How Much Does It Cost to Start a Pressure Washing Business?
How much does it cost to start a pressure washing business: an itemized list priced from dated retailer and manufacturer pages, insurance, and $0 software.
The MakeHay team · · 10 min read
How much does it cost to start a pressure washing business? With a truck already in the driveway, the equipment comes to $1,967 for a minimum rig built around a big-box washer, or $2,741 for a distributor-grade rig, at prices read from retailer and manufacturer pages on October 13, 2026. Add a year of general liability ($879 median at Insureon), chemicals, fuel and $0 for software, and the first year fits on one worksheet.
How much does it cost to start a pressure washing business: two rigs
The table prices two rigs: the minimum rig takes a big-box washer and the lowest priced surface cleaner on a distributor's shelf, and the distributor rig moves every line up one step. Listings change, so read each page before you buy.
| Item | Minimum rig | Distributor rig | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washer | Simpson PS4240, 4.0 GPM at 4,200 PSI: $1,299 | BE 4,000 PSI, 4.0 GPM, Comet pump: $1,690 | Home Depot; PressureTek |
| Surface cleaner | 20 inch Whirl-A-Way: $528 | 20 inch stainless Whirl-A-Way: $767 | PressureTek |
| Second hose, 50 ft | HPC Gladiator, 4,500 PSI: from $75.32 | KobraJet blue, 4,000 PSI: from $103.32 | PressureTek |
| Downstream injector | GP Hi-Draw: $18.36 | GP High Draw kit: $29.63 | PressureTek |
| Soft wash nozzles | Down Stream Nozzle Kit: $45.88 | M5 X-Jet: $151.20 | PressureTek |
| Total | $1,967 | $2,741 | Rows summed |
What GPM do I need for pressure washing: choosing the washer
Four gallons a minute is the working answer, and the number to compare is GPM, not PSI: a surface cleaner is a flow tool, and more gallons clear the same width of slab faster.
Simpson's spec page rates the PowerShot PS4240 at 4,200 PSI and 4.0 GPM on a Honda GX390 with a triplex pump. Home Depot's Williston, VT store listed it at $1,299 on October 13, 2026, with a 50 ft hose and five quick-connect nozzles in the box. Simpson's PS60995 is the step down, 3,600 PSI at 2.5 GPM on a Honda GX200; its page shows no price.
Distributor-grade 4 GPM units start where the big-box unit ends. On October 13, 2026 PressureTek listed BE 4,000 PSI, 4.0 GPM machines on the Honda GX390 at $1,690 (Comet pump) and a 4,000 PSI, 4.0 GPM General pump unit at $2,109. Belt drive turns the pump slower than the engine: a 5.5 GPM at 2,500 PSI belt-drive unit was $2,510.41.
One more number comes from the flow: 4.0 GPM is 240 gallons an hour, so the customer's spigot has to keep up or a tank rides on the truck. Estimating a pressure washing job without a site visit covers the water source as a quoting question.
Pressure washing equipment list: cleaner, hose, injector, nozzles, PPE
The washer is about two thirds of the minimum rig; the surface cleaner, hose, injector and nozzles are the rest.
Surface cleaner cost
A 20 inch surface cleaner is the first purchase after the washer, because a wand cleans a driveway in stripes and a spinner cleans it in one even pass. PressureTek's listings on October 13, 2026: 20 inch Whirl-A-Way $528, 20 inch stainless steel $767 and Whisper Wash Classic $1,096.86; a 20 inch deck on a 4 GPM machine is the pairing the minimum rig assumes.
Hose, injector and nozzles
A second 50 ft hose doubles your reach from the truck. PressureTek's 4,000 PSI class hoses started at $75.32 (HPC Gladiator, rated 4,500 PSI, 3/8 inch) and ran to $103.32 (KobraJet blue) on October 13, 2026, with the 50 ft length listed first on each page.
