Pressure washing a house costs $200 to $600 for most homes in 2026, with the average job landing right around $400. Priced by area, expect $0.15 to $0.75 per square foot depending on the method and the siding. This guide covers whole house prices by home size and siding type, the difference between soft washing and pressure washing, honest DIY math, and what homeowners pay in five major cities.
| Price Level | Typical Cost | What It Covers |
| Low | $150 to $250 | Small single story home with vinyl siding |
| Average | $300 to $500 | Typical two story home |
| High | $600 to $1,000 | Large home, soft wash or heavy growth |
How Much Does House Pressure Washing Cost?
Most companies estimate from the size of the home, since floor area predicts how much exterior wall there is to wash. A standard visit covers all four sides of the house, including soffits, gutter exteriors, and trim, with detergent applied first and everything rinsed top to bottom. Here is how whole house prices break down by home size in 2026.
| Home Size | Typical Price | Time on Site |
| 1,000 to 1,500 square feet | $150 to $300 | 1 to 2 hours |
| 1,500 to 2,000 square feet | $225 to $400 | 2 to 3 hours |
| 2,000 to 2,500 square feet | $300 to $500 | 2 to 4 hours |
| 2,500 to 3,000 square feet | $375 to $600 | 3 to 5 hours |
| Over 3,000 square feet | $450 to $900 | 4 to 6 hours |
Siding material matters just as much as size, because it decides how much pressure the surface can take and how slowly the crew has to work. Fragile surfaces get washed at low pressure with stronger detergents, which takes longer and costs more.
| Siding Type | Typical Whole House Price | Notes |
| Vinyl | $200 to $450 | Durable, fastest to wash |
| Aluminum | $200 to $450 | Low pressure to avoid denting |
| Fiber cement | $225 to $500 | Handles standard methods well |
| Brick | $250 to $550 | Porous, soaks up detergent, extra rinsing |
| Wood | $250 to $550 | Soft wash only, easy to gouge |
| Stucco | $275 to $650 | Soft wash only, chips under high pressure |
To translate those rates yourself, remember that wall area is bigger than floor area. A 2,000 square foot two story home typically carries 1,800 to 2,500 square feet of washable exterior once you count all four sides and the gables. Multiply that by the per square foot rate for your siding and method and you will land within a few dollars of most professional offers.
Soft Wash vs Pressure Wash
These are two different services, and knowing which one your house needs explains most price differences between offers. Pressure washing uses high water pressure to blast dirt off hard surfaces. Soft washing uses low pressure, about the strength of a garden hose, and relies on detergents to kill mildew, algae, and mold at the root before rinsing them away. Soft washing costs more per square foot because of chemical costs and dwell time, but the results on organic growth last two to three times longer, and it is the only safe method for stucco, wood, painted surfaces, and roofs.
| Method | Typical Rate | Best For |
| Pressure washing | $0.15 to $0.40 per square foot | Vinyl, brick, fiber cement, concrete |
| Soft washing | $0.25 to $0.60 per square foot | Stucco, wood, painted siding, roofs |
| Combination visit | $0.20 to $0.75 per square foot | Soft wash walls plus pressure washed flatwork |
In humid markets most whole house jobs are really soft wash jobs, whatever the invoice calls them, because the green and black staining on siding is alive and comes back fast if it is only blasted off the surface.
House Pressure Washing Cost Factors
Height and Stories
A second story adds 30 to 50 percent to the price. Crews need extension wands, ladders, or telescoping poles, and everything moves slower when the work is 20 feet up. Three story homes and homes on steep lots often get priced on site for exactly this reason.
How Dirty the Siding Is
A house washed every year rinses clean quickly. A north wall that has grown green algae for five years needs stronger detergent, longer dwell time, and sometimes a second application, which can add $50 to $150. Heavy oxidation on vinyl and aluminum, the chalky film that rubs off on your hand, may need a separate treatment entirely.
Fragile and Painted Surfaces
Old paint, window screens, light fixtures, and landscaping all slow the work down. A careful crew masks fixtures, wets down plants before and after detergent, and dials the pressure way back near anything painted. That care costs a little more and is worth every dollar.
