"Just give me a ballpark." I hear that on almost every call, and I get why. Nobody wants to sit through a sales pitch to learn a number. So here's the number, up front, no walk-through required first.
A full spring package (house wash plus driveway) runs $400 to $700 for most South Jersey homes. A house wash alone runs $325 to $650. Driveway and walkway cleaning starts lower, usually $150 to $350 depending on square footage and how bad the oil staining is. Those are real ranges from real jobs in Cherry Hill, Moorestown, Mt Laurel, and Voorhees, not a number pulled to look good on a page.
Why the spread? Because pressure washing pricing isn't one-size-fits-all, and any company that quotes you a flat number sight unseen is guessing. Here's what actually moves the price.
What drives the cost up or down
Square footage. This is the obvious one. A 1,800 square foot colonial and a 4,000 square foot center-hall both get soft-washed the same way, but one takes twice as long. More surface, more time, more cost.
How dirty it actually is. A house that gets washed every year costs less than one that hasn't been touched in five. Algae colonies that have had five winters to establish need more dwell time and sometimes a second pass. I see this constantly on homes near wooded lots close to the Pinelands, where shade keeps siding damp longer.
Story count and access. A single-story ranch is faster to reach than a three-story colonial with a steep roofline. Ladders, extension wands, and extra care around second-floor windows all add time.
What's actually included. A cheap quote that only covers the front-facing siding isn't the same job as one that covers all four sides, trim, soffit, and gutter exteriors. Compare what's in the number, not just the number.
Add-on services. Gutter cleaning, paver sealing, and rust removal are priced separately from a house wash because they're genuinely different work with different equipment and chemistry. Bundling them into one visit usually saves you a second trip charge, which is worth asking about.
Service · learn moreHouse WashingSoft-wash chemistry, not a pressure blast. Siding, trim, soffit, and gutter exteriors in one visit.See the page →
Why the cheapest quote isn't actually the cheapest
I've walked up to houses where the "$150 for the whole house" guy left streaks at every wand pass and skipped the trim entirely. Six months later that homeowner calls me, and now they're paying for two jobs instead of one. Same thing happens with concrete cleaning. A wand alone leaves visible pass marks on a driveway. A surface cleaner attachment gives an even result, but it costs more because the equipment and the technique both cost more.
The real risk with the rock-bottom quote isn't a bad-looking wash. It's high pressure aimed at vinyl siding, which can force water behind the lap joints and grow mold inside the wall where you can't see it until it's a contractor problem. A quote that seems too good to be checked usually skipped a step that mattered.
What a typical South Jersey job breaks down to
Here's roughly where the numbers land for the jobs I run most often:
- House wash only: $325 to $650, depending on size and siding condition
- Full spring package (house wash plus driveway): $400 to $700
- Driveway or walkway only: $150 to $350
- Gutter cleaning (interior debris removal): priced separately, usually bundled with a house wash for one trip
- Paver patio, clean and reseal: varies by square footage, done right it lasts 3 to 5 years and stops joint sand from washing out
- Deck restoration: wood condition drives this one more than square footage since older or weathered decks need more prep before the brightener goes on
None of these are the number I'd give without seeing the property. Aerial photos undersell algae buildup and overhead shots hide oil stains. That's why I do a free 15-minute walk-through instead of a phone quote. I look at every surface, and you get a firm number before I leave, not an estimate that changes once I show up with equipment.
Why I price it this way
Fifteen years on the trucks taught me that a fair price protects the customer as much as it protects me. Underprice a job and something gets rushed, usually the parts you can't see from the driveway, like landscaping protection or a second pass on stubborn algae. I've never had a damage claim in fifteen years, and the pricing is part of why. I take the time the job actually needs, and the number reflects that.
Reviews matter here too. I'm sitting at 5.0 stars on 17 Google reviews, and every one of those came from a job priced honestly at the walk-through, not padded after the fact. That's the same reason customers in Merchantville, Cinnaminson, and Maple Shade call me back the next season instead of shopping around again.
Get a real number
Skip the guessing. I'll walk your property, look at every surface that needs attention, and give you a firm quote on the spot, free, no obligation. Most South Jersey homeowners hear back with a number the same day. Get a free estimate or call (267) 235-1885.