The downstream injector pulls bleach mix into the water after the pump, so the pump never sees chlorine. On October 13, 2026 PressureTek listed the GP Hi-Draw Chemical Injector at $18.36, the GP High Draw Injector Kit at $29.63, the Down Stream Nozzle Kit at $45.88 and the M5 X-Jet nozzle at $151.20.
PPE is not priced here because the set depends on your chemicals: splash goggles, chemical gloves, boots and a respirator with cartridges rated for chlorine vapor, bought locally.
Chemicals: what a house wash costs in bleach and surfactant
A house wash is diluted sodium hypochlorite plus a surfactant that makes it cling: a few gallons of pool chlorine and an ounce of soap per mixed gallon. Home Depot's Williston, VT store listed HDX Chlorinating Liquid, 1 gallon (128 oz), at $6.98 on October 13, 2026 (out of stock there that day). The listing does not state the strength, so read the available chlorine percentage on the label before you set a dilution.
PressureTek listed Elemonator liquid house wash from $20.04 on October 13, 2026, in half gallon to 5 gallon sizes, at one ounce per gallon of water when downstreaming; Simple Cherry House Wash was $11.25 in a 32 oz canister, and Cling-On, sold for roofs, from $21.87 at one ounce per mixed gallon. The gallons per house are your number; the worksheet uses 3 gallons of chlorine and 20 gallons of mix per single story house as placeholders.
Pressure washing business insurance cost: the two policies
General liability is the policy a property manager asks to see, and workers' compensation is the one the state asks for once you hire.
| Policy | Median premium | Sample policy |
|---|---|---|
| General liability | $73 a month, $879 a year | $1 million per occurrence, $2 million aggregate, $500 deductible |
| Workers' compensation | $147 a month, $1,761 a year | Required by state law once you have employees |
| Commercial auto | $262 a month, $3,143 a year | The truck |
| Business owner's policy | $142 a month, $1,699 a year | $1,000 deductible |
| Commercial umbrella | $76 a month, $906 a year | Limits above the other policies |
Insureon's figures are medians of policies bought by its own customers. A one-person startup usually carries general liability from the first job and adds workers' compensation with the first hire; when it becomes required is a state rule (see the note below).
Registration, the free EIN and the local rules to check
An EIN is free from the IRS and online: the IRS page says "Beware of websites that charge for an EIN. You never have to pay a fee for an EIN." Register the business with your state or county first, since the EIN application asks what kind of entity you are.
The local rules are mostly about water. Whether wash water may reach the storm drain is a city rule in the US; the wash water section of the remote estimating post walks through the EPA's MS4 program page and the containment options to price. Ask the stormwater office in each town before the first job there, and the city clerk whether a business license applies at your address.
Good to know: This is general information, not legal advice. Statutes and rules change; read the current text and ask your state licensing board or a lawyer before you rely on it.
Software, measuring and marketing at $0
The office side of the list can be $0. In MakeHay, quotes, scheduling, invoices, online payments (US businesses), a client portal and automated follow-ups cost $0 a month, with no trial, no seat fees and no card to sign up (what MakeHay costs). The pressure washing starter list carries "House wash, single story" and "House wash, two story" as flat lines, "Driveway and flatwork", "Roof soft wash" and "Deck or fence wash" per square foot, and "Gutter brightening" per linear foot.
The free satellite tool replaces a measuring wheel for driveways and house footprints, with no account. A request form shares as a link, a popup or one line of embed code, which is the marketing line. The optional Website add-on exists ($197 a month or $1,970 a year, built by a person at MakeHay).
Two starter lines have their own pricing posts: how to price roof cleaning per square and how to price gutter cleaning per linear foot.
Worked example: First-year budget for the minimum rig at 60 house washes
- Equipment, the minimum rig from the table: $1,299 + $528 + $75.32 + $18.36 + $45.88 = $1,967.
- Insurance, general liability for the year at Insureon's median: $879.
- Bleach per house, your own count of 3 gallons: 3 × $6.98 = $21.
