How to Choose the Right Pressure-Washing Company
You've decided you don't want to pressure wash your home yourself.
Now you have another decision to make:
Who should you hire?
A quick search may give you dozens of choices.
Some companies may have professional trucks and large crews. Others may be one person with a pressure washer.
Prices can also be very different.
So how do you know who will take care of your home?
Don't choose based on price alone.
Perfectly Clean™ Rule
Don't just ask what a company charges. Ask how they will care for your property.
Here are the questions every homeowner should consider before hiring an exterior-cleaning company.
Question #1: Are You Insured?
Start here.
Pressure washing involves:
Water
Chemicals
Powerful equipment
Windows
Siding
Concrete
Landscaping
Electrical components
Sometimes working at height
Things can go wrong.
A professional company should carry appropriate insurance for the work it performs.
Don't feel uncomfortable asking.
Your home may be one of the largest investments you'll ever make.
It's reasonable to know who you're allowing to work on it.
Question #2: How Will You Clean My House?
This is one of my favorite questions.
Don't ask only:
“How much does it cost?”
Ask:
“How are you actually going to clean it?”
Listen to the answer.
For a normal house wash, you should hear an explanation about things such as:
Low-pressure or soft-wash cleaning
Cleaning solution
Protecting plants
Rinsing
Windows
Gutters and soffits
Property inspection
Be cautious if the entire explanation is basically:
“We have a really powerful pressure washer.”
A powerful machine isn't a cleaning process.
Question #3: Will You Use High Pressure on My Siding?
By Chapter 14, you already know why this matters.
Vinyl siding and other delicate exterior surfaces generally should not be treated like concrete.
At Pro Wash Pressure Washing, our normal house-washing process uses a downstream soft-wash application and low-pressure M5 Twist tip rather than high-pressure tips on siding, soffits, or gutters.
A contractor should be able to explain why the cleaning method is appropriate for your particular surface.
Question #4: How Will You Protect My Plants?
This question tells you a lot.
If the answer is:
“They'll probably be fine.”
I'd want more information.
A professional company should have a plant-protection process.
At Pro Wash, vegetation is thoroughly watered before cleaning solution is applied, monitored and watered as needed during the dwell period, and rinsed again after each side is finished.
Remember:
BEFORE → DURING → AFTER
Ask the company what their process is.
Question #5: What Exactly Is Included?
This can prevent misunderstandings.
Suppose one company quotes $300.
Another quotes $400.
It may look like the first company is $100 cheaper.
But are they quoting the same work?
Ask whether the service includes things such as:
Siding
Exterior gutter faces
Soffits
Fascia
Trim
Areas around windows
Exterior doors
Porch areas
Also ask what is not included.
For example, removing stubborn gutter tiger stripes may be a separate specialty service from a normal house wash.
Window washing may also be different from simply rinsing the windows during a house wash.
Know what you're buying.
Question #6: What Happens If a Stain Doesn't Come Off?
This is a great test of knowledge.
Remember:
Not everything on a house is ordinary dirt or organic growth.
You could be looking at:
Oxidation
Rust
Oil
Gutter tiger stripes
Failed paint
Permanent staining
Surface damage
A knowledgeable exterior cleaner should understand that different problems require different solutions.
Be cautious if the answer to every stain is:
“We'll just hit it harder.”
Sometimes the correct answer is:
“That requires a different treatment.”
And sometimes the correct answer is:
“That may not come completely clean.”
A professional should be willing to tell you that.
Question #7: Do You Inspect the Property First?
Cleaning should not begin blindly.
Before starting, the contractor should look at the property.
At Pro Wash, technicians perform a full walkaround before starting the pressure washer. They look for existing damage, open windows, loose siding, electrical components, plants, furniture, and other concerns. Before photos are also taken.
Why?
Because every property is different.
A process should adapt to the house.
Question #8: What Do You Do Around Doorbells, Outlets, Windows & Doors?
These are small details that can create big problems.
Ask how the company handles:
Doorbell cameras • Electrical outlets • Windows • Doors • Screens • Exterior fixtures
At Pro Wash, sensitive electrical items such as doorbells and outlets are protected when necessary.
The surrounding areas still need cleaning.
The goal is to clean them carefully without forcing unnecessary water into sensitive areas.
Question #9: What Is Your Roof-Cleaning Process?
If you're hiring someone for roof cleaning, this question becomes especially important.
Ask:
“Are you going to use high pressure on my asphalt shingles?”
As we covered in Chapter 8, we recommend professional roof cleaning rather than DIY roof washing.
But simply hiring someone doesn't automatically mean the method is correct.
