If you are budgeting for pressure washing, the honest answer is that there is no single rate, and any number quoted before someone sees the surface is a guess. What actually sets the price is the surface type, the square footage, the condition, and how hard the area is to reach. Below we break down what drives the cost so you can see why your job is priced the way it is.
What drives the price
Five things move a pressure washing quote up or down:
- Surface type. Flat concrete, wood decking, painted siding, and a roof all clean differently and need different methods. A delicate surface that requires soft washing is a different job from blasting a driveway.
- Square footage. More area is more time and more product. This is the biggest single driver on most jobs.
- Soiling level. Light dust rinses off fast. Thick moss, mildew, and green algae take dwell time, cleaning solution, and a second pass. A heavily stained surface is genuinely more work.
- Access and height. Second-story siding, steep roofs, and tight side yards take setup, ladders, and care, all of which add time.
- Method and cleanup. Soft washing with solution versus straight pressure, plus water management and runoff cleanup, all factor in.
None of these are knowable over the phone, which is why a walkthrough produces a real number and a phone quote produces a guess.
Cost by surface
Pressure washing is usually priced by surface, and the ranges below are intentionally broad because condition and access change everything. Treat them as a way to understand relative effort, not a quote.
| Surface | What affects the price | Your price |
|---|---|---|
| House exterior / siding | Square footage, height, soft wash vs pressure, growth level | Varies, free written estimate |
| Driveway / concrete | Size, staining, etching risk | Varies, free written estimate |
| Deck / patio | Material, condition, prep before staining | Varies, free written estimate |
| Fence | Length, material, both sides | Varies, free written estimate |
| Roof (soft wash only) | Pitch, access, moss and algae load | Varies, free written estimate |
The pattern holds across all of them: bigger, dirtier, and harder to reach costs more, and the right method for the surface matters as much as the size.
DIY vs hiring a pro
Renting a pressure washer is cheaper upfront, and for a small, hardy surface it can make sense. The risk is what the machine does in the wrong hands. Too much pressure etches concrete permanently, gouges soft cedar, and strips paint off siding, and once that damage is done it costs more to repair than the wash ever saved. We have been called in after exactly that kind of aggressive washing.
There is also the time and the height. A driveway is a Saturday. A two-story house with shaded, mossy north-facing siding and a mossy roof is a different commitment, and the roof in particular should never be hit with high pressure at all. A pro brings the right method per surface, the equipment to reach it safely, and the judgment to know when to back the pressure off.
How to get an accurate quote
A useful quote starts with a walkthrough. An estimator looks at each surface, the type and amount of growth, the access and height, and whether any surface needs soft washing instead of pressure. From there you get a written number that holds.
One thing worth knowing: if washing is the first step before a repaint, it is often most efficient to bundle it with the paint job rather than treat it as a separate visit. We frequently wash as built-in prep for an exterior project, which can be the more economical path overall.
Want a real number for your home? We walk the property, match the method to each surface, and give you a free written estimate with no surprise change orders. Get a free written estimate.
Pressure washing in the Pacific Northwest
The Seattle area’s damp, shaded climate grows moss, mildew, and green algae on siding, decks, fences, and roofs, especially on north-facing and tree-covered surfaces that rarely dry out. That is why homes here need washing more often than homes in dry climates, and why a quote here reflects more growth and more dwell time than the same square footage somewhere sunny.
It is also why method matters so much locally. The same surfaces that collect the most growth, cedar siding, aging paint, composition roofs, are the ones most easily damaged by high pressure. Around here, the right wash is as much about restraint as power.
How Hedlund does it
We are a licensed, bonded, and insured contractor of more than a decade, and we match the method to the surface: soft wash for delicate siding and roofs, pressure for hard surfaces like concrete and brick. That is how washing cleans a surface without etching concrete or stripping paint. When a wash is the lead-in to a repaint, we frequently bundle it as the first step of the exterior project. Every job starts with a free written estimate, and the price we agree to is the price you pay, no surprise change orders.
“Prompt, good price, and excellent workers. Have enjoyed our many experiences working with Hedlund.” Joel W., 5 stars (Google)
For the full service, see our Pressure Washing page. Related reading: Why Pressure Washing Before Painting Matters and Soft Wash vs. Pressure Washing: Which Does Your Home Need?. We also handle exterior painting and deck and fence staining. Serving Seattle, Edmonds, and the surrounding area.
