overall range $100 to $500. House siding is $250 to $600. Pros price either by the square foot — around $0.10 to $0.50 for concrete and siding and $0.40 to $0.80 for delicate wood and painted surfaces — or by the hour at $60 to $160.
Your house should be soft washed, not pressure washed
This is the part worth reading twice. Professional house washing uses soft washing: under 500 PSI combined with cleaning solutions that do the actual work. High pressure at 2,000 PSI or above can crack vinyl siding, drive water behind the wall where you will not see the consequences for months, strip paint and destroy caulking. If someone arrives to clean your siding and points a high-pressure wand at it, that is not a cheaper version of the job — it is a different and worse one.
Why surfaces are priced differently
The per-foot rate tracks how much care the surface needs rather than how dirty it is. Concrete tolerates pressure, so it is at the bottom of the range. Painted timber, older decking and anything with a coating you want to keep sits at the top, because the operator has to work at lower pressure, further back, more slowly and with more attention to what the water is doing. A quote that prices your deck the same as your driveway is a quote to sand your deck with water.
Square footage versus hourly
Square-foot pricing suits large, uniform, open areas — a driveway, a patio, a plain elevation. Hourly at $60 to $160 tends to be fairer for fiddly work: stairs, railings, tight side returns, heavy staining that needs pre-treatment and dwell time. If a contractor offers both, the one that costs you less is usually the one that matches the shape of your job, and it is reasonable to ask which they think it is.
What good preparation looks like
A competent operator wets down surrounding planting before and after, covers or moves what should not get soaked, checks that windows and vents are closed, and pre-treats organic growth rather than relying on brute force. Cleaning solution and dwell time do most of the work on algae and mildew; pressure alone mostly moves dirt around while damaging the surface underneath. Ask what they pre-treat with — the answer separates the trades from the trucks with a machine in the back.
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Find a handyman near you →Frequently asked questions
How much does pressure washing cost? ▾
Most homeowners pay $150 to $700. Driveways are $100 to $500 and house siding $250 to $600.
What does it cost to pressure wash a driveway? ▾
A standard two-car driveway of 400 to 600 square feet is $100 to $300, with a national average around $175.
Should my siding be pressure washed? ▾
No — it should be soft washed, under 500 PSI with cleaning solutions. High pressure can crack vinyl, force water behind the wall, strip paint and destroy caulking.
Why is my deck quoted higher per foot than my driveway? ▾
Because the rate tracks care, not dirt. Concrete is $0.10 to $0.50 per square foot; delicate wood and painted surfaces are $0.40 to $0.80 because the work is slower and lower pressure.
Is hourly or per-square-foot pricing better? ▾
Per square foot suits large open areas; hourly at $60 to $160 is usually fairer for stairs, railings and heavy staining that needs pre-treatment and dwell time.
Does pressure washing damage concrete? ▾
It can etch or stripe it if held too close or used at too high a pressure, especially on older or softer concrete. Even on the most tolerant surface, technique still matters.
What should a pro do before starting? ▾
Wet down surrounding planting, cover or move what should not be soaked, check windows and vents are shut, and pre-treat organic growth so the solution does the work rather than the pressure.
How often should this be done? ▾
Most homes need it every one to three years depending on shade, humidity and tree cover. Doing it annually on delicate surfaces wears them faster than the dirt would have.
Sources
Figures on this page are billed rates paid by homeowners unless stated otherwise. Wage data measures what a worker earns and is not the same quantity as a billed rate.
- HomeGuide — Pressure washing prices 2026 — accessed 2026-08-24
- Angi — Cost to pressure wash a driveway, 2026 data — accessed 2026-08-24
- Angi — Cost to pressure wash a house, 2026 data — accessed 2026-08-24