# pressuere washing estamates



## erikjames06

just wondering how much do you charge per sq ft? or is there a different system that you use? ok, ill make it simple for a small ranch approximately 950 sq ft . residential suburban area ,how much would you change to pressure wash the siding?


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## vermontpainter

:yawn:


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## Workaholic

50 bucks


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## JCM

Thats too cheap, I would charge 5,000,000.39 bux unless I have to use a pressure washer then it would be 5,000,000.40


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## TooledUp

Trivia: 

111111111 x 111111111
=
12345678987654321

_____________________

4 out of every 3 people are math illiterate.

_________________________________

92 bottles of beer on the wall, 92 bottles of beer. Take one down and pass it around, 91 bottles of beer on the wall.


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## bikerboy

erikjames06 said:


> just wondering how much do you charge per sq ft? or is there a different system that you use? ok, ill make it simple for a small ranch approximately 950 sq ft . residential suburban area ,how much would you change to pressure wash the siding?


I am going to save you from the masses whom are tired of answering one or two pricing questions a week.


Go to the top of the page.
See the word "search" in the blue band?
Click on it and enter "pricing" or "estimating". You will find more than you can imagine. (and veiw what I may have saved you from)
There is a website for pressure washing pros. Go there and ask. (No....I don't remember the url.)
There are actually nice people here. The question you asked is a sore spot.


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## ewingpainting.net

TooledUp said:


> 4 out of every 3 people are math illiterate.


Who is #5, Wait, am I #4


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## bikerboy

93 bottles of beer on the wall.


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## ewingpainting.net

TooledUp said:


> Trivia:
> 
> 111111111 x 111111111
> =
> 12345678987654321
> 
> _____________________
> 
> 4 out of every 3 people are math illiterate.
> 
> _________________________________
> 
> 92 bottles of beer on the wall, 92 bottles of beer. Take one down and pass it around, 91 bottles of beer on the wall.


I don't get the trivia, if 92 bottles on the wall but there's 91 on, 
scratch paper 
91-92 = 1 nope, 91x92 =8372 nope
91+92 = 183 nope THINK! THINK!
I give up how many bottles on the wall


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## TooledUp

There's 10 types of people in this world. Those that can read binary and those that can't.


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## TooledUp

ewingpainting.net said:


> I give up how many bottles on the wall


I think some of them still had beer inside. There's not as many left as when you started counting.

Maybe those guys over in the beer thread took them.


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## ewingpainting.net

TooledUp said:


> There's 10 types of people in this world. Those that can read binary and those that can't.


 had to Google it for the other paint talk members, I'm such a nice co member 

The *binary numeral system*, or *base-2 number system* represents numeric values using two symbols, usually 0 and 1. More specifically, the usual base-2 system is a positional notation with a radix of 2. Owing to its straightforward implementation in digital electronic circuitry using logic gates, the binary system is used internally by all modern computers.


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## 1977corey

.......depends......
what i can tell you though, is that "estamate" is actually spelled "estimate".
for a home that small maybe i would charge $100-150.00, i would have to actually see it.


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## nEighter

charge by hour.

Tooled.. I knew the 10 binary deal!! Used to have to convert binary into hexadecimal and Octal. Was fun once you got it, but subnet masking was a bit more complicated. 



> *Subnet Mask*
> 
> Perhaps the most recognizable aspect of subnetting is the *subnet mask*. Like IP addresses, a subnet mask contains four bytes (32 bits) and is often written using the same "dotted-decimal" notation. For example, a very common subnet mask in its binary representation
> 
> 11111111 11111111 11111111 00000000
> is typically shown in the equivalent, more readable form
> 
> 255.255.255.0


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## CCPC

I'm usually around $43.26 for houses that size. Unless I've got my coupon out, then I would come in around $37.42.


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## erikjames06

*sorry guys*

just trying to see if my prices where about right, this is my first year pressure washing, and that house i thought would be a good example.thanks. i have learned a lot from you guys in the past year.

Respectfully Erik


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## nEighter

what have you come up with?


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## JAYJAY

*Yikes*



CCPC said:


> I'm usually around $43.26 for houses that size. Unless I've got my coupon out, then I would come in around $37.42.


Really? $150-200 is standard in these parts.


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## Quaid?

450$


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## CCPC

JAYJAY said:


> Really? $150-200 is standard in these parts.


I was kidding.


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## JAYJAY

CCPC said:


> I was kidding.


Good to hear. I do have a guy in MN painting rooms for $75, so maybe a $50 wash and rinse is not out of control.....


