Quotes for pressure washing jobs will depend heavily on the total measured space or area of the surface(s) that are being cleaned.
Setting up a consultation visit to the job site will allow you to provide an accurate quote based on the total area as well as requests and preferences from the customer.
Measuring The Space
The space aspect of pressure washing job quotes is often measured in either square footage or linear footage.
Square footage is best used as the space measurement for things like roofs, sidewalks, driveways, fences, decks and siding projects. In order to determine the square footage of a surface, find the length and the width, in feet, of the area and multiply those two numbers together. You will then have your square footage value.
Linear footage on the other hand, is generally used for measuring pressure washing projects like houses and boats. In these cases, the length of the surface to be worked on is the only number that is measured and applied to the quote.
Pricing Strategy
There are a number of commonly used pricing strategies for pressure washing jobs of any kind. The three most effective strategies are pricing per square foot, pricing on a per hour basis, and flat rate pricing.
Square foot pricing
Pricing pressure washing jobs based on the square footage of the area is the most common quoting method. Surfaces that are different sizes with irregular shapes are most accurately measured in square feet.
Per hour pricing
Per hour pricing is a great way of ensuring that your time is properly valued on any type of pressure washing job. For every hour spent setting up the job site, spraying, packing up the site, and any other time investments, can be tracked and charged accordingly.
Flat rate pricing
Flat rate pricing is a method that is used mainly by experienced individuals who have an extensive amount of experience evaluating and quoting for pressure washing jobs.
A flat rate pricing strategy involves the evaluator coming up with a single price that includes time, materials and any other expenses. They will often have a markup percentage that will be built into the flat rate.
Price Of Equipment And Chemicals
When it comes to the price of the equipment and the necessary chemicals needed to maintain a pressure washing business, there are a number of things to consider.
The pressure washer itself will be one of the larger expenses involved in the overall equipment and chemicals price roundup. Pressure washers can be anywhere from a few hundred dollars up to well over 10 thousand dollars. Choose your washer based on the type of cleaning you will be doing and of course based on your budget.
The only other piece of “equipment” that would be necessary for running a pressure washing business would be a vehicle of some sort for transportation. You could choose to rent a car, lease one, or buy a vehicle outright. You will want something large enough to fit all of your equipment and necessary chemicals, as well as your team of workers.
In terms of the chemicals (detergents, soaps etc..) needed for your pressure washing business, depending on the type of work you may need a few different types.
Acids (pH of 1 – 6), Neutrals (pH of 7 or close to 7) and base/alkaline (pH of 8 -14). Depending on what type of cleaning you are wanting to do, these chemicals will typically fall within the price range of $20 to $50 or more.
Water Availability
Most pressure washing businesses are not equipped with their own portable water supply that they use for their jobs. In the majority of cases, pressure washing companies will hook up to the customers water system and use their water supply to complete the job.
There are however some pressure washing companies who will bring their own water tank to each customer job site. In these cases, note that this will likely also come with an extra cost for providing their own water supply.
Other Potential Costs
There are a number of other potential costs involved in starting and maintaining a pressure washing business. One of those costs comes with the need to acquire a business license in order to legitimately run your business and claim income accordingly. Business licenses usually range in cost from $50 to $400 depending on a variety of factors.
Other potential costs involve things like employee costs for uniforms and safety gear, any software costs involved with payroll and invoicing etc.. Business owners will also likely have to deal with maintenance and repair costs associated with their pressure washing machines and company vehicles.
Conclusion
In conclusion, getting a pressure washing business off the ground and maintaining a successful outlook involves a number of important factors.
We have discussed how to properly quote a pressure washing job as a business owner, including what methods can be used to measure a space and how exactly to go about pricing the job based on these calculations. Remember that square footage pricing will be most accurate in most cases, while flat rate pricing is something best done by someone with experience and expertise with pressure washing jobs.
We also did a brief overview of the relative price of necessary equipment, including the pressure washer itself and any company transportation. In addition, we discussed some of the chemicals often needed for pressure washing jobs, as well as their costs.
Take these aspects into consideration when gearing up to start your own pressure washing business. If done right, it can truly become a profitable endeavour!
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