Pressure washing
Concrete Pressure Washing Cost Calculator
Prices concrete cleaning, where the stain type decides the chemistry.
Result
A planning estimate, not a quote. Access, the age of the equipment, what is found once it is opened up and local labour rates all move the real figure, sometimes a long way.
Get a Free Business AuditHow the calculation works
Hours times crew times rate, plus chemicals and the call-out, by area. Concrete takes high pressure well, so the productive method is a surface cleaner for the field and a wand for edges and detail. What makes one concrete job different from another is what is on it, because the pre-treatment differs entirely: organic growth responds to a hypochlorite solution, oil and grease need a degreaser, rust needs an acidic or oxalic treatment, and tannin from leaves and mulch needs its own approach.
What moves the number
- Stain type, which determines the chemical rather than the pressure.
- Age and porosity of the concrete, since older porous slabs hold stains deeper.
- Whether the finish is broom, exposed aggregate or stamped and sealed.
- Whether efflorescence is present, which is not dirt and will not wash off.
Where this one goes wrong
Efflorescence is not a cleaning problem. The white powdery bloom on concrete and masonry is salt brought to the surface by moisture moving through, and washing removes the visible deposit while the moisture keeps bringing more. Identifying it and explaining the cause is more useful than selling repeated washes. On sealed or stamped decorative concrete, be careful: high pressure damages the sealer and can lift the colour, so those need lower pressure and often resealing afterwards, which belongs in the conversation before the machine starts.
Before you quote
- Identify the stain type and pre-treat accordingly rather than relying on pressure.
- Distinguish efflorescence from dirt and explain it.
- Reduce pressure on sealed, stamped or decorative concrete.
Where the rules come from
Questions
About this calculator
What is the white powder on my concrete?
Usually efflorescence, which is salt carried to the surface by moisture moving through the slab or masonry. Washing removes what is visible and the moisture brings more, so it recurs. Addressing the moisture is the real fix; repeated cleaning only treats the symptom.
Do different stains need different treatment?
Yes, and that matters more than pressure. Organic growth responds to a hypochlorite solution, oil and grease need a degreaser, rust needs an acidic or oxalic treatment, and leaf tannin needs its own. Using the wrong chemistry means the stain stays whatever pressure is applied.
Can stamped or sealed concrete be pressure washed?
At much lower pressure. High pressure damages the sealer and can lift colour from decorative concrete, leaving a worse appearance than before. Those surfaces need a gentler approach and frequently resealing afterwards, which should be agreed before work starts.
The formula
total = hours x people x rate + parts + call-out, then sales tax
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How to use this calculator
- Hours on site (h). Enter your own figure; the page starts at 3 h.
- People needed. Enter your own figure; the page starts at 1.
- Labour rate charged ($). Enter your own figure; the page starts at $95.
- Parts and materials ($). Enter your own figure; the page starts at $35.
- Call-out or diagnostic fee ($). Enter your own figure; the page starts at $95.
- Sales tax (%). Leave at zero if you are quoting before tax.
The result updates as you type, so you can try a figure, see what it does to estimated total, and change it back. Nothing you enter is sent anywhere or saved.
A worked example
These are the figures the calculator opens with. Every number in the results column below is produced by the same calculation the page runs, so you can follow it through before putting your own figures in.
What goes in
| Input | Value |
|---|---|
| Hours on site | 3 h |
| People needed | 1 |
| Labour rate charged | $95 |
| Parts and materials | $35 |
| Call-out or diagnostic fee | $95 |
| Sales tax | 0% |
What comes out
| Result | Value |
|---|---|
| Estimated total main result | $415 |
| Labour | $285 |
| Before tax | $415 |
| Sales tax | $0 |
About $415: $285 of labour, $35 of parts and a $95 call-out.
How sensitive the answer is
Holding everything else steady and changing only labour rate charged, this is what happens to estimated total. It is worth knowing which of your inputs the answer actually hinges on, and which barely move it.
| Labour rate charged ($) | Estimated total |
|---|---|
| $48 | $274 |
| $71 | $343 |
| $95 example above | $415 |
| $143 | $559 |
| $190 | $700 |
Every other input is held at the example value while this one changes, which is not how a real job behaves. Treat it as a guide to which number matters most, not as five separate quotes.
What each figure means
- Hours on site (h)
- Measured in h, between 0 and 400, starting at 3 h.
- People needed
- A number, between 0 and 40, starting at 1.
- Labour rate charged ($)
- A money amount, starting at $95.
- Parts and materials ($)
- A money amount, starting at $35.
- Call-out or diagnostic fee ($)
- A money amount, starting at $95.
- Sales tax (%)
- Leave at zero if you are quoting before tax.
What the results tell you
| Result | What it is |
|---|---|
| Estimated total | The headline result. A money figure. |
| Labour | A money figure. |
| Before tax | A money figure. |
| Sales tax | A money figure. |
Estimating is the easy part
The jobs you never hear about cost more than the ones you mis-measure. BDEVY builds the marketing, systems and automation that bring them in.