Charging for pressure washing in Canada usually means a per-job price for a driveway, deck, or patio, built from timed hours and converted to a per-square-foot figure once you have measured a few jobs, with a minimum charge for small surfaces. The closest public benchmark is Job Bank’s wage data for building exterior cleaners: $15.50 (low), $19.23 (median), and $27.00 (high) an hour nationally for employees. A self-employed washer prices well above that because setup, travel, fuel, chemicals, machine wear, and both halves of CPP come out of the same rate. This guide suits someone who will measure and time surfaces before quoting.
How to start is in the pressure washing side hustle guide. The machine, surface cleaner, and insurance are in pressure washing startup costs. Turning a price into a first job is in your first pressure washing client. More outdoor work sits in the local services hub.
What do exterior cleaners earn per hour in Canada?
Employed building exterior cleaners in Canada earn a median of $19.23 an hour, according to Job Bank’s building exterior cleaner wage page (NOC 65311, reference period 2023–2024, updated November 19, 2025). Those are employee wages at companies that own the equipment. A self-employed washer carries the machine, the fuel, and the setup time.
| Area (Job Bank, building exterior cleaner) | Low | Median | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canada | $15.50 | $19.23 | $27.00 |
| Ontario | $17.95 | $19.25 | $25.00 |
| British Columbia | $18.25 | $20.00 | $30.00 |
| Alberta | $16.00 | $20.00 | $30.00 |
| Quebec | $16.67 | $21.00 | $26.00 |
There is no separate Job Bank title for “pressure washer” in residential work; the exterior cleaner row is the closest public benchmark we found. This guide does not publish an average per-square-foot price because no public Canadian survey we could verify collects one.
Which pricing models work for pressure washing in Canada?
Pressure washing in Canada is usually priced per job for common surfaces, per square foot once you know your speed, with a minimum charge, and with sealing or stain as separate quotes.
| Model | How it works | Works well for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Per job | One price for “double driveway” or “12 × 16 deck” | Common residential surfaces | Heavy staining or moss that doubles the time |
| Per square foot | Measured area × your rate | Larger or irregular surfaces | Quoting a rate you have not proven on real jobs |
| Minimum charge | Lowest price for any visit | Small steps, walkways | Losing money on setup |
| Bundle | Driveway + walkway + steps at one price | Raising the ticket on one visit | Discounting more than the saved setup time |
| Separate quote | Sealing, staining, siding, roofs | Specialized or riskier work | Selling work you have not trained for |
Soft-wash siding and roofs are different services with different risks. Keep them off your sheet until you have training and insurance that covers them.
How do you calculate a pressure washing rate in Canada?
Calculate a pressure washing rate in Canada from a target hourly pay, the share of time lost to setup and travel, timed minutes per surface, and per-job fuel, chemicals, and machine wear. Then convert to per square foot from your own measured jobs.
Step 1: Set a target hourly pay
Read the Job Bank row as a floor. Equipment-heavy work usually needs a higher self-employed rate than the employee median.
Step 2: Count setup and travel
Unloading, connecting water, testing a patch, rinsing, and loading again can take a large share of a short job.
Step 3: Time a surface
Time a measured driveway or deck from first spray to final rinse. Divide the area by the minutes to get your speed.
Step 4: Add fuel, chemicals, and wear
Gas for the machine and vehicle, detergent, nozzles, and hose wear. The machine itself is a startup cost.
Step 5: Hold back tax and CPP
Self-employed people pay both CPP shares; see CPP contributions and the tax set-aside guide.
Illustrative example
This is a teaching sketch with assumed numbers, not a quote, average, or survey. Suppose your target is $30 an hour, above Job Bank’s national high of $27.00 because you own the equipment. Suppose 65% of your working time is billable once setup and travel are counted. The billable rate is $30 ÷ 0.65 = $46.15 an hour.
Suppose a 600-square-foot double driveway takes 2 hours including setup. Labour is 2 × $46.15 = $92.31. Add an assumed $15 of fuel, detergent, and wear: $107.31, which you might round to $110 before tax. That works out to $110 ÷ 600 = about $0.18 per square foot for this surface at this speed.
