HOA Pressure Washing Maintenance Schedules That Actually Work in Florida

If you manage an HOA in Sarasota County, you already know that Florida's humidity turns exterior surfaces into a science experiment within months. Mold, mildew, algae, and oxidation don't take weekends off. The question isn't whether your community needs pressure washing — it's how often and in what order.

Most HOAs we work with started by scheduling cleaning reactively — waiting until residents complained or the board noticed the buildings looking rough. That approach costs more in the long run and creates a cycle of emergency cleanings that disrupts residents and blows the maintenance budget.

The Annual Schedule That Works

After maintaining communities across Sarasota, Lakewood Ranch, and Palmer Ranch, here's the schedule that keeps properties looking sharp without overspending:

Monthly

Dumpster enclosures and trash areas. These are the fastest surfaces to get dirty and the first thing prospective buyers notice on a drive-through. Monthly cleaning prevents pest issues, controls odor, and keeps the HOA compliant with county sanitation standards.

Quarterly

Sidewalks, curbing, and common area walkways. Foot traffic combined with Florida rain creates a buildup cycle that hits critical mass around every 90 days. Quarterly cleaning keeps slip hazards under control and maintains the curb appeal that drives property values.

Pool deck and amenity areas. Especially during peak season, pool decks accumulate sunscreen residue, organic matter, and algae at the waterline. Quarterly cleaning keeps the deck safe and the area inviting.

Twice Per Year

Building exteriors and roof lines. A spring and fall cleaning cycle catches the heavy summer mold growth and preps the community for season. Soft washing is essential here — high pressure on stucco or painted surfaces causes damage that costs far more than the cleaning saved.

Parking areas and drive aisles. Oil stains, tire marks, and organic growth accumulate steadily. Twice-yearly cleaning prevents permanent staining and extends the life of the asphalt or concrete surface.

Annually

Paver areas including pool decks, walkways, and entry features. Pavers need cleaning plus joint sand inspection and potential resealing on an annual cycle. This prevents weed intrusion, ant hills, and surface degradation.

What This Costs an HOA

For a mid-size community of 100–200 units in Sarasota County, a structured maintenance program typically runs between $800 and $2,500 per month depending on the scope. That sounds significant until you compare it to the alternative — reactive cleaning that costs 30–50% more per visit because of the buildup, plus the property value impact of a community that looks neglected.

Most HOA boards we work with build the pressure washing line item into the annual operating budget. Some communities include it in their reserve study as a recurring maintenance expense, which is the more accurate way to account for it.

Getting Board Approval

If you're a property manager trying to get a maintenance program approved, the argument that resonates with boards is property value protection. A well-maintained community exterior directly impacts home values and resale prices. Deferred maintenance compounds — a building that hasn't been cleaned in three years costs three times as much to restore as one on a regular schedule.

We provide HOA boards with detailed scope documents, per-visit pricing, and annual projections that make the budget conversation straightforward. If your board needs a proposal, we'll put one together that speaks their language.

Vendor Selection for HOA Contracts

HOA boards should evaluate pressure washing contractors differently than individual homeowners do. The scale of community work requires commercial-grade equipment, adequate insurance to cover multi-million dollar common area damage exposure, workers' compensation for crew members operating on private property, and the logistical capacity to execute multi-week projects without disrupting residents.

Request proof of insurance with coverage limits appropriate for your community — typically $1-2 million in general liability. Verify workers' compensation coverage is active. Ask for references from other HOA or commercial clients, not just residential customers. A contractor who does excellent work on individual homes may not have the systems or equipment to manage a 100-building community project.

Communication protocols should be defined in the contract. How much advance notice will residents receive before their building is cleaned? Who is the point of contact for resident complaints or concerns during the project? How are weather delays communicated and rescheduled? What's the process for reporting a quality issue on a specific building? These details prevent friction during execution.

Consider requiring a small pilot project before committing to a full community contract. Have the contractor clean one building or a section of common area as a paid demonstration. Evaluate the quality, professionalism, cleanup, and communication before scaling to the entire community. The cost of a pilot project is negligible compared to the risk of a poor contractor underperforming on a $20,000 community-wide project.