How much does it cost to pressure wash a driveway?
Updated
Short answer
Pressure washing the driveway and walks yourself costs $0 to $100, which is a day's washer rental or nothing if you own one, and takes 60 to 120 minutes. A service charges $100 to $300 for a driveway and the walks. It's once a year, and the DIY version is one of the more satisfying jobs in home maintenance, so the only reason to hire it is time or a very large driveway.
Cost breakdown
| Item | DIY | Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $0 to $100 | included |
| Tools you may need to buy | none | included |
| Labor | your time | $100 to $300 |
| Total | $0 to $100 | $100 to $300 |
The DIY column is the rental, and a concrete cleaner if the driveway has oil stains. The pro column is a crew with a commercial washer and a surface cleaner, which is a spinning attachment that cleans a wide path evenly and leaves no stripes.
What drives the cost
- The area. Services price by the square foot, so a long or double-wide driveway costs more, and the walks and a patio add to it.
- The surface. Plain concrete is the low end. Pavers, which need care to avoid blowing out the sand joints, and stamped or sealed concrete take more time.
- Stains. Oil, rust and tire marks need a degreaser or a stain remover and a second pass, and a service charges for the treatment.
- Sealing. A driveway washed before sealing is often quoted as a package with the sealing, which is cheaper than separate visits.
- Bundling. A service already at the house for the siding often adds the driveway for less than a separate call.
DIY vs. pro
Do this one yourself: how often to pressure wash a driveway is once a year, and a rented washer with a surface cleaner attachment does a driveway in an hour without the stripes a wand leaves. Pretreat the oil spots with a degreaser, and keep the wand tip well off the surface on pavers so the sand stays in the joints.
The $100 to $300 service makes sense for a very large driveway, for a paver drive that needs the joints re-sanded afterward, or as part of a package with the house wash and sealing. A crew with a hot-water washer also lifts oil stains that a rental can't.
FAQ
How much does it cost to pressure wash a driveway?
$100 to $300 for a driveway and the walks, depending on the area and the surface, and more with stain treatment.
Can I pressure wash my own driveway?
Yes, with a rented or owned washer and a surface cleaner attachment. It takes 60 to 120 minutes and the rental is $0 to $100.
What's a surface cleaner and do I need one?
A spinning attachment that cleans a wide path evenly. A plain wand works but leaves stripes, so rent the surface cleaner with the washer.
Should I seal the driveway after pressure washing?
Concrete and asphalt both benefit from sealing on their own schedule, and a freshly washed, fully dried driveway is the time to do it.