Pressure washing
Cleaning driveways, patios, decking and building exteriors for households and small commercial sites.
- Startup cost
- £400–£2,500
- Weekly time
- 8–16 hours a week
- Time to first income
- 2–6 weeks
- Initial earnings
- £400–£2,200 a month
- Difficulty
- Moderate
- Getting customers
- Moderate
- Recurring income
- Low
- Online or local
- Local, outdoors
- Speed to income
- 2–4 weeks
Costs and income figures are estimates for guidance only. Actual results depend on your location, experience, pricing, demand and execution.
What this side hustle actually involves
You clean hard surfaces with a commercial pressure washer and a rotary surface cleaner: driveways, patios, paths, decking, render and cladding.
Most domestic jobs take two to five hours and are priced by area and condition, with re-sanding of block paving as a common add-on.
Demand is heavily seasonal — spring and early autumn are peak, midwinter is thin.
Typical customers
- Homeowners with green or stained driveways and patios
- Landlords and letting agents between tenancies
- Small commercial sites: shopfronts, forecourts, car parks
- Estate agents preparing a property for sale
What you sell
- Driveway and patio cleaning
- Block paving cleaning with kiln-dried sand re-sanding
- Decking and fence cleaning
- Render, cladding and soffit softwashing
- Gutter clearing as an add-on
Who it suits and who it does not
Likely a good fit if
- Physically fit people comfortable with noisy, wet outdoor work
- Anyone who can measure a job and quote on the spot
- People with a van or estate car and somewhere to store equipment
- Those who enjoy dramatic before-and-after results
Probably not for you if
- Anyone needing consistent winter income
- People without transport or storage
- Those uncomfortable quoting and negotiating face to face
Startup costs
| Item | Typical cost |
|---|---|
| Petrol or commercial electric pressure washerDomestic machines fail quickly under daily use | £300–£1,200 |
| Rotary surface cleanerEssential for speed and an even finish | £80–£300 |
| Hoses, lances, nozzles | £60–£150 |
| Public liability insurance | £90–£250 a year |
| PPE: boots, goggles, ear defenders | £40–£100 |
| Item | Typical cost |
|---|---|
| Water tank and transfer pump | £150–£500 |
| Softwash pump and chemicals for render | £150–£450 |
| Kiln-dried sand stock | £5–£8 per bag |
| Van signage | £80–£250 |
| Item | Typical cost |
|---|---|
| Fuel for machine and vehicle | £40–£120 a month |
| Chemicals and sand | £20–£70 a month |
| Servicing and wear parts | £15–£40 a month |
Lowest-cost way to test demand: Hire a commercial machine and surface cleaner for a weekend for roughly £60–£120 and complete two paid jobs before buying anything. This tests your prices and your stamina at almost no risk.
Realistic earning potential
Two driveways a weekend at £160 is roughly £1,280 a month in peak season, before fuel, sand and wear.
Across a full year the average is much lower because November to February is quiet; budget on eight strong months.
Most work is one-off, so a steady flow of new enquiries matters more than customer retention.
| Pricing model | Typical example |
|---|---|
| Driveway by area | £2.50–£4.50 per square metre |
| Typical small driveway | £120–£220 |
| Patio | £100–£250 depending on size and condition |
| Block paving including re-sanding | add £40–£90 |
| Minimum call-out | £80–£100 |
What changes your earnings most
- Season and weather
- Area pricing — rural and northern areas typically price lower than the South East
- Whether you offer re-sanding and softwashing add-ons
- How fast you work with the right surface cleaner
How long it takes to earn
You can start within two weeks if you hire equipment rather than buy it.
Before the first job you need insurance, a way to measure and quote, and two or three photographed examples.
Two to six weeks is typical because homeowners get multiple quotes and wait for dry weather.
It takes longer if you begin in late autumn — starting in March or April makes a large difference.
How to get your first customers
Local Facebook groups and Marketplace
Before-and-after photos of a nearby street generate direct enquiries, especially in spring.
