MrFixit is right. I struggled with that for a long time. A lot of the pricing I saw was in areas where the population was 25-50k. I’m in SW Iowa, surrounded by farming communities, but no competition except by a painter that does it on the side. So I’ve got the market all to myself, but convincing people they need my services has been the struggle. I have gotten all but one of the jobs I’ve bid, so perhaps I’m a little on the low side. So some things to think about - what’s the population/demographic and is there competition. You’ll also want to take into account if you’ll need to rent any equipment (I recently had to rent a 34’ lift), how difficult the job might be (how hard will it be to clean), any try to objectively figure out what types of obstacles you might run into. Figure out what you want to make per hour as your personal pay, and what your overhead costs are. Add those up and then add in a profit margin.
I could probably charge 50% more if I was in a different area. For example, in Dallas or San Francisco, in a well-to-do neighborhood, you might be able to charge upwards of $500-$700 for a whole house wash on a ranch style home. In my area, $350 is a more reasonable rate. I’m sure there’s guys out there that might be able to give you a better idea or actual prices they charge, but this is the conclusion I’ve come to.
I’ve also read once that you want to lose a small percentage of your bids. If you’re getting them all, you’re price is too low & if you’re not getting enough, you’re too high. Just some food for thought.