A 192-square-foot deck (12 × 16 feet) that takes 1.5 hours with careful wood settings is 1.5 × $46.15 + $15 = $84.23. At $0.18 per square foot it would be $34.56, far too low. Per-square-foot rates only transfer between similar surfaces, so keep separate rates for concrete and wood.
What does a sample pressure washing price sheet look like in Canada?
A pressure washing price sheet in Canada lists common surfaces, a minimum, and what needs a separate quote. The table is an illustrative example built on the $46.15 billable rate and assumed timings, not a market average.
| Service (illustrative) | Assumed time | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum visit (steps, small walkway) | 1.25 h | $75 |
| Single driveway, about 300 sq ft | 1.25 h | $75 |
| Double driveway, about 600 sq ft | 2 h | $110 |
| Deck, about 12 × 16 ft (wood) | 1.5 h | $85 |
| Patio, about 200 sq ft (pavers) | 1.5 h | $85 |
| Driveway + walkway + steps bundle | 2.5 h | $130 |
| Sealing, staining, siding, roofs | — | separate quote |
Rows add an assumed $15 of fuel and wear to labour and round. Write “before tax” if you are not registered for GST/HST, and that water is supplied by the client if that is your setup.
When should you raise pressure washing prices in Canada?
Raise pressure washing prices in Canada at the start of the season, when fuel and detergent costs rise, or when your calendar fills weeks ahead in spring. Peak spring demand is the time to hold prices, not discount.
Track minutes per square foot by surface type. If decks consistently run longer than priced, raise decks, not everything.
What pressure washing pricing mistakes are common in Canada?
Common pressure washing pricing mistakes in Canada are using one per-square-foot rate for every surface, skipping a minimum, and quoting from a photo without asking about stains. Each turns a short job into an unpaid afternoon.
Ask about oil stains, moss, and rust. Test a patch before quoting heavy staining. Check your city’s rules on where wash water may drain; the side hustle guide covers that. Do not quote siding or roofs from a driveway price.
How do GST/HST and income tax affect pressure washing prices in Canada?
Pressure washing income in Canada is self-employment income reported on Form T2125. GST/HST registration becomes required after you pass the $30,000 small-supplier threshold in a calendar quarter or over four consecutive quarters, counting all your taxable side hustles.
When registered, use the rate for the province where you work from the CRA’s charge and collect page. The GST/HST registration guide covers input tax credits on the machine and supplies.
Quotes for decks and driveways are easier to send from an estimates tool. FreshBooks TODO-AFFILIATE can turn a written estimate into an invoice after the job.
This is not tax, legal, or insurance advice.
Which guides sit next to pressure washing pricing in Canada?
Pressure washing pricing in Canada sits beside car detailing pricing, lawn care pricing on the same properties, and snow removal pricing for winter driveways.
What are the common questions?
How much should I charge for pressure washing in Canada?
There is no official rate. Job Bank lists employed building exterior cleaners at a national median of $19.23 an hour, and a self-employed washer who owns the equipment needs a much higher billable rate. Time and measure real surfaces, add fuel and wear, and compare with local listings.
Should I charge per square foot for pressure washing?
Only after you have timed several jobs on the same surface type. Concrete and wood take different time per square foot, so keep separate rates and a minimum charge.
What minimum should a pressure washing job have?
Enough to cover setup, travel, fuel, and the shortest job you will accept. In this guide's illustrative sheet the minimum was set from 1.25 hours at the billable rate plus fuel and wear.
Do I charge GST/HST on pressure washing in Canada?
Only once registered. Registration is required after more than $30,000 of taxable supplies in a calendar quarter or over four consecutive quarters, across all side hustles. This is not tax advice.
Should I offer deck sealing or roof washing?
Only with training and insurance that covers them. Quote them separately; they are different services with different risks.
Which sources support this guide?
The rules, rates, and platform requirements in this guide are checked against these primary sources. Retail price ranges are labelled as ranges to verify locally, and they are not quotes.
- Building Exterior Cleaner in Canada: Wages — Government of Canada, Job Bank
- When to register for and start charging the GST/HST — Canada Revenue Agency
- Charge and collect the GST/HST — Canada Revenue Agency
- Form T2125, Statement of Business or Professional Activities — Canada Revenue Agency
- Contributions to the Canada Pension Plan — Government of Canada