- Register as a sole proprietor or incorporate with BC Registries (~$40–$380)
- File your Vancouver business licence ($100–$250/yr)
- Get general liability insurance
- Set your rates ($0.30–$0.60/sq ft — typical house washes $300–$700, driveways $150–$400)
- Build a brand, website, and online booking
- Set up card payments and simple bookkeeping
- Launch a Google Business Profile focused on Vancouver
Every city rewards a different kind of pressure washing business — here's what Vancouver specifically pays for. Vancouver's rain grows moss and algae on everything — character-home siding, mossy walkways, strata parkades and pool decks. Soft-wash skill matters on old wood and heritage surfaces, and stratas sign annual contracts.
Why Vancouver specifically
Where the work is: Photograph moss-covered walkways while quoting one house and door-knock the block. Neighbourhoods like Kitsilano, Mount Pleasant, the West End each have their own client base — your Google Business Profile and local pages should name them.
Startup costs in Vancouver
| Item | Typical range |
|---|---|
| BC business registration (sole prop) | ~$40 |
| Name request fee | ~$30 |
| Vancouver business licence | $100–$250/yr |
| General liability insurance | $500–$1,200/yr |
| Equipment & supplies | $2,000–$6,000 (machine, surface cleaner, hoses, water tank) |
| Branding, website & booking setup | $0 DIY – $3,000+ agency |
Government fees change — confirm current amounts with BC Registries and the City of Vancouver. Vancouver's business licence is filed through the City's online portal; home-based businesses are broadly permitted for service trades since clients don't visit your home.
Realistic earnings
Pressure Washing rates in Metro Vancouver commonly run $0.30–$0.60/sq ft — typical house washes $300–$700, driveways $150–$400. A solo operator with a steady calendar can realistically build toward $6,000–$12,000+ per month solo in season — results vary with your niche, your area, and how established you look. No certification required; soft-wash chemical handling and municipal water-use rules apply.
Let's name it
In a market this competitive, hesitation costs you jobs — so let's kill the big one. “What if I strip paint, etch concrete, or force water into a wall?” Test patches, the right PSI per surface, a waiver, and insurance are the safety net — included and properly written in every Prontco launch.
Talk it through on a free callPressure Washing Pricing Calculator
Work out what to charge before you quote your first job in Vancouver. Set the job size, condition and the hourly rate you need to earn, and get a defensible number in seconds.
Open the calculator →Your first clients in Vancouver — the pressure washing playbook
- Pitch strata councils on annual building-wash and parkade-clean contracts — recurring and sizable.
- Lead with soft-wash for character homes; old siding scares owners away from DIY.
- Photograph moss-covered walkways while quoting one house and door-knock the block.
The shortcut
Every step above is DIY-able if you have the evenings to spare. The alternative: Prontco builds it all in roughly 10 business days — Vancouver licence filed, brand and website live, booking and payments connected, books set up — then stays with you for 30 days of launch support. From $997, and you own everything.
Related guides
How to start a pressure washing business in BC · How to start a business in Vancouver · The complete BC startup guide · Free calculators & checklists