The short answer
Pressure washing a house in Chicago costs $200 to $600 for most homes in 2026. The average homeowner pays $300 to $475 for a 1,500 to 2,000 sq ft single-story home. Two-story homes, brick or stone facades and heavily shaded walls with algae typically run $450 to $900. Almost every reputable Chicago job uses soft washing, low pressure plus the right chemistry, rather than blasting your siding at 3,000 PSI.
Prices in this guide are pulled from live 2025–2026 quotes across Chicagoland, including North Shore Power Wash, ARP Wash, Stegmeier, Maple Power Wash, JD Ventures and Best Window Cleaner Chicago. Numbers are ranges, not fixed rates, final quotes depend on the specifics of your home.
Price at a glance
Here is the full Chicagoland pricing snapshot. Every number below is verified against currently-published Chicago contractor rates.
| Category | Low | Average | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1,000 sq ft | $150 | $200 | $280 |
| 1,500 sq ft | $225 | $300 | $375 |
| 2,000 sq ftMost common | $300 | $375 | $475 |
| 2,500 sq ft | $375 | $475 | $600 |
| 3,000 sq ft | $450 | $550 | $700 |
| 4,000 sq ft | $600 | $750 | $950 |
| 5,000+ sq ft | $800 | $1,050 | $1,250+ |
By story count
Every extra floor adds ladders, extension wands and safety staging. Three-story homes usually need a custom quote.
| Category | Low | Average | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1-story | $300 | $400 | $550 |
| 2-storyMost common | $450 | $600 | $900 |
| 3-story | $700 | $900 | $1,250+ |
By siding type
Chicagoland homes love a mix, brick base with stucco or Indiana limestone upper walls is standard. Pros price the highest-risk material on the wall.
| Category | Low | Average | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vinyl siding | $280 | $350 | $425 |
| BrickMost common | $300 | $375 | $475 |
| Hardie / fiber cement | $325 | $415 | $500 |
| Stucco | $350 | $450 | $550 |
| Painted wood | $375 | $490 | $600 |
| Indiana limestone / cut stone | $400 | $525 | $650 |
"Any quote under $150 for a full Chicago house wash is either a bait number or a rinse. The math does not work at that price for a legitimate crew."
- Based on live Chicagoland quote data · July 2026
Add-on services
Bundling matters. Booking house + drive + gutters + fence separately can total $850+. Bundled the same day, most crews price it $550 to $950.
| Category | Low | Average | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Driveway (2-car, ~600 sq ft) | $100 | $175 | $300 |
| Sidewalks / walkways | $50 | $100 | $175 |
| Patio or pool deck | $100 | $200 | $400 |
| Wood fence (150 ln ft) | $150 | $250 | $400 |
| Gutter cleaning (interior) | $149 | $200 | $350 |
| Gutter brightening (exterior face) | $75 | $125 | $200 |
| Roof soft wash (1-story) | $350 | $475 | $700 |
| Window cleaning (up to 15) | $149 | $200 | $280 |
| Solar panels (up to 10) | $149 | $175 | $250 |
| Full property bundleMost common | $550 | $750 | $950 |
See individual service pages: driveway · gutters · roof · roof treatment · windows · solar panels.
Soft washing vs pressure washing: which costs more?
Soft washing costs 10 to 20% more than a straight pressure wash, and it is the correct method for almost every Chicago home surface. Expect $250 to $550 for a soft-washed single-story vs $200 to $450 for pressure washing. The extra pays for biodegradable cleaning solutions that kill mildew and algae at the spore, not just blast surface dirt that regrows in weeks.
Pressure wash
1,500–4,000 PSI
Correct for concrete driveways, brick patios, stone walkways, vinyl fences. Wrong for siding, roofs, stucco and painted wood, high pressure cracks, strips and forces water behind cladding.
Soft wash
Under 500 PSI + chemistry
Correct for every home siding type, plus roofs. Kills gloeocapsa magma algae at the root so results last 12–24 months. Required for GAF, Owens Corning and CertainTeed shingle warranties.
DIY vs professional, is it cheaper to do it yourself?
On paper, DIY looks cheaper. In practice, one bad pass etches Indiana limestone or blows caulk out of window frames, and the rental washer has no soft-wash injector. Here is the actual DIY math.
| Category | Low | Average | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Home Depot – gas 2,700 PSI (daily) | $87 | $87 | $87 |
| Home Depot – Honda 4,000 PSI (daily) | $102 | $102 | $102 |
| Lowe's – gas 3,000 PSI (daily) | $90 | $110 | $136 |
| Sunbelt commercial 2,500 PSI (daily) | $48 | $48 | $48 |
| Chemicals + fuel + attachments | $50 | $80 | $140 |
What changes the price
Twelve things move a Chicago quote up or down. Everything else is noise.
- Home square footage and perimeter length
- Number of stories and safe ladder access
- Siding material (stucco and stone cost more than brick)
- Amount of shade and north-facing algae growth
- Time since last professional wash
- Chicagoland hard water and calcium staining
- Oak and maple pollen film (spring peak)
- Tight landscaping or gated access
- HOA runoff or wastewater recovery rules
- Whether the crew brings softened water
- Add-ons bundled with the house wash
- Season (spring peaks; winter often discounted)
Red flags in a Chicago quote
These patterns show up in every low-ball Chicagoland quote. Any single one on your quote is worth a follow-up question.
- Any full house wash quoted under $150, the math does not work at that number.
- $99 door-hanger jobs that turn into on-site upsells for every extra surface.
- Hourly pricing on a house wash, you should be getting a flat, itemised scope.
- No mention of soft wash method for siding, brick, stucco or the roof.
- No plant pre-soak or post-rinse step, cleaning solution will kill unprotected shrubs.
- No general liability certificate on request. Illinois requires no state license, so this is on you.
- Full payment demanded up front, 50% deposit is the industry ceiling.
- Verbal-only quote with no written scope.
Chicago pressure washing FAQ
Twelve questions we get every week from Chicago homeowners.