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## premierpainter

erikjames06 said:


> just wondering how much do you charge per sq ft? or is there a different system that you use? ok, ill make it simple for a small ranch approximately 950 sq ft . residential suburban area ,how much would you change to pressure wash the siding?


Why would you want the 950 sq. ft of floors power washed? 
I would charge at least $17,956.00 forany power washing...I like being dry, not wet


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## painttofish

JAYJAY said:


> Really? $150-200 is standard in these parts.



Really? I wouldn't drive to your house and pee on your lawn for that price. My nitrogen is worth more than that. What's the point? Would you take the time to visit and estimate + labor and materials for $150.00. Personally, I don't ballpark over the phone because they are always price shoppers and ballparking over the phone is not smart IMO.


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## 1977corey

JCM said:


> Thats too cheap, I would charge 5,000,000.39 bux unless I have to use a pressure washer then it would be 5,000,000.40


Is that currency in Turkish Lira?


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## CCPC

$150-$200 is low ball even in the tough Florida market that I'm in. Pressure Washing Houses of that size in my area of Jacksonville would come in around $275. A lady called earlier this evening and wanted a quote on her house and what not, so I got some information and gave her a price. She was nice, but was taken back my price. She said "the guy that used to do it would do all of it for $150. I wish I could get a hold of him, but his phone is disconnected." 

At that point I told her that the reason why you can't get a hold of him is because he's out of business because he wasn't charging enough. I hate low ball hacks.


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## MAK-Deco

CCPC said:


> $150-$200 is low ball even in the tough Florida market that I'm in. Pressure Washing Houses of that size in my area of Jacksonville would come in around $275. A lady called earlier this evening and wanted a quote on her house and what not, so I got some information and gave her a price. She was nice, but was taken back my price. She said "the guy that used to do it would do all of it for $150. I wish I could get a hold of him, but his phone is disconnected."
> 
> At that point I told her that the reason why you can't get a hold of him is because he's out of business because he wasn't charging enough. I hate low ball hacks.


its funny cause that lady wouldn't even think that the phone if off cause he is out of biz..


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## CCPC

MAK-Deco said:


> its funny cause that lady wouldn't even think that the phone if off cause he is out of biz..


Nah, people like that never will.

I had a lady once call me out for an estimate. As we walked around the property she kept pointing out all of the things that the last guy had damaged or done wrong. I gave her my price, and she said she wanted to think about it. 
She called back several hours later, and told me she had called another company and they gave here a much lower quote. At that point she all, but accused me of trying to take advantage of here. 

I told her that she may think my price is high, but I will provide the highest quality service your going to find, and I won't ruin your ceiling fans on your back porch, damage the screens, or kill a whole row of azalea bushes either. That pretty much shut her up, but she still didn't hire us. 

Most people like that will never learn. She will get the same crappy service that she is used to from the next company she hires, and still be trying to figure out why every service she hires does really bad work. What a fool.


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## nEighter

that IS text book def of insanity.


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## painttofish

Fools everywhere. They are obvious from the get. 

Red Flag#1 I was going to do it myself but I have family coming in June and didn't have the time to take care of it myself!

#2 I would have done it by myself but my ladder would not reach so I thought I'd call someone so I wouldn't have to buy a new ladder.

#3 My husband and I are just looking to have the gables painted and we can take care of the rest ourselves.

#4 What do you charge per sq ft of an exterior colonial home in the historical district of Lexington, KT with 10 miles of horse fence that needs a lot of prep?


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## painttofish

RUN! RUN! Forest RUN!!:scooter::scooter::scooter:


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## nEighter




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## CCPC

painttofish said:


> Fools everywhere. They are obvious from the get.
> 
> Red Flag#1 I was going to do it myself but I have family coming in June and didn't have the time to take care of it myself!
> 
> #2 I would have done it by myself but my ladder would not reach so I thought I'd call someone so I wouldn't have to buy a new ladder.
> 
> #3 My husband and I are just looking to have the gables painted and we can take care of the rest ourselves.
> 
> #4 What do you charge per sq ft of an exterior colonial home in the historical district of Lexington, KT with 10 miles of horse fence that needs a lot of prep?


that's perfect. I especially like the one about the gables. I'm not a painter, but I can relate to that one all the same.
_ "We just want to get the high areas on the second story cleaned because we HAVE a pressure washer, and can clean the rest of it ourselves."_
_:thumbsup: _


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## deach

I've seen all kinds of ideas on how to charge. Some say 1 buck a linear foot. If it was a thousand sq feet even then it would be say 25x40....ok well that's 130.00. I personally won't drive to a job and bid it then return and do it for that. If I was washing a house in the area, and they flagged me down or something I might do that for 150.00 it just depends. What you need to understand is there's all kinds of guys in my area that will come out and wash that place for a hundred bucks or even less. 

