Many power washing businesses begin with residential work—driveways, siding, patios. But if you’re looking to increase revenue, build long-term contracts, and stabilize your income, it’s time to consider expanding into the commercial power washing market.
In this article, we’ll walk through how to break into commercial jobs, from identifying ideal clients to navigating proposals, equipment upgrades, and sales strategies. 🚛💼
💰 Why Go Commercial?
Commercial power washing contracts offer several advantages over residential work:
✅ Higher-paying jobs
✅ Recurring contracts (weekly, monthly, quarterly)
✅ Larger project scope
✅ Less seasonality
✅ More predictable income
Instead of relying on one-off homeowners, you can build a book of steady business clients who need regular cleaning—think storefronts, warehouses, apartment complexes, parking lots, and more.
🧭 Step 1: Choose Your Commercial Niche
There are many types of commercial power washing, each with its own target market and cleaning needs.
Here are a few you can specialize in:
🏬 Retail & Storefronts
- Sidewalks, awnings, signage
- Usually weekly or monthly service
- Often coordinated through property managers
🏢 Office Complexes
- Entryways, common areas, dumpster pads
- Quarterly service is common
🏠 Apartments & HOAs
- Building exteriors, breezeways, stairwells, garages
- Requires good communication and tenant-friendly scheduling
🏗️ Industrial & Warehouses
- Heavy equipment, oil stains, loading docks
- Often require hot water systems and strong degreasers
⛽ Gas Stations & Fast Food Chains
- Grease, gum, trash areas
- Night work may be necessary
📞 Step 2: Start Networking Locally
You don’t need to hire a big sales team—just start building relationships in your city. Here’s how:
- 🤝 Join local business associations and chambers of commerce
- 🧑💼 Connect with property managers and building supervisors
- 🏢 Drop off flyers at strip malls and office parks
- 📧 Send direct outreach emails or cold-call decision makers
- 📲 Use LinkedIn to connect with facility managers
Bring before-and-after photos, testimonials, and proof of insurance when you meet new prospects.
💡 Tip: Offer a free demo to get your foot in the door.
📋 Step 3: Create a Commercial Services Package
Commercial clients want to know exactly what’s included—and how often.
Build service tiers like:
- Basic Monthly Cleaning – Sidewalks, dumpster pad, entrance
- Quarterly Deep Clean – Building exterior, hardscapes, signage
- Custom Packages – Tailored to site needs (e.g., garage pressure washing or high-rise window cleaning)
Include:
- Clear pricing
- Scope of work
- Safety protocols
- Scheduling options
📁 Pro tip: Present it in a branded, professional-looking PDF.
💼 Step 4: Write Professional Proposals
A commercial client won’t usually hire you from a text message—they want a proposal.
Here’s what to include:
- Company overview
- Services and frequency
- Before/after job photos
- Equipment used
- Safety standards
- Insurance and licensing
- Pricing breakdown (monthly/quarterly/yearly)
- Terms and cancellation policy
🖥️ Use tools like Better Proposals, Canva, or Google Docs to make them look polished.
🛠️ Step 5: Upgrade Equipment (If Needed)
Commercial work is more demanding than residential—and expectations are higher.
You may need:
- 🔥 Hot water systems for grease/oil
- 🚚 Trailer-mounted rigs for larger water capacity
- 🛢️ Stronger degreasers and surface cleaners
- 🧱 Ladder stabilizers or scaffolding for multi-story buildings
- 👷 OSHA-compliant safety gear
🧽 Invest in equipment that lets you clean faster and safer.
📊 Step 6: Set Up Commercial-Ready Operations
Consistency and professionalism matter more in commercial jobs.
Ensure you have:
- 📆 Job scheduling system (Jobber, Housecall Pro, etc.)
- 📃 W-9 and COI (Certificate of Insurance) on file
- 🧾 Net 15/30 invoice system
- 🗂️ Organized record keeping for tax and liability
- 👷♂️ Staff trained in commercial-grade cleaning
💡 Big clients want to work with vendors who look and act like a real business, not a side hustle.
🔁 Step 7: Build Long-Term Contracts
Once you win a commercial client, don’t treat it like a one-off job.
Structure your services into ongoing agreements:
- Offer monthly or quarterly packages
- Include volume discounts
- Schedule recurring cleaning in advance
- Lock in pricing for 6–12 months
📅 The more often you clean, the cleaner the property stays—and the easier your job becomes.
📣 Bonus: Use Social Proof to Win Bigger Clients
Once you’ve done even one commercial job, leverage it:
- Ask for testimonials
- Take professional before/after photos
- Add it to your proposals and website
- Mention “we clean [name of plaza or building]” in pitches
- Share results on social media
🎯 The goal is to build trust quickly with your next prospect.
🧠 Final Thoughts
Moving into the commercial space may sound intimidating, but the rewards are huge:
- 📈 Steady recurring revenue
- 🧱 Bigger-ticket jobs
- 💼 Long-term growth opportunities
- 🔒 Less dependency on seasonal demand
Start small—one apartment complex, one strip mall. Deliver incredible service. Then expand. With the right systems and mindset, you’ll be the go-to commercial power washing provider in your area. 💪🏢🧼
