Price quotes and sales calls are essential to your business, no matter where you are in your entrepreneurial journey. Learning how to quote pressure washing jobs correctly will help you level up your business’ income, whether you’re looking for your first client or hoping to break free of low-paying entry-level jobs.

While learning how to price pressure washing jobs can seem daunting initially, especially if you’re a newbie, it’s the only way to start raking in big clients and taking your company to the next level.

Our guide will teach you everything you need to know about how to quote commercial pressure washing jobs. We’ll even help you develop a commercial pressure washing quote template.

As the #1 home for industrial pressure washers in Houston, our team has helped plenty of budding entrepreneurs get off to a fantastic start with high-quality equipment and advice from decades of knowledge. Feel free to contact us at any point for more helpful insights!

The Importance of Preparing a Professional Quote for Pressure Washing Jobs

When you’re beginning your pressure washing company, the last thing on your mind is pressure washing quote templates or pricing. You may still be learning how to rent a pressure washer or how to add soap to a pressure washer and hoping to get your first clients through your network.

However, understanding how to quote pressure washing jobs accurately is critical to ensuring you don’t leave money on the table.

Presenting Your Quote to Potential Clients

Put yourself in the shoes of a potential client. Say you want to enter the industrial niche with typical tasks like warehouse power washing or pressure washing factory floors.

If you walk up to a foreman or hop on a sales call, and they ask you about pricing, and your answer is a half-baked slew of “uhms” and “ahs,” you’re not putting your best foot forward. Coupled with your lack of experience, your company will feel far too risky to take on for an established commercial client.

Now, let’s look at it from the inverse. You spend some extra time working on a commercial pressure washing quote template and can accurately explain to your potential client why your prices are what they are.

Suddenly, you position yourself and your company as veritable experts, with attention to detail and meticulous preparation.

Getting Paid Accurately for Your Time

Beyond impressing corporate clients, learning how to quote pressure washing jobs is vital to avoid leaving money on the table. With a thorough pressure washing quote template, you can assess the complete scope of a potential project.

Say you typically work with smaller-scale clients, like storefront or restaurant pressure washing, but want to take on an industrial job like fleet pressure washing or oil rig pressure washing. Suddenly, you no longer have the best detergent for pressure washing tougher stains like oil and will have to buy new tubs of soap or even rent a different machine entirely.

Without knowing how to price pressure washing jobs, you may exclude these add-ons from the final price, hurting your bottom line. Do this enough, and your undercharging will eat into your margins to the point that you’re the one paying for the services you are providing.

Similarly, knowing how to quote commercial pressure washing jobs ensures you won’t be overcharging relative to your client. By showing your potential client the data behind your quote, you’ll be able to confidently ask for your price without them feeling like you made it up out of thin air (and, thus, losing the sale).

How to Quote Pressure Washing Jobs: Step-by-Step Guide to Quoting Pressure Washing Jobs

You now know why having a pressure washing quote template ready is vital to your business’s success, so let’s discuss how the process works. Whether you’re pressure washing commercial building interiors or pressure washing parking lots, there are several factors to keep in mind that will determine the final price you present to a potential client.

Start By Determining the Project Scale and Complexity

Every quote for pressure washing will start by analyzing the scale of the project. This ranges from the size of the cleaning area to the type of stains you are dealing with, along with any extra equipment you may need to bring in.

Begin by measuring the total square footage of the areas that need cleaning. Are you pressure washing concrete off small residential driveways or sprucing up the loading docks for a large shipping warehouse? This will give you an idea of how long the job will take, allowing you to tweak your prices.

You’ll also want to consider the types of stains themselves. If you are regularly pressure washing construction equipment as part of your niche, you may already have all the necessary equipment to get the job done. But if you typically do small interior jobs with an electric model, investing in a rental will include extra overhead.

Similarly, if areas are challenging to reach, like high ceilings, nooks, and crannies, you may require extra accessories and time to clear those areas.

Carefully inspect the area and explain any extra costs to the client. This will help the client understand that you have a process in place so there are no surprises when they receive the final quote.

Choose a Pricing Strategy: Hourly, Flat Rate, and More

The next essential step in learning how to quote pressure washing jobs is figuring out your pricing model. Each strategy has pros and cons, so pick one based on your comfort level and goals.

Hourly Rates: Hourly rates are a fantastic option for new and experienced companies. This gives you flexibility based on the actual labor you put in. It also allows you some wiggle room if you aren’t skilled enough to estimate how long a job will take.

Flat Rates: Flat rates are often more appealing to potential clients who want to make room on their balance sheet without wondering how long your services will take. You’ll need to estimate everything more closely to get fair value for your labor, but we’ll teach you how to do so in this guide!

Surface Area Rates: Similar to a flat rate, charging by the total surface area provides a simple way for your clients to understand potential charges. This also allows you to build in extra charges for hard-to-reach areas without feeling constrained by a flat rate price list.