Just like there's guys painting rooms for 75 bucks (one even for 50 if the customer buys the paint):furious: There are guys that will come out and do it cheaper. You have to decide what works for you and your business model and go for it. Just please use correct techniques and the right chemicals and cleaners. Don't be one of the "more pressure is better" guys....


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## joeyork

*Differences in Estimates...Who's Lying?*

What a lame-ass attempt to get a link out there...


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## JAYJAY

painttofish said:


> Really? I wouldn't drive to your house and pee on your lawn for that price. My nitrogen is worth more than that. What's the point? Would you take the time to visit and estimate + labor and materials for $150.00. Personally, I don't ballpark over the phone because they are always price shoppers and ballparking over the phone is not smart IMO.


Visiting an old post, but I along with a slave did a nice job "washing" a house we are prepping for paint and it took us 2.25 hours (house(rambler), three stall garage, and out building and their dog kennel to boot). I used couple bucks in washer gas and about $10.00 in truck fuel. Oh yes and drove 40 miles round trip.

Math: $150
- 30 slave
- 3 washer fuel
- 10 truck fuel
- 20.80 wear and tear on truck
_______________________________
Net: 86.20/2.25=$38.00 per hour plus I upsold some repairs while there and was monitoring my brother in law who was doing some nail bending for me there.

I actually figured $200 in my overall bid, but $150 for this example.

Getting wealthy? no, paying for the trip I think so..........

2 story mansions $150 no, lets be real, this is for run of the mill H.O. 1900sq ft house.


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## painttofish

JayJay, It sounds like you are just squirting water on the home and not using soaps and chlorine and actually washing it?


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## johnpaint

whatever you want to bring in considering you will spend 6 hrs per person. you will have to figure in that you have to load up your truck and buy 20 bucks worth of materials, so 200.00 min I would say for a three hour job. I'm more like 280.00


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## JAYJAY

painttofish said:


> JayJay, It sounds like you are just squirting water on the home and not using soaps and chlorine and actually washing it?


Tossing in a little simple green siding wash. House really did not need much, just a some show boating for customer and getting dirt and spider webs off.

I was just rereading some old posts and thought I would add my two cents. If everyone wants to get wealthy on pressure washing and not concentrate on the $3900-5000 paint bid to do the house, that's cool. To each his own....


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## PressurePros

JAYJAY said:


> Visiting an old post, but I along with a slave did a nice job "washing" a house we are prepping for paint and it took us 2.25 hours (house(rambler), three stall garage, and out building and their dog kennel to boot). I used couple bucks in washer gas and about $10.00 in truck fuel. Oh yes and drove 40 miles round trip.
> 
> Math: $150
> - 30 slave
> - 3 washer fuel
> - 10 truck fuel
> - 20.80 wear and tear on truck
> _______________________________
> Net: 86.20/2.25=$38.00 per hour plus I upsold some repairs while there and was monitoring my brother in law who was doing some nail bending for me there.


What about??

Job acquistion costs? (advertising, etc)
Matching taxes for your employee?
Workman's comp?
Liability insurance?
Equipment depreciation?
Fixed expenses? (phones etc)
Chemicals?
Company net profit? (you cannot take it all, some needs to stay in the company for cash flow)
Legal
Accounting

Owners salaries are usually about 20% of gross. On a $150 job you would have made about as much as you paid your slave.


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## JAYJAY

PressurePros said:


> What about??
> 
> Job acquistion costs? (advertising, etc)
> Matching taxes for your employee?
> Workman's comp?
> Liability insurance?
> Equipment depreciation?
> Fixed expenses? (phones etc)
> Chemicals?
> Company net profit? (you cannot take it all, some needs to stay in the company for cash flow)
> Legal
> Accounting
> 
> Owners salaries are usually about 20% of gross. On a $150 job you would have made about as much as you paid your slave.


 
I love these kind of threads! Yes I understand taxes, insurance, etc.... etc...... etc......etc.........

I AM NOT A PRESSURE WASHING COMPANY!!!!!! JUST LIKE I AM NOT A DIGGING HOLE OR A TREE TRIMMING COMPANY!!!!!!

But if she wanted me to dig a hole it would be cheaper than a hole digging company would do it for! If I hired out a washing company to do the gold plated platnium special edition job - there would be nothing left for the painting portion of my bid....... 

I knew commenting on this past post would get someone's panties in a bunch... but thats cool.....


