THE SHORT ANSWER
Write a pressure washing estimate by identifying surface types, measured areas, access and the cleaning result included. Separate stain treatment and sealing from standard cleaning, and avoid promising complete removal of every mark.
Use this fictional driveway and path cleaning in Oxford to plan the estimate. The agreed work is: Clean a measured 74.3 sq m concrete driveway and 18.6 sq m of concrete walkways. Include setup, surface protection, standard cleaning, a limited spot-treatment allowance and clean-up. No sealing or guarantee of complete stain removal. The matching pressure washing example and PDF shows the same inputs. These quantities and rates are teaching examples; use your own site measurements, product selections, supplier information and labour figures for a customer job.
1. Group surfaces by material and condition
A concrete driveway, painted surface and wood deck are not interchangeable scopes. This example includes concrete only. Record visible staining, damage and sensitive adjacent areas so the estimate reflects the actual property.
2. Measure the cleaning footprint
Break the job into rectangles or other measured areas and keep a clear takeoff. Separate driveways from walkways when their access or rates differ. State whether steps, curbs and edges are included rather than leaving them implied.
3. Explain treatment limits
Standard cleaning and specialist spot treatment should have distinct descriptions. Discuss realistic expectations for discoloration and pre-existing damage. The estimate is not a promise that every stain will disappear or that every surface is suitable for the same method.
4. Account for setup and site arrangements
Small jobs still require travel, setup and clean-up. Identify water-access assumptions and any site-specific runoff or protection requirements to resolve before work. Use an explicit setup line when it helps explain the quoted total.
Calculate the measured lines
The PDF uses 5 separate items. For example, Driveway cleaning is 74.3 sq m × £1.90 = £141.17; Path cleaning is 18.6 sq m × £2.20 = £40.92. Check that each unit describes the work being priced: area for a surface, metres for a run, and a count or defined lump sum for a discrete task. A material purchase allowance can differ from the installed quantity when product sizes, cuts or layout require it.
Adding the 5 rounded line amounts gives £306.09. The example PDF uses a 0% tax input and no markup; those settings do not determine how to price or treat an actual job. Do not copy the rates as a local price guide.
Check the scope before sending
- Identify surfaces and existing damage.
- Measure driveway and path areas.
- Confirm access and site arrangements.
- Separate spot treatment and sealing.
Outside the base scope: No sealing, painted or wood surfaces, hazardous-substance removal, restoration of damaged concrete or guaranteed complete stain removal.
Confirm the site address, selected products, access, quantities, customer details and validity date. If opening the work reveals a different condition, record the change and update the relevant line before asking the customer to approve the revised work. Preview every page of the PDF so the written scope, line amounts and total tell the same story.
Common questions
Should I include setup in a small cleaning estimate?
Account for it somewhere in the price. A separate, described setup line can make small-job pricing easier to understand.
Does pressure washing include sealing?
Only when explicitly scoped. Cleaning and applying a sealer are different services and should not be silently combined.
FROM SITE NOTES TO AN ITEMISED PDF
Make your own pressure washing estimate.
Enter the scope in Estimates on iPhone or Android, edit each quantity and rate in pounds, add your business and customer details, and review the PDF before sharing it.
