Soft wash vs pressure wash
House washing typically uses soft-wash techniques — low pressure with chemical solutions — rather than high-pressure blasting that can damage paint, mortar, and cladding. Understanding the difference is important for both your method and your marketing. Position yourself as a soft-wash specialist who protects the home while cleaning it. This justifies premium pricing compared to a general pressure washer.
Pricing house wash jobs
Australian house washing is typically priced per square metre of exterior wall or as a flat rate per property size. Small single-storey homes: $250-400. Large two-storey: $400-800. Add-ons like driveway, paths, and roof can increase the total to $800-1,500 per property. Always inspect or request photos before quoting — the type of cladding, amount of mould, and access difficulty all affect the price.
Before-and-after photos are essential
House washing produces some of the most dramatic before-and-after transformations in the service industry. A green, mould-covered rendered wall turned bright white is incredibly compelling. Photograph every job from the same angle, wide enough to show the full wall. Post on social media with the suburb tagged. These posts consistently generate enquiries from neighbours and drive word-of-mouth referrals.
Building geographic routes
Like pressure washing, house washing jobs are spread across suburbs. Group jobs by area and plan routes to minimise drive time. When you finish a job in a street, leave a flyer or card at the neighbouring houses — a freshly cleaned house next to dirty ones is the best advertisement. Some house washers report that 25-30% of their new work comes from neighbours who saw the transformation in person.
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