How to Hire a Power Washing Service

Curb appeal is important, whether you’re listing your home or simply take pride in keeping your exterior photo-ready. Hiring a local power washing service will extend the lifespan of crucial components by removing mold, mildew, and algae. Let’s review who to hire to power wash your house, and how do you pick the right pro.

What Services Does a Power Washing Pro Offer?

You can find highly capable power washing companies near you to tackle this job each spring or summer season, or before painting your siding. Here’s what you can expect from these companies:

• A full inspection to determine what needs to be pressure washed and sensitive areas that require careful attention

• Covering all items, such as plants and shrubs, HVAC units, and lighting fixtures

• A prescrub treatment with a specialized solution for areas that have high levels of mold, mildew, or algae

• Power washing, including multiple sweeps as needed

• Full cleanup after the pressure wash is done

Power washing teams can offer a comprehensive cleaning. Here are some of parts of your home that can be pressure washed:

• Siding

• Foundation

• Decks, patios, and porches

• Driveways and sidewalks

• Roofs

• Garages

• Fences

How Much Does It Cost to Hire a Power Washing Service?

The average cost to power wash an entire home ranges from $100 to $700, with an average cost of $310, depending on home size, location, and number of stories. If you only need to hire a professional power washer for a concentrated area, such as your deck or siding, you can expect to pay less for the service. But if you need to hire a power washing service for your entire three-story house, plan to spend $700 to $1,800 for this high-scale task.

Tips for Hiring a Pressure Washing Company

Ready to unlock the benefits of power washing your home? Follow these tips to hire the best contractor for the job:

1. Ask Friends, Neighbors, and Relatives for Recommendations

To narrow down your list of potential contractors, speak with your neighbors who’ve had their homes power washed and ask if they’d recommend the company they used. You can expand your search to other trusted people in your life, including friends, family, and colleagues.

2. Read Online Reviews

Before hiring any contractor—for power washing or any other task—look at independent, third-party review sites to see what past customers had to say about their work. Search for local companies with positive, recent customer reviews for similar tasks.

3. Confirm Their Credentials

While you don’t have to be licensed to operate a power washer, it’s important to confirm that the local power washing service carries liability insurance and offers a guarantee of their work. If they damage any component of your home during the service, you need to be sure they’ll cover the cost.

4. Get at Least Three Quotes

Narrow down your list of contractors to at least three companies and ask for quotes. Compare the companies on price, timeline, reviews, and techniques.

Questions to Ask a Power Washing Contractor

Here are some helpful questions to ask power washing contractors when getting quotes:

• Do you carry liability insurance, and do you offer a guarantee on your work?

• Do you charge a flat project rate, or do you charge hourly?

• What parts of my house are you willing to power wash?

• What techniques and cleaning solutions will you use? 

• When will you use soft washing vs. pressure washing?

• How will you protect my plants, windows, and other vulnerable components of my home?

• What am I responsible for protecting, such as outdoor furniture and my grill—or do you cover that for me?

Choosing the Right Power Washing Pro

While you can use our pressure washing tips to attempt to wash your home yourself, your best bet for a job well done (without damage to your home) is hiring a specialized power washing pro.

Qualities of the right pro:

• Uses high-quality equipment and specialized cleaning solutions to target mold, mildew, or algae problems

• Knows how to adjust pressure appropriately for different parts of your home

• Conducts a thorough inspection to ensure they protect all vulnerable parts of your home

• Willing to wash hard-to-reach areas, such as your roof 

After Your Pressure Washing Contractor Has Finished

When your pressure washing contractor has finished cleaning your house, inspect the exterior of your home to ensure you’re satisfied with the job. If so, pay the contractor and leave a positive review online.

At that point, you can put out any equipment or furniture you put up and uncover vulnerable plants you may have covered with plastic (if the contractor didn’t do this for you). If you had the siding washed to paint your home, you need to wait a couple of days to ensure everything has thoroughly dried.