You got two quotes for a house washing and they're $200 apart. Now you're wondering — what's the difference? The truth is, not all properties are the same, and not all jobs take the same amount of time, effort, or materials. Here's a clear breakdown of what actually drives the price of a power washing service — so you know exactly what you're paying for before you book.
📐 The Scope of Work — Size Matters, But It's Not the Whole Story
The bigger the home, the more time it takes to clean. That part is simple. A small Cape Cod will naturally cost less than a large two-story Colonial — there's less surface area, fewer gutters, and less ground to cover.
But here's where we do things differently. A lot of companies charge strictly by the square footage of your home's interior floor plan. We think that's a poor way to price exterior cleaning. Your interior square footage has nothing to do with how long it takes to soft wash the outside of your house.
We price based on the actual scope of the exterior work — the surfaces being cleaned, how accessible they are, and how much time and product the job will realistically require. A finished basement or attic doesn't add to your exterior surface area, so it doesn't add to your quote.
Also worth knowing — many companies don't include the garage in their square footage pricing. We look at the whole picture and build one clear, fair price around everything we're actually being hired to clean.
🏗️ Job Complexity — Not Every Property Is Easy to Work Around
Two homes that are the same size can be very different jobs depending on what's around them. Job complexity is one of the biggest variables in any pressure washing quote — and it's an honest one.
Here are some of the things that add complexity to a job and can affect your price:
Open, flat property
Easy access, no major obstacles, straightforward single-story home
Landscape obstacles
Dense bushes, garden beds, exterior lighting, koi ponds, or arbors that need to be carefully worked around
Home additions
Bump-outs, multiple rooflines, or wing additions that create hard-to-reach areas and tight angles
Ladder or lift work
Three-story homes, steep rooflines, or areas that require specialized equipment to safely reach
Mixed surface types
Homes with vinyl siding, stucco sections, brick, and wood trim all require different techniques
Paver patios
Joints require higher pressure and careful technique, especially if resanding is planned afterward
With 18+ years of experience, Ryan McGowan has worked on properties of every shape, size, and level of complexity. The assessment before your job starts isn't a formality — it's how we make sure the price we give you is accurate and fair for the actual work involved.
🧪 Type of Staining — Organic vs. Inorganic Makes a Real Difference
Not all stains are created equal. There are two main categories — organic and inorganic — and they require different products, different dwell times, and sometimes significantly more labor to treat properly.
Algae, Mold, Mildew, Pollen, Dirt
These respond well to our sodium hypochlorite-based soft wash solution. Standard treatment, predictable results.
Rust, Red Clay, Efflorescence, Oxidation
These require specialty chemicals, longer dwell times, and more hands-on treatment. Results can vary based on how deep the staining has penetrated.
If your home has standard algae and dirt buildup, your quote will reflect a straightforward clean. If you have rust streaks from old hardware, red clay splash on your foundation, or efflorescence on your brick — we'll factor in the additional time and specialty products required. And we'll always be upfront about what results are realistic for tougher stains before we start.
📦 Bundling Services — More Done at Once, Better Value Overall
Here's one of the easiest ways to get more value out of your power washing service. When multiple services are scheduled together — say, a house washing, a driveway clean, and a deck wash all in the same visit — we don't have to mobilize multiple times. Less drive time, less setup, more efficient use of the day. That savings gets passed on to you.
It also just makes practical sense. Your property gets a comprehensive refresh in a single appointment rather than scheduling multiple visits over multiple weeks. Ask about our package pricing when you request your estimate — it's usually the smartest way to go.
The best time to bundle is when you're already planning a house wash. Adding a concrete driveway, walkway, or wood deck to the same appointment is almost always more cost-effective than booking those as separate jobs later in the season.