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## PressurePros

Jay, I'm not upset about your post I just find it irresponsible for a contractor to put something that other contractors will read and take as solid advice. Business is what it is. It doesn't matter what the trade is or the product being sold. Expenses are what they are. The mentality of "pay for materials and an under-the-table employee and the rest is yours" mentality prevails in the trades. Its why 90% of startups go out of business and its why guys come to these boards complaining about being underbid. I'm not attacking you personally but the kind of rhetoric you spewed in the last post is B.S I can't cosign. This is a pressure washing pricing thread not a "how much do I charge for paint prep" or "sell part of the job cheap in hopes of upselling other work" thread. i hope you can understand from where I am coming. Lowballers will always find justification for what they do. I read all the excuses every day on our forums.


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## deach

PressurePros said:


> Jay, I'm not upset about your post I just find it irresponsible for a contractor to put something that other contractors will read and take as solid advice. Business is what it is. It doesn't matter what the trade is or the product being sold. Expenses are what they are. The mentality of "pay for materials and an under-the-table employee and the rest is yours" mentality prevails in the trades. Its why 90% of startups go out of business and its why guys come to these boards complaining about being underbid. I'm not attacking you personally but the kind of rhetoric you spewed in the last post is B.S I can't cosign. This is a pressure washing pricing thread not a "how much do I charge for paint prep" or "sell part of the job cheap in hopes of upselling other work" thread. i hope you can understand from where I am coming. Lowballers will always find justification for what they do. I read all the excuses every day on our forums.


Indeed we do.......:thumbsup:


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## vermontpainter

PressurePros said:


> Jay, I'm not upset about your post I just find it irresponsible for a contractor to put something that other contractors will read and take as solid advice. Business is what it is. It doesn't matter what the trade is or the product being sold. Expenses are what they are. The mentality of "pay for materials and an under-the-table employee and the rest is yours" mentality prevails in the trades. Its why 90% of startups go out of business and its why guys come to these boards complaining about being underbid. I'm not attacking you personally but the kind of rhetoric you spewed in the last post is B.S I can't cosign. This is a pressure washing pricing thread not a "how much do I charge for paint prep" or "sell part of the job cheap in hopes of upselling other work" thread. i hope you can understand from where I am coming. Lowballers will always find justification for what they do. I read all the excuses every day on our forums.


Ken

Thank you for being among the few, and yes I suppose we are referred to as elitists and big guys, who will speak out when people post misleading information for the world to read about running a small trades business. Its scary, because I talk to homeowners all the time who do their research on the internet, and if you read it on the internet on a professional forum it must be right. 

The reality is that alot of people in the trades could give a crap less about having any kind of a decent business model. The pay cash for a helper, cover materials and the rest is yours mentality is king. Crikeys, we got guys on this forum who cant even afford to come to this forum anymore (this forum is free) and they still believe that what they are doing is right and as soon as someone moves into the neighborhood and sets up an unsecured wifi they will be back to tell us that they are still out there working uninsured, unlicensed, illegal and busy as can be, just feeding the family. Thats the password these days, just doing whatever it takes to feed the family. And theres lots of rather large families with lots of mouths to feed. 

Now, they will come back in and tell you that you are threatened by what they are doing and that the "big guys" like you are the most affected by this economy and that you need to tighten your own belt in order to survive because they, and everyone like them, are taking over now. Its alot of noise, and its really just the sound of a big doog circling the drain before that final satisfying glug glug and its down. Sometimes they are large, requiring a plunger.


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## NEPS.US

PressurePros said:


> Jay, I'm not upset about your post I just find it irresponsible for a contractor to put something that other contractors will read and take as solid advice. Business is what it is. It doesn't matter what the trade is or the product being sold. Expenses are what they are. The mentality of "pay for materials and an under-the-table employee and the rest is yours" mentality prevails in the trades. Its why 90% of startups go out of business and its why guys come to these boards complaining about being underbid. I'm not attacking you personally but the kind of rhetoric you spewed in the last post is B.S I can't cosign. This is a pressure washing pricing thread not a "how much do I charge for paint prep" or "sell part of the job cheap in hopes of upselling other work" thread. i hope you can understand from where I am coming. Lowballers will always find justification for what they do. I read all the excuses every day on our forums.





vermontpainter said:


