Free calculator
Pressure washing job calculator
Turn square footage and your machine's flow into a job time, the water you'll use, and a price that covers your costs.
How the math works
- Spraying time = area ÷ (GPM × square feet per hour per GPM). More flow, faster rinse: that's the assumption, and it's a simplification.
- Time on site = spraying time + setup. Billed time adds the drive.
- Water used = GPM × spraying minutes. Handy if you work from a tank.
- Cost = billed hours × (crew × labor rate + overhead per crew hour) + chemicals for the area.
- Price = cost ÷ (1 − margin), or your minimum charge if that's higher.
The square-feet-per-hour-per-GPM values (250 flatwork, 400 soft wash, 100 wand work) are our own round starting assumptions, not measurements or industry data. Real speed depends on the surface, how dirty it is, your surface cleaner and your nozzles. Time your first few jobs and put your own number in. Other starting values are placeholders, not market rates.
Choosing a machine? Compare flow and pressure in our spec table, or price the whole setup on the startup costs page.