As long as your pricing model aligns with your profitability goals, you’re in good shape, so feel free to offer more than one pricing option.

Add Up All Your Costs

Crafting a high-quality pressure washing quote template also involves weighing potential expenses. Some of this will be done on the back end, as you consider one-time costs like PPE, including pressure washing boots or pressure washer trailer setup.

But most costs will be on a per-job basis. For example, if a job requires multiple different types of pressure washers, such as both electric and gas pressure washers for a job, you’ll need to factor in rental costs.

Similarly, long-term overhead, including insurance, vehicle maintenance, pressure washer repair costs, and other fees, should also be considered. You should have all of these numbers ready to ensure you are always making at least some profit on any job you complete.

Apply Your Profit Markup

Now for the fun part of learning how to quote pressure washing jobs–ensuring you bring in profit for your company!

We often find that budding entrepreneurs struggle with this–they can be scared to charge what they deserve.

But if you want a business that does more than just survive, you must add a markup that allows you to thrive!

We recommend at least a 50% markup, but you should aim as high as possible–markups well over 100% are entirely feasible and reasonable! High-value clients are more than willing to pay these amounts for a job well done, as long as the rest of your presentation is one point.

Use a Commercial Pressure Washing Quote Template for Professionalism

Your ability to charge higher markups depends on professionalism. Using a pre-built template complete with a full explanation of your prices will show your attention to detail and position you as a high-value service provider.

Add clear terms and conditions, a breakdown of all services, and even small photos to help clients visualize that fantastic final result.

Remember, high-paying clients don’t just want a shoddy job that anyone off the street can do. They are paying for the best of the best, and you should position yourself accordingly!

Selling the Client and Addressing Objections

Sales can be terrifying for new entrepreneurs, and we understand how daunting it can seem.

But flipping this fear on its head is simple–in fact, you’ve already got all the information you need to sell your clients and brush past objections!

You see, convincing the client to sign on the dotted line all starts with your preparation. You have to walk in knowing, without a doubt, that you are the best service provider in your area. This includes getting all of these areas down:

High-quality equipment

Attention to detail

Clear understanding of prices & markups

Ability to explain services, including how to manage certain stains

Positioning your business as the expert within a niche

By doing all the legwork discussed in this article, you’re already well on your way to tackling these issues. Once you walk into a foreman’s office or hop on a call, you will explain your services, then have the client selling themselves to you!

Remember, you’re providing an essential service to your client. If you position yourself as an expert with plenty of attention to detail, they’ll see you as unique and valuable and more than willing to accept a well-thought-out price quote.

So, How Much Should I Charge for Pressure Washing?

So, how much should you start charging?

As you may have guessed from this article, the answer depends. Reviewing all the factors we’ve discussed gives you an excellent price range that will keep you profitable without scaring potential clients away.

Industry averages start pressure washing jobs from $50 to $250 per hour, but unquestioningly accepting this price could leave you behind. Be sure to factor in all your labor, materials, and overhead to add a healthy profit margin.

We also recommend researching what your local competitors charge. While you may be able to provide more premium service, it’s still a good idea not to stray too far from their prices when you’re just getting started.

Final Thoughts on How to Price Pressure Washing Jobs

Overall, learning how to price pressure washing jobs is simple. You need to weigh your expenses and learn to estimate the labor costs for various surfaces.

The best way to position your company as the industry expert in your niche is by using quality equipment!

The #1 home for industrial hot water pressure washers in Houston is Hotsy of Houston. We sell products from Hotsy, which is universally considered the best commercial pressure washer in the industry.

With our products, you’ll deliver jaw-dropping results that have your clients returning for more.

We also offer industrial pressure washer rental in Houston, including setup for pressure washer trailers in Houston if you have a large job site to work on.

You’ll find quality biodegradable pressure washer detergents and the best pressure washer accessories, helping you reach those nooks and crannies your competitors can’t.

The best part about working with us is our wealth of knowledge. We’ll help you learn all the ins and outs of pressure washing, from the basics of pressure washer sizing, including pressure washer GPM and pressure washer PSI, to whether a hot water vs cold water pressure washer is best for a specialized task.

We’re also a certified Hotsy warranty repair center, making us the best place to find industrial pressure washer repair in Houston to limit downtime.

If you enjoyed learning how to quote commercial pressure washing jobs, check out our blog for more helpful tips!

Other articles include how much does it cost to start a power washing business, what soap to put in a pressure washer, can a pressure washer remove rust, pressure washing pre treatments, how to store a pressure washer, how to use a pressure washer, and can pressure washers remove paint.

Otherwise, if you’re ready to start raking in high-paying clients by delivering stunning results, Hotsy of Houston has your back. Call us today to check our inventory of industrial cold water pressure washers in Houston, or just poke our brains for advice during your entrepreneurial journey!

How to Quote Pressure Washing Jobs: Commercial Pressure Washing Quote Template