A professional should be able to explain:
The cleaning method
Why it is appropriate for the roof
How landscaping will be protected
How runoff will be managed
What results you should expect
What may take time to disappear
If someone plans to treat your shingles like a concrete driveway:
Keep asking questions.
Question #10: How Do You Clean Concrete?
Don't assume concrete doesn't require skill.
Ask whether the company uses a surface cleaner for larger flat areas.
Ask how they prevent lines and uneven cleaning.
Ask how they handle edges.
And ask about the age of your concrete.
At Pro Wash, we do not use high pressure on concrete less than three years old.
A contractor should consider the condition of the surface before deciding how aggressively to clean it.
Look at Their Reviews
Reviews can tell you a lot.
But don't only look at the star rating.
Read the reviews.
Look for repeated comments about:
Quality
Communication
Reliability
Professionalism
Property care
Results
Problem solving
One great review is nice.
A long history of customers describing similar positive experiences tells you much more.
Look at Their Actual Work
Before-and-after photos can also be useful.
Look for real examples of:
Houses
Driveways
Roofs
Decks
Fences
Commercial properties
But don't get distracted only by dramatic before-and-after pictures.
A professional company should also be able to explain how they achieved the result safely.
The process matters just as much as the picture.
Don't Automatically Choose the Cheapest Quote
Everybody wants a fair price.
You should.
But the lowest price isn't automatically the best value.
Imagine two companies.
Company A
Shows up, sprays the property, finishes quickly, and leaves.
Company B
Inspects the property, documents existing damage, moves loose items, protects electrical components, waters plants, cleans using the appropriate method, thoroughly rinses the windows, inspects each side, restores the property, and performs a final walkaround.
Those aren't necessarily the same service.
When comparing estimates:
Compare the process—not just the price.
Don't Automatically Choose the Most Expensive Either
Higher price doesn't automatically mean better quality.
A company still needs to earn your trust.
Ask questions.
Read reviews.
Look at their work.
Understand the service.
Then make your decision.
The goal isn't to find:
The cheapest company.
Or:
The most expensive company.
It's to find:
The company you trust to properly care for your property.
Communication Matters
Pay attention to the experience before the company even arrives.
Do they:
Respond professionally?
Explain the service?
Provide a clear estimate?
Tell you what is included?
Answer your questions?
Let you know when they're coming?
These things don't guarantee great cleaning.
But they can tell you a lot about how the company operates.
What Should Happen When the Job Is Finished?
The contractor shouldn't disappear the second the last section is rinsed.
There should be some type of final inspection.
At Pro Wash, technicians inspect each side after cleaning and then perform a final walkaround. The completed-job standard includes no missed areas, no chemical residue, properly rinsed windows, protected vegetation, and a uniformly clean appearance.
If the customer is home, the customer should also have an opportunity to look at the completed work before the job is marked complete.
That's important.
You should be happy with the result before the truck leaves.
10 Questions to Ask Before Hiring
You can screenshot this section.
1. Are you insured?
2. How will you clean my house?
3. Will you use high pressure on my siding?
4. How will you protect my plants?
5. What exactly is included in my quote?
6. What happens if a stain doesn't come off?
7. Do you inspect the property before starting?
8. How do you protect windows, doors, outlets, and cameras?
9. If you're cleaning my roof, what method will you use?
10. What happens if I'm unhappy with an area when you're finished?
A good contractor shouldn't be bothered by these questions.
They should appreciate an educated customer.
Red Flags to Watch For
Be cautious when a company:
✗ Cannot explain its cleaning process
✗ Wants to use aggressive pressure on every surface
✗ Has no plan for protecting landscaping
✗ Doesn't inspect the property
✗ Cannot clearly explain what's included
✗ Claims every stain will disappear
✗ Treats siding, wood, concrete, and roofing the same way
✗ Cannot answer basic questions about insurance or property protection
You don't need to become a pressure-washing expert.
You just need to know enough to ask good questions.
Why We Created Perfectly Clean™
There's something important we want you to understand.
Yes, Pro Wash Pressure Washing is a professional exterior-cleaning company.
Of course we'd be happy to earn your business.
But the purpose of the Perfectly Clean™ Guide is bigger than saying:
“Hire us.”
We want homeowners to understand what good exterior cleaning should look like.
Even if you hire someone else.
If this guide helps you ask better questions, avoid damaging your home, or choose a better contractor, it has done its job.
Because an educated homeowner is much harder to take advantage of.
The Perfectly Clean™ Principle
Don't hire someone just because they own a pressure washer. Hire someone who can explain how they will protect and clean your property from start to finish.