> Ken
> 
> Thank you for being among the few, and yes I suppose we are referred to as elitists and big guys, who will speak out when people post misleading information for the world to read about running a small trades business. Its scary, because I talk to homeowners all the time who do their research on the internet, and if you read it on the internet on a professional forum it must be right.
> 
> The reality is that alot of people in the trades could give a crap less about having any kind of a decent business model. The pay cash for a helper, cover materials and the rest is yours mentality is king. Crikeys, we got guys on this forum who cant even afford to come to this forum anymore (this forum is free) and they still believe that what they are doing is right and as soon as someone moves into the neighborhood and sets up an unsecured wifi they will be back to tell us that they are still out there working uninsured, unlicensed, illegal and busy as can be, just feeding the family. Thats the password these days, just doing whatever it takes to feed the family. And theres lots of rather large families with lots of mouths to feed.
> 
> Now, they will come back in and tell you that you are threatened by what they are doing and that the "big guys" like you are the most affected by this economy and that you need to tighten your own belt in order to survive because they, and everyone like them, are taking over now. Its alot of noise, and its really just the sound of a big doog circling the drain before that final satisfying glug glug and its down. Sometimes they are large, requiring a plunger.


These are the two best posts I have read in months.


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## Tonyg

vermontpainter said:


> its really just the sound of a big doog circling the drain before that final satisfying glug glug and its down. Sometimes they are large, requiring a plunger.


 
Thats the best analogy I've read in months.

Never thought about describing drinking beer like that though


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## JAYJAY

PressurePros said:


> Jay, I'm not upset about your post I just find it irresponsible for a contractor to put something that other contractors will read and take as solid advice. Business is what it is. It doesn't matter what the trade is or the product being sold. Expenses are what they are. The mentality of "pay for materials and an under-the-table employee and the rest is yours" mentality prevails in the trades. Its why 90% of startups go out of business and its why guys come to these boards complaining about being underbid. I'm not attacking you personally but the kind of rhetoric you spewed in the last post is B.S I can't cosign. This is a pressure washing pricing thread not a "how much do I charge for paint prep" or "sell part of the job cheap in hopes of upselling other work" thread. i hope you can understand from where I am coming. Lowballers will always find justification for what they do. I read all the excuses every day on our forums.


 
Finally some interest in what I post! Most times unless your one of 5 people on this forum (neps, arch, etc...) your lucky if you get 3 replies, I am honored! 

1. I am not even sure what I had figured in (no I do not believe it is irresponsible because I don't know to the penny) because I DID NOT itemize it out in the bid for the client. I knew what I needed to get for the total job based on my 10 pages spreadsheet I use based on my years of calculations given wind speed, humidity, and phase of the moon.

2. I refuse to make it my life's mission to "educate" the client on the value of pressure washing and what it consists of. I educate them in so far as it helps to understand it's value in the context (ish not the dreaded "in context") of an overall painting project.

3. I love it that my couple sentences spark some in depth thought by a few. Because let's be honest unless you tow the "paint talk" line in your wording of questions or comments, you will be blasted (heck I have done it a time or two myself). I love that feeling of a gun to my head everytime you post so that you conform to the ideology of 5-7 individuals here. I have received PM from people here who feel the same way, lest you think I am thee only one.

4. I take no offense from anyone, potshots from the peanut gallary of those hanging over their keyboards waiting to bash your head in is cool to.

5. Yes, it was another heavily frowned, upon how much does it cost to PW thread..... I apologize for putting it into the context of an overall wash and paint project. Putting things into context is always so bothersome and gets into those unheard of grey areas. I doubt I will be putting any pressure washing companies out of business with my secretive, "under-the-table" shenanigans anytime soon.

6. "Under the table, the rest is yours," theory is pervasive, yes, but please don't intimate that is what happens on my watch. I minored in accounting in college and I can assure you that's not how my ship is run. O.K. I admit took some offense to this one.

I'm ready for the bashing, actually I am ready to move on, but comments, questions and the occasional death threat for mispselling here on paint talk are always welcome!


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## vermontpainter

Seriously...I get so sick of those 4-5 guys always talking about marketing and profit and sustainable business practices and how well they are doing blah blah blah I wish they would all get banned. Too bad they can't get with the majority and just figure out how to lower prices and get jobs.


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## JAYJAY

vermontpainter said:


> Seriously...I get so sick of those 4-5 guys always talking about marketing and profit and sustainable business practices and how well they are doing blah blah blah I wish they would all get banned. Too bad they can't get with the majority and just figure out how to lower prices and get jobs.


you to? nice. Thanks for putting my thoughts into a nutshell!


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## tsunamicontract

oh man, this is just great :laughing:


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## JAYJAY

vermontpainter said:


> Seriously...I get so sick of those 4-5 guys always talking about marketing and profit and sustainable business practices and how well they are doing blah blah blah I wish they would all get banned. Too bad they can't get with the majority and just figure out how to lower prices and get jobs.


dripping with sarcasm, i love it. :thumbsup:


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