Crash Course: Tracking Profit & Loss in Your Pressure Washing Business

Understanding your numbers is one of the most important skills you’ll develop as a business owner. This crash course will walk you through how to calculate profit and loss simply—without needing a finance degree.

Fixed Monthly Overhead Costs

Every business has fixed monthly expenses—bills that show up whether you do one job or twenty. For a startup pressure washing business, these usually include:

• CRM software (optional to start)
• Business insurance
• Website hosting & domain name

Beginner Tip: When we first started, we tracked everything manually in Excel. You don’t need fancy tools to get started—just stay consistent.

As your business grows, tools like Jobber, Markate, or QuickBooks can automate invoicing, scheduling, and expense tracking.

Marketing Costs: Fixed or Flexible

Marketing is technically a variable cost, but it’s one of the most important investments you’ll make as you grow. You control the budget, so start small and scale as needed.

• Digital Ads: Google, Facebook, Instagram
• Print & Local Ads: Yard signs, door hangers, wrapped vehicles, trailer banners

Wear & Tear on Equipment

It’s easy to forget, but your machines degrade every time you use them. This is part of your “variable expenses” and should be factored into your monthly cost of doing business. Track replacement costs and maintenance as part of your ongoing budget.

Payment Terms: Residential vs. Commercial

• Residential Jobs: 99% of these are paid same-day (cash, card, check, Venmo, etc.)
• Commercial Accounts: Often operate on Net 30 or Net 60, meaning you could wait 30–60 days to get paid.

Understanding these terms helps you plan cash flow and avoid financial surprises.

Finding Your Break-Even Point

One of the easiest ways to track profit is to calculate your monthly break-even point. Here’s how:

1. Add up your fixed expenses (e.g. $500/month)
2. Estimate variable expenses like gas, chemicals, and maintenance
3. Total expenses = your break-even goal for the month

If your fixed costs are $500, your goal is to earn $500 in revenue just to break even—anything after that is true business profit.

It’s a Seasonal Business—Plan Accordingly

Most pressure washing businesses slow down during the winter. To stay profitable year-round:

• Offer seasonal services like gutter cleaning or holiday light installs
• Save money during your busiest months to carry you through slow periods

Final Thought: When you track your numbers monthly, profitability becomes more manageable. Don’t overthink it—just stay consistent and keep learning.

Download Our Profit Tracking Template

Use our free Excel spreadsheet to calculate your monthly profits, expenses, and break-even point. This is the exact format we used when launching our own business.