Leafleting the street you are already working on
Neighbours see the result live; this is the highest-converting leaflet drop in this trade.
Google Business Profile
Captures high-intent 'driveway cleaning near me' searches and builds reviews.
Letting agents and landlords
Between-tenancy work is less weather-sensitive and can repeat.
Objections you will hear, and how to answer them
- "Someone quoted me £80" — explain what is included: sand, edges, weeds and clean-up.
- "Will it damage the surface?" — explain nozzle pressure choice and softwashing for render.
- "Can you do it Sunday morning?" — noise means some jobs are restricted; agree hours upfront.
Why customers might not buy: Results photograph brilliantly and sell themselves, but jobs are one-off, high-value purchases, so customers compare two or three quotes before deciding.
Advantages and risks
Advantages
- Results are visually dramatic and sell the next job for you
- Decent day rates for skilled physical work
- Equipment can be hired before purchase
- No qualification needed
- Add-ons such as re-sanding lift the value of every job
Risks and challenges
- Strong seasonality and weather cancellations
- You can damage block paving, render or pointing if you use the wrong pressure
- Heavier equipment costs than most side hustles
- Mostly one-off customers, so marketing never stops
- Waste-water runoff rules can apply, particularly on commercial sites
Legal, tax and insurance considerations
- Register as self-employed with HMRC once income exceeds the trading allowance.
- Public liability insurance is essential; damage to a driveway or render can be expensive.
- Waste water containing dirt, algaecide or detergent should not run into surface-water drains; check Environment Agency and local water company guidance, especially for commercial and render work.
- Some chemicals used for render and roof cleaning are subject to COSHH requirements — read the safety data sheets and store them correctly.
- Provide written quotations that state what is and is not included.
This is general guidance rather than legal, tax or insurance advice. Requirements may vary, so check current official guidance or speak to a suitable professional.
Seven-day validation plan
A week of low-cost steps to test whether real customers want this before you spend serious money.
Day 1: Define the customer and offer
- Choose domestic driveways and patios to begin with.
- Decide whether you will offer re-sanding and softwashing.
Outcome: A defined service list.
Day 2: Research competitors and pricing
- Collect five local quotes or advertised rates per square metre.
- Note who is booked weeks ahead.
Outcome: A defensible price per square metre.
Day 3: Cost the job
- Price hire versus purchase of machine and surface cleaner.
- Work out fuel, sand and time for a typical 50m² driveway.
Outcome: Profit per job at your price.
Day 4: Prove the work
- Hire equipment and clean one driveway at cost for a friend or neighbour.
- Photograph before, during and after.
Outcome: Real evidence and a time benchmark.
Day 5: Publish and contact
- Post the photos in two local groups and set up a Google Business Profile.
- Leaflet twenty nearby houses.
Outcome: Live enquiries.
Day 6: Quote and follow up
- Quote every enquiry within 24 hours.
- Record quoted price, competitor price and outcome.
Outcome: A conversion rate.
Day 7: Decide
- Compare confirmed jobs against equipment cost.
- Buy, keep hiring, or stop.
Outcome: A go, adjust or stop decision.
Getting-started checklist
- Service list and add-ons defined
- Price per square metre and minimum charge set
- Profit per job calculated after fuel, sand and wear
- Equipment hired or purchased sensibly
- Public liability insurance in place
- Before-and-after photographs taken
- Written quotation template ready
- Payment method ready
- Waste-water and chemical handling checked
Honest verdict
- Consider this if
- Practical people with transport who want high-value weekend jobs from spring to autumn.
- Avoid this if
- Anyone needing year-round consistency or without storage and transport.
- Biggest opportunity
- Working street by street, where one visible job produces several neighbours' bookings.
- Biggest risk
- Spending £2,000 on kit in November and waiting until March for demand.
- First milestone to aim for
- Complete two paid jobs on hired equipment before buying a machine.
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