What To Put In A Pressure Washing Service Agreement (And What Happens If You Don't Have One)
A pressure washing service agreement needs the usual sections — scope, pricing, satisfaction process, insurance, termination — plus one that matters more in this trade than almost any other: a pre-existing-condition clause. Pressure and soft washing can reveal or worsen conditions the wash didn't cause, and without a written clause covering that, every one of those reveals becomes a liability argument.
A real scenario this actually prevents
A soft wash on 20-year-old siding lifts a section of already-peeling paint that was going to fail on its own within the year. The client, seeing paint coming off during the job, assumes the wash caused it and expects a repaint at your cost. Without a pre-existing-condition clause and before-photos, there's no way to show the paint was already failing. With both, the conversation is short: the photos show the condition beforehand, and the agreement already states the company isn't responsible for conditions it didn't cause.
What actually needs to be in it
1. Scope of work
The surfaces and method — pressure vs. soft wash — for each, with anything outside that scope (repairs, painting, sealing not listed) quoted separately.
2. Pre-existing conditions
Loose or peeling paint, cracked or spalling concrete, worn mortar, rotted or weathered wood, and failing sealant can all be revealed or worsened by washing without being caused by it. Photograph visible pre-existing damage before starting, and state plainly that the company isn't responsible for conditions that existed beforehand.
3. Landscaping and surrounding property
Reasonable care to protect landscaping and outdoor fixtures — pre-wetting and covering plants where appropriate — with a note that some plant stress from runoff is possible despite precautions, and that moving valuable or fragile items out of the work area is the client's responsibility.
4. Water use and runoff
A statement of your actual practice — biodegradable solutions, runoff containment, or disposal method — in line with local water-use regulations.
5. Access
An exterior water source, power where needed, and disclosure of unstable surfaces or fragile fixtures before work begins.
6. Pricing, payment, and weather
The price on file, payment terms, and the right to reschedule for rain, freezing temperatures, or high wind — all common weather blockers for this trade.
7. Satisfaction, insurance, and termination
A bounded reporting window for anything not to standard, a plain statement of coverage actually carried, and a notice period for either side to end the arrangement.
A template like this is a starting point, not legal advice — the pre-existing-condition and liability language matters enough in this trade that a licensed attorney's review is worth the cost before relying on it for anything contentious.
Why the pre-existing-condition clause is the one to get right
Nearly every trade needs a liability clause. This one is specific to pressure washing because the work itself — water and pressure against old surfaces — is uniquely likely to expose damage that was always going to surface eventually. Photographing before you start isn't extra paperwork; it's the single habit that makes this clause actually enforceable when it matters.