Pressure Washing as Paint Preparation
Washing is not an upsell tacked onto an exterior quote. It is the step that decides whether the coating you paid for stays attached to the wall.
Licensed NV C-4 #0092296 · UT #14220959-5501 · Serving Nevada & Utah
Coating over chalk is coating over powder
Exterior paint in a high-UV climate degrades at the surface into a fine chalk. Run your hand down a sun-facing wall on an older repaint and it comes back dusty. That dust is not attached to anything.
Roll a new coat onto it and the new paint bonds to the powder rather than the wall. It looks correct for a season or two and then comes off in sheets, and the failure gets blamed on the paint rather than the missing prep.
How we approach washing
This is prep work with a specific goal, not a generic cleaning service. Pressure and technique are matched to the substrate, because too much pressure on stucco or old siding causes damage that then has to be repaired.
- Pressure matched to the substrate rather than turned all the way up
- Chalk, dust, cobwebs, and loose material removed
- Attention to eaves, soffits, and areas the crew will coat
- Windows, doors, fixtures, and landscaping protected
- Adequate dry time before any coating goes on
Where it sits in your estimate
On most exterior projects, washing appears in the preparation section of your line-item estimate as part of the scope. Occasionally a property needs additional washing beyond normal prep, and when it does it shows up as its own line item rather than appearing silently in a lump total.
We offer this as preparation tied to painting work rather than as a standalone recurring service. If you are looking purely for driveway or deck cleaning with no painting attached, we are probably not the right call.
What washing will not fix
Washing removes chalk and dirt. It does not repair cracks, close open joints, reattach failing paint, or fix stucco damage. Those are separate repair line items, and a wall that is already peeling will still need scraping and priming after it is clean.
What the project actually looks like
- STEP 01
Assess the substrate
Stucco, siding, block, and older painted surfaces all tolerate different pressure. We set the approach before turning anything on.
- STEP 02
Protect and wash
Landscaping, fixtures, and openings are protected, then surfaces are washed to remove chalk and loose material.
- STEP 03
Dry, then coat
Surfaces get adequate dry time before prep repairs and coating begin. Painting a damp wall causes its own failures.
What moves the price
We do not publish a price list, because a real number depends on your property. These are the things that actually change it, and every one of them shows up as a line item on your estimate.
- Surface area
Total square footage of what actually has to be cleaned before coating.
- Degree of chalking
A heavily chalked sun-facing elevation takes more passes than a shaded one.
- Substrate sensitivity
Older or damaged surfaces need lower pressure and more careful, slower work.
- Access
Height, tight side yards, and pools affect equipment and setup time.
- Protection needed
Extensive landscaping, outdoor furniture, and delicate fixtures add masking labor.
- Water access
Available spigots and site water conditions affect how the crew has to set up.
What is included, and what is not
You approve the scope in writing before we start. If it is not on the estimate, it is not in the price, and we would rather tell you that now than argue about it later.
Included
- Substrate-appropriate pressure and technique
- Removal of chalk, dust, cobwebs, and loose material
- Protection of windows, fixtures, and landscaping
- Dry time before coating begins
- Stated on the estimate as part of the preparation scope
Not included unless quoted
- Standalone recurring cleaning with no painting scope
- Crack, stucco, and carpentry repair
- Roof cleaning
- Stain and efflorescence removal beyond normal prep, unless quoted
Straight answers before you call
Often paired with this work
Planning an Exterior Repaint?
Prep, washing, repair, and coating all itemized in one free estimate.
Written warranty on every project.