All businesses / Pressure washing

At a glance: money to start · hours · how fast it pays · how much you keep · how much it can earn. Taller bars are better; the dashed line is halfway.

Pressure washing: what it really costs to start

Starting a pressure washing business in Europe costs €4,000–€15,000 in 2026, with first income after about 4 weeks and earnings of up to €3,200 a month working full time.

Last updated: September 2026 · sources at the bottom of the page

Driveways, patios, facades.

Pressure washing in numbers
Money to start €4,000–€15,000 What you spend before the first customer pays: kit, stock, licences, launch.
Hours a week 20–45 What it takes to run it properly, from part time to full time.
Weeks to first income about 4 How long you pay in before any money comes back. You still need to live in those weeks.
Kept of every €100 €70 What stays with you after running costs, before you pay yourself for your hours.
Most it earns a month €1,000 part time · €3,200 full time A realistic ceiling for one person running it. Your own hours are the limit.
Competition medium Some competition: running it well is what decides.
Licence or qualification not usually Beyond registering the business and insurance, nothing specific in our research.

Does it fit you?

See what else fits me →

What nobody usually tells you

One of the most visually satisfying trades to market — the before-and-after sells itself on video. Seasonal though: six good months, and the equipment is more fragile than the sales pitch suggests.

The route, in five steps

  1. Buy commercial kit: domestic washers die in a month
  2. Price per square metre, quoted on site
  3. Film the before and after — it sells the next five jobs
  4. Chase commercial contracts, not only driveways
  5. Winter is dead: save for it from month one

What you'll need to buy

These are the categories this business pays for in the first month. We go through the software side on the tools page.

pressure unitvanwater tankinsurance

Turn this page into a plan: the pressure washing start kit

Instant access, works on any device, save it as PDF. Digital product delivered immediately.

LaunchKit · €390 + VAT

Starting a pressure washing business? Open with a real website.

A site made for your a pressure washing business business, Google profile, domain and email, a QR poster and a 30-day launch plan built on the numbers above. Live in about a week.

Get my LaunchKit →Open the example ↗

Common questions

How much does it cost to start a pressure washing business?

Between €4,000 and €15,000 to begin. That covers pressure unit, van, water tank and the rest of the setup. It does not cover your own living costs during the 4 weeks before the first income arrives, which is the cost most people forget.

How long after starting a pressure washing business does the first income arrive?

Around 4 weeks to the first euro. Reaching the realistic maximum of €3,200 a month takes considerably longer, and assumes 45 hours a week.

How much can you earn a month if you start a pressure washing business?

Up to about €3,200 a month working full time, or €1,000 part time. Of every €100 it takes, about €70 stays with you after running costs.

Can you start a pressure washing business alongside a job?

Yes, at a cost. Part time it realistically tops out around €1,000 a month, against €3,200 working full time, and it needs 20–45 hours a week.

Is there a lot of competition?

Competition is medium. Neither crowded nor protected: winning comes down to how well you run it rather than whether you can enter.

Similar businesses to compare

Sources

Where these numbers come from. Figures are rounded ranges for European markets; check the ones you are about to spend money on. Last checked September 2026.

  1. Pureseal Services — Pressure washing business start-up costs: full UK breakdown (£4,000–11,000 solo) money to start · what it earns · time to first income

Does it fit you?

These numbers are the average case. Whether this business clears your target depends on your money, your hours and how long you can wait. Put them in and see.

See if it fits my budget → Get the guide free

Free: the 10 questions to answer before you spend a euro

A one-page checklist that goes with any business on this site. We email it to you straight away.