What to Expect from a Commercial Pressure Washing Contract — A Property Manager's Guide

If you're a property manager signing your first commercial pressure washing contract — or replacing a contractor who wasn't meeting expectations — here's what a professional agreement should include and what the experience should look like from start to finish.

The Proposal

A professional contractor provides a written proposal that specifies every surface included in the scope, the cleaning method for each surface (soft wash vs. pressure wash), the frequency of service, the total annual cost broken into per-visit or monthly payments, and the insurance documentation.

Vague proposals that say "exterior cleaning — quarterly — $X" without specifying which surfaces, which methods, and what's excluded should be a red flag. You need to know exactly what you're paying for so you can hold the contractor accountable and compare with competing proposals.

Insurance and Compliance

Before any work begins, you should have a certificate of insurance on file that shows general liability coverage of at least $1 million (higher for large properties), workers' compensation for all employees, and your property listed as an additional insured. This isn't optional — it protects you if the contractor damages your property or if a worker is injured on site.

Scheduling and Communication

A professional contractor coordinates scheduling with you in advance — not just showing up when it's convenient for them. For multi-tenant properties, this means advance notice to tenants, coordination around business hours, and flexibility to reschedule around weather or tenant events.

You should receive a schedule at the start of each quarter or year showing planned service dates. Changes to the schedule should be communicated at least 48 hours in advance. After each service visit, you should receive a completion notification — some contractors provide photo documentation showing before and after conditions.

Quality Standards

The contract should define what "clean" means in measurable terms. For soft washing, this typically means no visible biological growth on treated surfaces. For pressure washing, it means removal of all surface-level staining and contamination. Walk-through inspections after each service visit — either with the contractor or independently — verify the work meets the standard.

Warranty and Callbacks

Professional contractors stand behind their work. If a surface shows regrowth or staining within a specified period after cleaning (typically 30–90 days depending on the surface), the contractor should address it at no additional cost. This warranty should be in writing as part of the contract.

Reporting

Good contractors provide periodic reports that help you manage your property. This might include a maintenance log showing all services performed, condition notes flagging surfaces that need repair or additional attention, and photo documentation for your records. These reports are valuable for board presentations, ownership reports, and insurance documentation.

Contract Terms

Most commercial contracts run for one year with automatic renewal and a 30-day cancellation clause. This gives both parties stability while maintaining flexibility. Pricing should be locked for the contract term with any increases communicated before renewal. Multi-year contracts sometimes offer discounted pricing in exchange for the commitment.

Evaluating Contractor Performance

Once the contract is signed and work begins, you need a system for evaluating whether the contractor is meeting the agreed-upon standards. The simplest approach is a post-service walkthrough — either conducted with the contractor's crew lead or independently within 24 hours of each service visit.

During the walkthrough, check specific items: Are all surfaces in the scope visibly clean? Were chemical treatment areas rinsed properly? Is the site cleaned up — no hoses, equipment, or debris left behind? Are landscaping areas that were pre-wetted still intact with no visible chemical damage? Were tenant notifications sent as agreed? These checks take 15-20 minutes and provide immediate accountability.

For properties where regular walkthroughs aren't practical, require the contractor to provide date-stamped photographs after each service visit. Before and after photos of representative areas — the building's most visible facade, the main walkway, the parking lot entrance — create a visual record that you can review from anywhere. Some contractors now use apps that automatically timestamp and geolocate service photos, providing verified documentation.

If quality issues arise, address them immediately through the process defined in your contract. A professional contractor will respond to quality callbacks within 24-48 hours and re-treat any surfaces that don't meet the agreed standard at no additional cost. If callbacks become frequent, it's a sign that either the scope is under-specified, the frequency is insufficient for the property's conditions, or the contractor isn't executing to standard. All three situations warrant a conversation and potential contract adjustment rather than allowing the problem to continue unaddressed.