What the job actually is
You show up with a gas-powered pressure washer, clean a customer's driveway, house siding, deck, or fence, and leave in one to three hours with $100-$450. Most work is residential and comes from homeowners who want their property to look clean but do not want to do it themselves. The equipment fits in a truck bed, the skill is learnable in a weekend, and in warm climates the work runs year-round.
How the work goes
- 1
Quote the job
Assess the surface type and square footage, then price it by the job, driveways run $100-$250, house exteriors $213-$449.
- 2
Pre-treat the surface
Apply a sodium hypochlorite or detergent solution to break down mold, algae, and stains before washing.
- 3
Pressure wash
Use the appropriate nozzle and pressure setting, hard concrete gets high pressure, vinyl siding and wood get a gentler soft-wash approach with a wider spray angle.
- 4
Collect payment
Invoice on-site or through scheduling software like Housecall Pro or Jobber, which handles payment and follow-up automatically.
How to get your first paid job
- 1
Buy a gas pressure washer and a surface cleaner
A 3200+ PSI gas unit and a 15-inch surface cleaner are the minimum to do driveways properly. Budget $1,500-$2,500 for the washer and $150-$300 for the surface cleaner.
- 2
Get general liability insurance
A $1M GL policy for a solo pressure washing operator runs $50-$120/month. Insurers like Next Insurance or Simply Business can bind a policy online in a day.
- 3
Register your business and check local requirements
File a DBA or LLC in your state and check whether your city requires a business license. Cost is typically $50-$400.
- 4
Practice on a friend's driveway for free
Learn your equipment, your chemical mix, and your timing on a surface where mistakes cost nothing. Take before-and-after photos, these are your first marketing assets.
- 5
Create profiles on Thumbtack and Nextdoor
Thumbtack sends you leads from homeowners searching for pressure washing in your zip code. Nextdoor lets you post to the neighborhood directly. Both get you in front of people already looking.
- 6
Knock on doors in neighborhoods with dirty driveways
Drive through subdivisions built 5-10 years ago, the concrete is old enough to be stained. Offer to wash one driveway at a discount and leave door hangers on every house on the street.
The catch
The equipment earns nothing sitting in your truck, you need a steady flow of jobs, and word of mouth takes time you do not have at the start. The route in is Thumbtack for your first paid leads and door hangers on every house within sight of the one you just cleaned: a freshly washed driveway next to a dirty one is the best ad in the business, and the neighbors notice the same day.
What you need to buy
- Find one
Gas pressure washer 3200 PSI 2.5 GPM
The core tool, cleans driveways, siding, decks, and fences
- Find one
15-inch surface cleaner attachment
Cleans flat surfaces like driveways 3-4x faster than a wand alone
- Find one
50 ft pressure washer hose
Extends reach from the machine to the work area
- Find one
Pressure washer nozzle tip set
Different spray angles for different surfaces, 25 degree for concrete, 40 degree for siding
- Find one
Downstream chemical injector
Applies soap and bleach solution through the pressure washer without damaging the pump
- Find one
Safety goggles and chemical-resistant gloves
Protects eyes and hands from sodium hypochlorite splashback
Where to sign up
Before you start
- A gas pressure washer rated at least 3200 PSI and 2.5 GPM
- A vehicle to transport the equipment (truck bed or small trailer)
- General liability insurance ($50-$120/month for a solo operator)
- A business license or registration (requirements and cost vary by locality)
- Physical fitness to work outdoors with heavy water equipment for several hours