Seven Tips for Hiring a Pressure Washing Contractor

1) Be sure to hire an experienced pressure washing contractor. Look for at least five years of experience. More is not necessarily better, but less could lead to unwanted problems.

2) Make sure they are licensed and insured: Request that your insurance company send you proof of insurance in the form of a COI (certificate of insurance) with your name and address and the date of production.

3) Ask how long your technician has been with the company. An employee’s loyalty is indicative of how the owner conducts his business.

4) Determine if the contractor has a good understanding of the detergents used and their effect on all substrates of interest, a good understanding is a good indicator of success on your property.

5) Do they have the right equipment for the job? For example: a 5.5 gpm machine will allow the technician to reach areas of the house without having to support ladders in your home, which can damage vinyl or leave ladder marks. Also, if you’re the type of person who wants to see how technology works, do you really want to hang out all day? With a larger volume of water, jobs can be produced much faster and easier, so you can get on with your day.

6) Choose a company that understands and is judicious in its use of pressurized water. We have seen many decks, concrete, and siding destroyed by too much water pressure. The old adage “let the tool do the work” applies, a good pressure washing company understands this principle and applies it to both pressurized water and detergents.

7) Make sure you have been given a proper quote: with a list of all the items you have ordered that are part of the scope of work, clear production start and finish dates, clear financial terms, materials and labour, are they included? staining options? marks? techniques to use. As an example, ask yourself if the deck is going to be sprayed or hand painted. Is there a preparation letter? What is expected of me? You don’t want any surprises here.