How much does it cost to pressure wash a house with WashLabs? The siding costs $0.35 to $0.70 per square foot. The concrete costs $0.25 to $0.55 per square foot. The siding has the higher rate because siding gets a soft wash, not a pressure wash. A soft wash uses low pressure and a cleaning solution that kills the algae on vinyl, stucco and painted wood without damage to the surface.
Which rate applies to your house, and why
The pricing page lists two rates that matter for a house. Pressure washing is $0.25 to $0.55 per square foot. Soft washing is $0.35 to $0.70 per square foot. Most searches say "pressure wash", but most of a house is not a pressure washing job.
Vinyl siding, stucco, EIFS, painted wood and cedar get a soft wash. High pressure pushes water behind vinyl laps, tears the soft fibers of cedar and lifts paint. A soft wash stays under 500 PSI. The cleaning solution kills the algae and mildew, and a low-pressure rinse carries the dead growth off the wall.
Concrete driveways, front walks and brick pavers get pressure washing. Those surfaces can take the force, and the equipment goes up to 4,000 PSI when a stain is deep in the concrete.
Thus a quote for a full house usually has two lines. The walls take the soft washing rate, and the flat concrete takes the pressure washing rate. For the full method comparison, read soft washing vs pressure washing.
House washing cost: a worked example
This is an example, not a quote. It uses the published rate ranges and a sample house. A real quote uses the measurements of your house.
Take a two-story house that comes to about 2,500 square feet when it is measured for the quote. The driveway and the front walk add 800 square feet of concrete.
| Line | Area | Low end | High end |
|---|---|---|---|
| Siding, soft washing at $0.35 to $0.70 per sq ft | 2,500 sq ft | $875 | $1,750 |
| Driveway and walk, pressure washing at $0.25 to $0.55 per sq ft | 800 sq ft | $200 | $440 |
| Total | 3,300 sq ft | $1,075 | $2,190 |
The high end is about double the low end. The next section explains what moves a house toward each end. The roof, the gutters and the windows are not in this example. Each one is a separate service with its own price. Gutter cleaning is typically $2 per linear foot. A residential roof cleaning is typically $500 to $1,000. Exterior window cleaning is $10 to $20 per pane.
We soft wash siding with sodium hypochlorite and a surfactant, cut with water to suit each surface, so a stucco front and a vinyl back can take different strengths in the same visit. The north wall and the walls under large trees always carry the heaviest growth, and they take the most time.
What moves the price
The surface mix
A house with one material is the simplest to price. All-vinyl siding takes one solution strength from end to end. A house with stucco on the front, stone on the chimney and painted trim takes longer. Each surface gets its own mix and its own rinse.
How heavy the growth is
A light green film on a north wall comes off with one application. Thick black algae under oak and tulip poplar canopy can take a longer dwell time and a second application. On the Main Line, the shaded side of a house under mature trees is where this cost is most common. Plan a house wash at least once every two years, and see the best time to pressure wash a house for the season and for shaded walls that need it sooner.
Height and access
A one-story ranch is the least work per square foot. A three-story house with gables above a porch roof takes more time to set up and to reach. WashLabs drones reach 190 feet, so a third-floor gable does not get a ladder on the roof or a lift on the lawn.
Plants and objects against the wall
Shrubs against the foundation get a soak with water before the solution goes on, and a second rinse after. Dense beds, a fish pond or outdoor furniture against the wall add time to the job. If you move the furniture and the grill before the visit, that time comes off.
Stains on the concrete
Oil drips, rust marks from furniture and leaf tannin each take a spot treatment before the main pass. That stain treatment is an extra charge on top of the per-sq-ft rate. A driveway with only a green film is at the low end of the pressure washing range. For more on this, read what affects concrete driveway cleaning results.
When DIY is fine, and when to hire
DIY is fine on a one-story vinyl house with light dirt. A garden hose, a soft brush on a pole and a siding cleaner from a hardware store will do the job. Work in the shade, one wall at a time, and rinse from the top down.
Stop at these points:
- Do not point a pressure washer up at vinyl siding. The water goes behind the laps and into the wall, where you cannot see it.
- Do not use a pressure washer on stucco or EIFS. High pressure cracks the finish coat and lets water into the wall.
- Do not hold a pressure wand at the top of a ladder. The kickback from the wand can push you off balance.
- Do not let a bleach mix dry on plants or on the siding. It burns the leaves and leaves streaks on the wall.
Hire when the house is two stories or more, when the walls are stucco, EIFS or cedar, or when the growth is thick and black. On those jobs, the wrong pressure or the wrong mix causes damage that costs more than the wash.
For walls and concrete in one visit, see how house washing works at WashLabs. Text a photo of the house to (610) 665-3995. We reply with a quote within 24 hours.