How to start a pressure washing business in 2026

Описание: 📌 How to Start a Pressure Washing Business in 2026

(Step-by-Step Setup Guide)
Built From Pressure | Coaching

If 2026 is your first year in pressure washing, this video breaks down exactly what you need to do right now to be set up, legit, and ready to make money by spring.

Winter is slow in exterior cleaning — and that’s an advantage. This is the time to build the foundation so you’re not scrambling when the season hits.

In this video, I cover:
• Business setup & legal basics
• Banking, taxes, and paying yourself
• Equipment (budget vs. professional)
• Marketing mistakes to avoid
• What actually works when starting from zero

No hype. No guru nonsense. Just real-world experience from 5+ years in the industry.

⸻

🧱 Step 1: Business Setup (January Is Ideal)

Start the first week of January if possible — it makes taxes and bookkeeping much easier.

You’ll need:
• LLC
• EIN
• Business bank account (do NOT mix personal and business funds)

⸻

💰 Step 2: Paying Yourself

Two common options:
• LLC → Owner distributions from profit
• S-Corp → W-2 salary (I use Gusto)

Talk with a CPA to set this up correctly.

⸻

📊 Step 3: Track Your Numbers

Keeping books is non-negotiable.

Tools:
• QuickBooks
• FreshBooks (what I use)

Track:
• Monthly P&L
• Expenses & write-offs
• Mileage, equipment, supplies, fuel, marketing

Poor bookkeeping can cost you $30–40K in unnecessary taxes.

⸻

🧰 Step 4: Equipment (Start Where You Are)

Budget setup:
• 4 GPM washer
• 16” surface cleaner
• X-Jet or downstream injector
• 5-gallon bleach bucket

If you have capital:
• 8 GPM machine
• 24” surface cleaner
• Roof pump (gas preferred)

Efficiency = higher earning potential.

⸻

🚚 Step 5: Truck

You can start with a car, but I recommend:
• Older, high-mileage pickup
• Chevy 1500s are solid starters
• No need for anything fancy early on

⸻

📣 Step 6: Marketing (Don’t Burn Cash)

This is where most people fail.

⚠️ Spending $30K–$50K/year on ads before you’re profitable can kill your business.

Rule of thumb:
• 10:1 ROI (Spend $10K → Make $100K)

What works early:
• Yard signs (check local laws)
• Organic social media:
• Facebook
• Instagram
• LinkedIn
• TikTok
• YouTube
• Local community & neighborhood groups

Free marketing — just costs time.

⸻

🚀 Final Thoughts

If you:
• Set up in January
• Track your numbers
• Keep equipment simple
• Avoid burning money on ads
• Post consistently

You should be booked out by March with the potential to hit $10K/month or more your first season.

No shortcuts. Just execution.

⸻

🔔 Want More Help?

Subscribe, drop questions in the comments, and follow for more Built From Pressure coaching content.

⸻

🔑 Hashtags

#PressureWashingBusiness #BuiltFromPressure #ServiceBusiness
#Entrepreneurship #StartABusiness #ExteriorCleaning
#BlueCollarBusiness #SmallBusinessTips