Commercial pressure washing can be a great opportunity for your business. You’redealing with larger properties, bigger jobs, and — if you do a good job — the potential for recurring work. But commercial work is different from residential work. You can’t just drive by a property, throw out a number, and hope you make enough money. You need to understand the scope of the job, your production rate, your costs, and what the customer expects. SO, let’s tal about How to Quote Commercial Pressure Washing Jobs.
The goal isn’t to be the cheapest company bidding on the job.The goal is to submit a professional quote that makes money for your business and gives the customer a reason to choose you.
Here’s how I recommend quoting commercial pressure washing jobs.
- Know What the Customer Wants
Before you put a price on anything, understand exactly what the customer wants cleaned. “Pressure wash the building” isn’t a complete scope of work. It doesn’t tell you if they are looking for:
- Building washing
- Sidewalk cleaning
- Parking lot cleaning
- Dumpster pad cleaning
- Drive-thru cleaning
- Storefront cleaning
- Roof cleaning
- Fleet washing
- Loading dock cleaning
- Recurring maintenance
Ask questions. Find out what areas they want cleaned, how often they want the workdone, and whether there are specific problem areas.The more you understand before you quote the job, the fewer surprises you’ll have later.
2. Walk the Property
Whenever possible, inspect the property before you give a commercial pressurewashing estimate.
Look at:
- Square footage
- Surface types and conditions
- Heavy stains or organic growth
- Building height
- Water access
- Drainage
- Landscaping
- Customer traffic
- Access for your equipment
- Safety concerns
- Any special equipment you may need
The property can look pretty straightforward from the parking lot, but once you start walking it, you may discover that the job is much more involved. Your quote needs to be based on the job you’re actually going to perform — not the job you think you’re going to perform.
3. Know Your Production Rate
One of the most important numbers in your business is your production rate.
- How many square feet of concrete can you realistically clean in an hour?
- How much building can you wash?
- How long do setup and teardown take?
- How much time do you spend moving equipment around a large property?
Your production rate will depend on your equipment, process, crew, and the condition of the surfaces you’re cleaning. Don’t use somebody else’s production rate. Know yours. Once you understand how much work you can produce in an hour, you can estimate how long the project will take and build a much more accurate price.
4. Know What It Costs You
This is where you must stop guessing. Before you quote commercial pressure washing, know what it costs to operate your business. Consider:
- Labor
- Fuel
- Chemicals
- Water
- Equipment maintenance
- Insurance
- Vehicle expenses
- Repairs
- Overhead
- Travel time
- Setup and teardown
Your price needs to cover those costs and leave you with a profit. And remember, your costs are changing. Insurance, fuel, labor, equipment, and other expenses don’t stay the same forever. If you don’t know your numbers, it’s almost impossible to know if you’re actually making money.
5. Build a Professional Quote
Commercial customers expect professionalism. Your quote should clearly explain what you’re going to do and what they’re paying for.
Include: Scope of Work. Be specific about the services you’re providing. Instead of simply saying “pressure wash building,” explain what areas will be cleaned and what cleaning method will be used.
Areas Included Identify the specific areas included in the price, such as sidewalks, entrances, building exteriors, dumpster pads, or loading docks. This helps eliminate the dreaded, “I thought that was included.”
Price – Make your price easy to understand. If you’re providing several services, consider breaking them out individually.
Schedule – Let the customer know when you expect to complete the work. Commercial properties may require you to work around employees, customers, deliveries, or business hours.
Terms – Clearly communicate anything the customer needs to know before accepting the job. The better you communicate upfront, the fewer problems you’ll have later.
6. Look for Recurring Commercial Work
One of the biggest advantages of commercial pressure washing is the opportunity for recurring work. A commercial property doesn’t get dirty once. Restaurants, retail centers, property management companies, HOAs, and other. Businesses often need regular cleaning and maintenance. When you’re quoting a commercial job, don’t just think about the job in front of you.
Think about the relationship:
- Could this become monthly, quarterly, or annual work?
- Could the customer have other properties that need service?
- One good commercial customer can turn into a lot more than one job.
7. Don’t Compete on Price Alone
You’re going to lose some bids. That’s part of being in business. You may submit a professional quote and discover another company came in $500 cheaper. Don’t automatically lower your price. Instead, ask yourself:
- Did I clearly communicate the value of my service?
- Showing up when you say you will matters.
- Being properly insured matters.
- Communicating with the property manager matters.
- Doing quality work matters.
- Making the customers life easier matters.
There are plenty of companies that can pressure wash. Your job is to show the customer why your company is the better value.
How Project 2 Payment Can Help With Commercial
Pressure Washing Quotes – Once you start taking on more commercial work, you’re going to have more estimates,customers, projects, invoices, and payments to keep track of. That’s where having the right software can make your life easier. Project 2 Payment helps pressure washing businesses manage estimates, projects, invoices, and payments in one place.
Create Professional Estimates – You can create and send professional estimates from your computer or mobile device, so you don’t have to wait until you’re back in the office to send a quote. Customers can review and approve estimates online, helping you keep the process moving.
Use Your Item Library – If you regularly quote services like concrete cleaning, building washing, dumpster pad cleaning, or fleet washing, you don’t have to start from scratch every time. Project 2 Payments Item Library lets you save commonly used services and pricing so you can build estimates faster and more consistently.
Keep Your Projects Organized – Commercial jobs can involve a lot of moving parts. With Project 2 Payment, you can keep your customer, project, estimate, invoice, and payment information organized in one system.
Get Paid Faster – Once the work is completed, you can turn the project into an invoice and give your customer an easy way to pay. You can also use invoice reminders to follow up on outstanding payments. The faster you get the invoice out, the faster you have a chance to get paid.
Work From the Field – You’re a pressure washing contractor, not an office worker. With a mobile-friendly system like Project 2 Payment, you can keep your quoting and customer management moving while you’re out in the field. That means you can walk a commercial property, put together your estimate, and keep the sales process moving without waiting until you’re back at the office.
Quote It So You Can Profit From It – Commercial pressure washing can be a great way to grow your business, but you’ve got to know your numbers.
- Know the job.
- Know your production rate.
- Know your costs.
- Know your value.
- And make sure your quote reflects all of it.
If you’re looking for a simple way to manage your estimates, projects, invoices, and payments, check out Project 2 Payment and see how it can help you spend less time on paperwork and more time growing your pressure washing business. Get Doug Rucker’s exclusive Project 2 Payment offer.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you quote a commercial pressure washing job? Inspect the property, define the scope of work, determine your production rate, calculate your costs, account for job-specific challenges, and add enough profit to make the jobworthwhile.
Should commercial pressure washing be priced by the square foot? Square-foot pricing can work for some services, but it shouldn’t be the only factor. Your production rate, labor, equipment, surface condition, overhead, and job requirements all affect your price.
What should a commercial pressure washing quote include? A professional quote should include the scope of work, areas being cleaned, services included, pricing, schedule, and applicable terms and conditions.
How can software help with commercial pressure washingestimates? Pressure washing software can help you create professional estimates, organize customer and project information, send invoices, and collect payments. Project 2 Payment combines these tools on one platform.
If you starting a pressure washing business and are looking for more information on How to Quote Commercial Pressure Washing Jobs, hands on training, or online training, be sure to contact me using the CONTACT FORM.
We provide Start Up Washing companies with the training, mentoring, and products to help you become successful. Take and use my 30 years of experience in the Power Washing Industry and use it to your advantage. 
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