Terms and conditions for a pressure washing business

A pressure washing business gets into trouble over two things: what the surface looked like before you arrived, and what the customer expected it to look like afterwards. Terms that deal with existing defects, staining that will not lift, chemical run-off and who moves the cars are worth more than any amount of argument on the day. I draft them around your business for a fixed fee of £995, delivered in five working days.

Who this is for

Pressure washing and soft washing businesses in England and Wales cleaning driveways, patios, decking, render, cladding, roofs and commercial hard standing, whether you trade as a sole trader or a limited company. Most of you sell to homeowners and also to businesses such as pubs, retail parks, managing agents and fleet operators. The law treats those two customers very differently, so the terms have to handle both.

What matters in pressure washing terms

What you are promising the surface will look like

Oil, tyre marks, rust, red diesel, paint spots and deep organic staining often will not come out, and lichen comes back. Your terms should promise a clean carried out with reasonable care and skill to the best result the surface reasonably allows, not a result. That matters because under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 information a consumer relies on when deciding to buy becomes binding, so 'it will come up like new' in a quote or on a social media post can become a contractual promise. Say in writing what sealing, resanding or a second treatment costs, rather than absorbing it.

Existing defects and damage to the surface

Soft or blown render, perished pointing, loose block paving, rotten decking boards, cracked flags, failed window seals and old felt all fail under a lance, and the customer will say they were fine that morning. The terms should require the customer to disclose known defects, allow you to record the condition before starting, and state that you are not liable for damage to surfaces or fixings already in poor condition. Against business customers a liability cap and an exclusion of consequential loss are worth having. Neither can exclude liability for death or personal injury caused by negligence.

Chemicals, run-off and waste

Soft washing biocides kill plants, mark cars and stain adjoining surfaces, and slurry from a driveway has to go somewhere. Put the customer under an obligation to identify ponds, drains, borders and anything that must be protected, and to move or cover vulnerable items. State what you will cover and what you will not. If you collect silt, sand or arisings and take them away, you need to be registered as a waste carrier with the Environment Agency under the Control of Pollution (Amendment) Act 1989 and the Waste (England and Wales) Regulations 2011, and commercial customers now ask to see it.

Access, water, power and the things nobody moved

You cannot work without water and a place to park. The terms should require a working outside tap and power, vehicles moved, gates unlocked, windows and rooflights closed, and pets and children kept clear, and should allow you to charge an aborted visit fee where the site is not ready. Where the water is metered, say who pays. Add wording on overspray onto cars, washing lines and neighbouring property, and on work at height for render and roof cleaning, including what you need the customer to provide for access.

Homeowners, quotes and the cancellation period

Quote at the doorstep or by phone, email or website and the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013 give the homeowner fourteen days to cancel. Start inside that period without their express written request and you may not be paid for the work. Miss the cancellation information altogether and the period can run on for up to a year. Off-premises jobs of £42 or less sit outside the regulations, which covers very little pressure washing. Headline prices shown to consumers must include all compulsory charges under the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024.

Commercial rounds and recurring work

Car parks, forecourts, bin stores and communal paths are usually sold as a schedule of visits, and that needs different drafting: the frequency, what counts as a visit, out of hours and night working, site induction and permit requirements, minimum term, notice to end it and an annual price review. Make late payment expensive. The Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998 gives statutory interest and fixed compensation per unpaid invoice, and a contractual interest clause only displaces it if it is a substantial remedy. Allow yourself to use subcontractors, and state your public liability cover.

What it costs

Customer or supplier terms and conditions, £995. One set of terms, customer-facing or supplier-facing, drafted around your business. Five working days.

Review of your existing terms, £495. You already have terms and want to know how much of a problem they are. Returned marked up with my amendments and an explanation of the changes. Three working days.

Buying online forms the engagement on payment. The scope is what the terms and conditions drafting page describes, you accept the Terms of Service at checkout, and I email you within four working hours to get started. If you would rather ask something first, email me.

What you get

• A full set of terms drafted around your business, not a template with your name inserted
• A covering note in plain English explaining every commercial choice I made and why, so you can defend the terms in a negotiation without ringing me
• Liability, payment, termination and IP provisions set at a level that will survive a procurement review
• Consumer-facing wording drafted to be enforceable where you sell to consumers
• Guidance on how to incorporate the terms properly, which is where most businesses actually fail
• One round of amendments after you have read them

What is not included

• Negotiating your terms with individual customers
• Sector-specific regulatory compliance beyond the contract terms themselves
• Website privacy notice and cookie compliance, which I quote separately
• Terms governed by the law of another country

Questions I am often asked

Can I take a deposit when I book a driveway clean at the customer's door?

You can, provided the terms say what the deposit is for and what happens to it on cancellation. A homeowner who cancels within the fourteen day window is normally entitled to it back unless they asked you in writing to begin sooner, in which case they pay a proportionate amount for what you have done.

The customer's outside tap did not work and I had to leave. Can I charge?

Only if the terms say so before the visit. I draft a clear site readiness clause with a stated charge for an aborted attendance, and a right to reschedule. Without it, you are asking for money the customer never agreed to pay, and on a domestic job that argument usually ends with a chargeback or a review.

Do I need a second set of terms for my commercial contracts?

One properly drafted set can carry both, with a consumer section and a schedule for recurring commercial work. What does not work is handing a homeowner a document written for a managing agent. The parts you most want to rely on, the caps and exclusions, are the ones a court will not enforce against a consumer.

Related guidance and services

• Terms and conditions drafting, £995, the service this page describes
• Contract review, £495
• Ask Caesar, £495 a month
• Terms and conditions for a driveway and paving contractor
• Terms and conditions for a commercial cleaning contractor

This page is general guidance for businesses in England and Wales, not advice on your own circumstances. Last reviewed: September 2026. Email geoffrey@caesar.co.uk.