- Surfactant per house at one ounce per mixed gallon and 20 gallons of mix, taking Elemonator's $20.04 starting price as the 64 oz half gallon: $20.04 × 20 ÷ 64 = $6.
- Chemical per house: $21 + $6 = $27.
- Chemicals for the year: 60 houses × $27 = $1,620.
- Fuel, your own 2 gallons per job at the EIA's $4.35 a gallon: 60 × 2 × $4.35 = $522.
- Software: $0.
- First-year cost: $1,967 + $879 + $1,620 + $522 + $0 = $4,988.
- Cost per job before any wage or profit: $4,988 ÷ 60 = $83.13.
Result: $83.13 of cost per job at 60 house washes, $4,988 for the first year, before wages and profit.
Pressure washing startup checklist
- A truck, a washer chosen by GPM, a 20 inch surface cleaner, two 50 ft hoses, a downstream injector, a nozzle kit, and PPE.
- Pool chlorine and surfactant for the first ten jobs, with the label's strength on your dilution card.
- A general liability certificate in the truck; workers' compensation the day you hire.
- An EIN from irs.gov, the state or county registration, and a call to the stormwater office in each town.
- A price book with the six starter lines, a request form link, and the worksheet with your own gallons, jobs and fuel.
FAQ
Can you start pressure washing with a $500 machine?
Yes, and the first driveway shows the limit. A unit in the PS60995 class runs 3,600 PSI at 2.5 GPM; the PS4240 at 4.0 GPM was $1,299 at Home Depot on October 13, 2026, and 60 percent more water through the same surface cleaner is a pace difference your hours feel. Buy the surface cleaner first and move up with the first month's deposits.
Does pressure washing need a license?
Licensing is a state and city question, and the answer changes by address: a state or county business registration, sometimes a city business license or home occupation permit, and the stormwater office's rule on wash water, which the remote estimating post covers through the EPA's MS4 program page.
Is a surface cleaner worth it on day one?
Yes, if driveways are on your price list. A 20 inch Whirl-A-Way was $528 at PressureTek on October 13, 2026, about a quarter of the minimum rig. The stainless deck at $767 and the Whisper Wash Classic at $1,096.86 are second-season upgrades.
How much should my first house wash cost?
At least the worksheet's cost per job plus your hours: $83.13 per job at 60 jobs in the example, before any wage, so a $100 house wash leaves $17 for the hours and the profit. In MakeHay, a quote's Deposit is paid by card at approval with Stripe connected, and customers approve from a link by typing their name (ask for a deposit on a quote).
Sources
- Home Depot: SIMPSON 4200 PSI 4.0 GPM Gas Pressure Washer, HONDA GX390 Engine, Triplex Pump, PS4240 · $1,299.00 at the Williston, VT store on October 13, 2026 ("Limit 5 per order"); "4200 PSI. 4.0 GPM pressure washer for pro cleaning"; "Power washer Includes 50 ft. hose, 5 QC nozzles, and triplex pump". The price renders only in a browser. (accessed October 13, 2026)
- Simpson: PowerShot PS4240 49-State · "4200 PSI at 4.0 GPM HONDA GX390 with AAA Industrial Triplex Pump Cold Water Professional Gas Pressure Washer"; spec lines PSI 4200, GPM 4, Pump Type AAA Triplex Pump; no price on the page. 4.0 GPM is 240 gallons an hour; 4.0 against 2.5 GPM is 60 percent more flow. (accessed October 13, 2026)
- Simpson: PowerShot PS60995(-S) 50-State · Spec lines PSI 3600, GPM 2.5, Engine Brand HONDA (50-state compliant), Pump Type AAA Triplex Pump; the page shows no price, only retailer links. (accessed October 13, 2026)