Water Access
Most crews run off your outdoor spigot, so a working spigot near the house is assumed in the price. Homes on wells with weak flow, or jobs where the crew has to tank in water, can add $50 to $100.
Extra Surfaces in the Same Visit
Bundling is where pressure washing prices get good, because the setup is already done. Adding the fence or the driveway to a house wash usually costs 30 to 50 percent less than booking either on its own. Our guides to the cost to pressure wash a fence and the cost to clean a driveway break down what those jobs run standalone, which makes it easy to spot a good bundle price.
DIY vs Hiring a Professional
The rental math looks friendly at first. A gas pressure washer rents for $40 to $100 a day, house wash detergent runs $20 to $40, and an electric machine can be bought outright for $150 to $300. Against a $300 to $500 professional visit, washing a small single story home yourself can genuinely save $200 or more, and for ground level vinyl with light dirt it is a reasonable weekend project.
The savings shrink fast on a real whole house job. Consumer machines put out a fraction of the flow of professional rigs, so the same house takes two to three times as long. Working from a ladder with a running pressure washer is genuinely dangerous, and the tool itself causes thousands of injuries a year. The CDC warns that pressure washer streams can cut skin badly enough to cause serious wounds and infections, and that electric shock is a real risk around outlets and fixtures.
The bigger financial risk is the house itself. Too much pressure strips paint, etches wood, shreds window screens, and drives water up behind siding where it soaks insulation and grows mold you cannot see. Hire a pro for anything two stories or taller, for stucco, wood, or painted siding, and for heavy organic growth that really needs a soft wash system and the right detergents.
House Pressure Washing Cost by City
Climate drives this market. Humid cities grow algae and mildew year round, which means more demand, more soft washing, and slightly higher prices. Here is what a typical whole house wash costs in five major cities.
| City | Typical Whole House Price | Why Prices Differ |
| Dallas | $250 to $500 | Drier air means lighter growth and strong competition |
| Houston | $275 to $550 | Gulf humidity feeds algae on every shaded wall |
| Miami | $300 to $600 | Year round mildew makes soft washing the default |
| Tampa | $275 to $575 | Humidity plus heavy pollen seasons keep crews busy |
| New Orleans | $300 to $600 | Deep shade, humidity and older wood siding add care and time |
Timing is worth a thought too. Washing the house before exterior painting is standard prep, and washing before listing a home for sale is the cheapest curb appeal upgrade there is. Regular washing also extends the life of paint and siding by removing the growth that holds moisture against the wall, so the visit tends to pay for itself in maintenance you avoid later.
How Booking Through House Fly Works
You tell House Fly what you need. You get a real, upfront price on the spot. You pick the day and time that works for you and book it. House Fly finds the right trusted local pro for the job and sends them out. House Fly handles everything from booking to completion while you relax. Payment is held until the work is finished, you can chat with your pro any time, and you can cancel for free.
House washing is one of dozens of home services you can book through House Fly, all with upfront pricing and no hidden fees.
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House Pressure Washing FAQ
How much does it cost to pressure wash a house?
Pressure washing a house costs $200 to $600 for most homes, with the average around $400. Priced by area, expect $0.15 to $0.40 per square foot for standard pressure washing and $0.25 to $0.60 for soft washing. Large homes, second stories, and heavy algae growth push prices toward $900.
What is the difference between soft washing and pressure washing?
Pressure washing uses high water pressure to blast dirt off durable surfaces like vinyl and brick. Soft washing uses low pressure and detergents to kill mildew, algae, and mold at the root, which keeps siding clean longer. Soft washing costs more but is the only safe method for stucco, wood, and painted surfaces.
How often should you pressure wash your house?
Once a year is the standard in humid climates like the Gulf Coast and Florida, where algae and mildew return quickly. In drier regions every 2 to 3 years is usually enough. Wash sooner if you see green or black streaks, since established growth costs more to remove and can stain siding permanently.
How long does it take to pressure wash a house?
A professional crew washes a typical home in 2 to 4 hours, including setup, detergent application, dwell time, and rinsing. Large homes and soft wash jobs run 4 to 6 hours. The same job with a consumer machine usually takes a full day or more, which is a big part of the DIY tradeoff.
