Power washing involves high-pressure equipment and chemicals applied to your home's most valuable asset. Hiring the wrong contractor can mean siding damage, stripped roof granules, or landscaping harm — and no recourse if they're uninsured. Here's exactly what to verify before you book.
Insurance: The One Non-Negotiable
General liability insurance is the single most important thing to verify. If an uninsured contractor cracks your siding, breaks a window, strips your shingles, or causes a slip-and-fall on your wet driveway, you have no coverage from them — and your homeowners insurance will only cover it under your own policy (with a deductible, and a potential rate impact).
Ask for a Certificate of Insurance (COI) listing your address as the job location. Any legitimate contractor can produce this within minutes. Verify that the certificate is current, shows sufficient coverage (minimum $500K general liability, ideally $1M), and is from a real insurer you can verify.
For commercial projects, also verify workers' compensation insurance separately. An uninsured worker injured on your commercial property can create direct liability exposure for you as the property owner.
Licensing and Business Registration
Most states don't require a specific power washing license, but legitimate businesses maintain current state business registration. You can verify this with a quick search on your state's Secretary of State website — takes two minutes and confirms the business is real.
Beware of companies that accept only cash and have no verifiable business address. These often have no insurance and no accountability if something goes wrong. The presence of a professional website, Google Business profile with verified reviews, and multiple ways to contact the company are basic indicators of legitimacy.
Questions to Ask Before Booking
These specific questions separate experienced, professional contractors from low-quality or high-risk operators:
- What PSI does your equipment run for this surface? (Driveways: 2,000–3,500 PSI. House siding/roofs: under 500 PSI for soft washing.)
- Do you have experience with my specific siding or roofing material?
- What's in your cleaning solution and what's the dilution ratio? (For roof cleaning especially, this matters.)
- Is your quote all-inclusive — labor, chemicals, equipment — or are there add-ons?
- Can you share references from comparable jobs nearby?
- How do you protect landscaping and plants near the work area?
Red Flags to Walk Away From
These are signs a contractor may cause damage, disappear after problems arise, or take your deposit and not return:
- Offers to pressure wash your roof (correct method is always soft wash for asphalt shingles — no exceptions)
- Quotes that are 30–50% below market rate with no explanation
- Reluctance to provide an insurance certificate
- No verifiable business address, website, or Google reviews
- Insists on full payment upfront before work starts
- Quotes your job over the phone without asking about home size, material type, or current condition
- Can't explain what cleaning solution they use or why
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