- PressureTek: Pressure Washers · On October 13, 2026: "BE 4,000 PSI - 4.0 GPM Gas Pressure Washer with Honda GX390 Engine and Direct Drive Comet Triplex Pump" $1,690.00; the same with a General triplex pump $1,698.00 (out of stock); "4,000 PSI - 4.0 GPM Gas Pressure Washer with Honda GX390 Engine and General Triplex Pump" $2,109.00; "Pressure Pro Belt Driven 5.5 GPM @ 2500 PSI General Pump" $2,510.41; "Pressure Pro Belt Driven 8 GPM @ 3500 PSI" $5,295.00. (accessed October 13, 2026)
- PressureTek: Surface Cleaners · On October 13, 2026: 20" Whirl-A-Way Surface Cleaner $528.00; 16" Whirl-A-Way Surface Cleaner Floater $569.00; 20" Stainless Steel Whirl-A-Way Surface Cleaner $767.00; 24" Stainless Steel Whirl-A-Way Surface Cleaner $824.00; Whisper Wash Ultra Clean 2 Nozzle Hydro-Flow Bar $899.07; Whisper Wash Classic Surface Cleaner w/2 Nozzle Hydro-Flow Bar $1,096.86. (accessed October 13, 2026)
- PressureTek: High Pressure Hose · On October 13, 2026: HPC Gladiator 4500 PSI Pressure Washer Hose, Gray, starting at $75.32 (its product page lists 50' and 100' options, 3/8 inch inner diameter, the 50' option first); Suttner 4000 PSI Gray $82.18; KobraJet 4000 PSI Gray $83.85; Suttner 4000 PSI Blue $87.81; KobraJet 4000 PSI Blue starting at $103.32 (50' and 100' options); HPC 6000 PSI Gray $97.24; Suttner 6000 PSI Gray $115.62. (accessed October 13, 2026)
- PressureTek: Downstream Injectors and Kits · On October 13, 2026: GP Hi-Draw Chemical Injector $18.36; GP High Draw Injector Kit $29.63; Down Stream Nozzle Kit $45.88; M5 X-Jet Nozzle $151.20. (accessed October 13, 2026)
- PressureTek: Cleaning Chemicals · On October 13, 2026: Simple Cherry House Wash / Multi Purpose Cleaner $11.25 (its product page offers a 32 OZ Canister or a 4 Pack); Elemonator Liquid House Wash (Surfactant) starting at $20.04 (Half Gallon, 1 Gallon, 4 Pack of 1 Gallons, 5 Gallon; "Just one ounce per gallon of water is required when used in downstreaming"); Cling-On with Apple Scent starting at $21.87 (same sizes; "Just 1 ounce per mix gallon is enough"). The worksheet treats the starting price as the half gallon, 64 oz. (accessed October 13, 2026)
- Home Depot: HDX Chlorinating Liquid (1-Gal) · $6.98 for the 1 gallon jug ("Contains 128 oz.", 5 cents an ounce) at the Williston, VT store on October 13, 2026, shown as Out of Stock there that day. The listing gives no available chlorine percentage; the strength is on the label. (accessed October 13, 2026)
- Insureon: How much does pressure washing insurance cost? · "Pressure washing companies pay an average of $73 per month, or $879 annually, for general liability insurance" with limits of $1 million per occurrence, $2 million aggregate and a $500 deductible; workers' compensation $147 per month or $1,761 annually; commercial auto $262 per month or $3,143 annually; business owner's policy $142 per month or $1,699 annually with a $1,000 deductible; commercial umbrella $76 per month or $906 annually; figures are the median cost of policies for pressure washing business owners who apply through Insureon; updated September 8, 2026. (accessed October 13, 2026)
- IRS: Get an employer identification number · "Use this tool to get an EIN directly from the IRS in minutes for free."; "Beware of websites that charge for an EIN. You never have to pay a fee for an EIN."; an approved online application is issued its EIN immediately; page last reviewed or updated August 19, 2026. (accessed October 13, 2026)
- US Energy Information Administration: Gasoline and Diesel Fuel Update · U.S. regular gasoline retail price of 4.354 dollars per gallon for the week of October 5, 2026. (accessed October 13, 2026)