Hello, I am currently 16 years old and looking to make some cash. I am interested in purchasing a pressure washer to start out. I plan to grow a little bit and expand. But for now I want to start small. I will pretty much be doing residential work for people I am familiar with. I live in a very small town. I’m not looking to make 100K a year, just some cash. What is the best pressure washer for me to buy? What else do I need to get started? Any help is greatly appreciated, thank you.
You’re going to get negative answers on here. I don’t really have much advice for you because I think it’s great you want to make money but I think you should wait until you’re at least 18. Lawn care is one thing but I think people will be skeptical of hiring someone so young to wash their house, whether it be high pressure or chemicals, both which can be dangerous if not handled properly. Take these 2 years to research and get a part time job and save.
Get a minimum 3 gpm machine that can pull chemicals/soap. Get an A frame ladder to help get the hard spots. Stick with just doing houses and skip concrete till you can get a bigger machine and surface cleaner. Read the hell out of the forums to learn as much as you can about using chrlorine/bleach to clean with.
Young fellow, get you a cheap washer and tank and wash cars and detail them.
Hey Jacob!
I think a good way to get your feet wet, (no pun intended) would be starting out with an inexpensive Washer / Surface Cleaner set-up and focus on pressure cleaning driveways and sidewalks only.
Washing houses, vehicles, etc… can turn bad very fast if something gets damaged or scratched.
I’ve attached a link to a “sample” set-up that would get you started.
A 4 gpm machine and a 16" - 18" Surface Cleaner along with 100’ of pressure hose would be a great way to make some weekend cash cleaning flat surfaces.
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Hi Jacob. Innocent bystander made a good suggestion it costs a little less to start detailing cars. Also you may want to consider window washing. It is real cost effective to start and you can use it as a way to gain entry to pressure washing customers. Just to let you know it is true you may have SOME difficulties with strangers due to your age but looking at your introduction, you seem to be far ahead of most 16 year olds. Starting at this age is great and by the time your 25 you’ll will put old men to shame… What is your budget to start with? What part of the country do you live in? Practice on your house, do your neighbors houses for free, then go to all your friends and your parents friends and sell them a job… Do a good job, do a little extra for free and then ask them for names of Their friends. Doing good work and throwing in a little extra for added value will get you referrals and repeat business.
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First of all, good for you. Good on you for being 16 and being willing to work and not wanting to sit on Snapchat or an Xbox all day. If you were near me, I’d hire you to come help out on job sites right now.
Second, waiting until you’re 18 is terrible advice (sorry @Newimage 
). Asking questions and being cautious is great. If you can learn and do a good job, anyone who won’t hire you strictly because of your age is a old putz and narrow minded. We need more young entrepreneurs.
What we don’t need is more people running around with a pressure washer of any brand or GPM just spraying random crap without knowing what they’re doing and what to charge. THAT is the main caution you’ll get from guys on this forum, and it’s a good thing. They want to protect their industry, and I’m for that.
@Innocentbystander is a grump, but he knows a thing or two. Only you know your area, but consider his advice. Conversely, if you’ve been asked to wash houses, don’t be afraid to tell those people that you want to do the best job possible, and you’re taking a month to learn as much as you can so you can do the best job possible.
Use the search function on this site and read the crap out of these forums. You’ll get there.
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Yea take all that advice with a grain of salt. He’s being optimistic but not realistic. Not sure that’s what this country needs.
I started my business when I was 15 and I started with cleaning windows… start there and let time do what it does. Best of luck buddy
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Jacob,
Don’t let people here tell you you’re too young to start a business like this. Google Ben Pasternak. 16 year old CEO and a higher net worth than anyone on this forum.
Then watch this: Check out this video on YouTube:
This kid hustles. Makes things happen. He’s a doer.
Find a local pressure washing contractor to do an unpaid internship with for 90 days and if you want still want to be in this business I’ll send you $300 start up capital for equipment.
Then find your local SCORE or SBA office and take a business plan workshop. Send me a picture of you and the instructor/mentor. Write a business plan and send me a copy
If you do that, I’ll send you another $200 for marketing.
Lastly, I would have to agree that window washing and washing cars are both brilliant ways for a young man to get started.
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I’ll pitch in $50 if he meets those requirements.
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You people are all so nice. Wow. I’m going to start looking for someone to intern with. Thank you so much
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I think your in a great place @Jacob99. Learn from these guys and take the good advise.
Coming from a small town in Montana I’ll chime in with this.
No matter what… KEEP YOUR WORD !!
Do the job as clean and representable as possible.
Make sure your vehicle is spotless. You are representing your cleaning skills.
Show up early ( 5 minutes is perfect ). If your going to be at your apt at 4 tell them 4:15 and adjust to be just a little early.
Underpromise and overdeliver. South West airlines did this with there fight departure times. Didn’t adjust the schedule just adjusted what they promised. Great customer reviews now. Genius 
And don’t understate yourself. You are starting a business and “reputation” in your town. It will be there forever. With this adventure or whatever it leads to. Make it a good one.
And last… play by the book – register a business name, get your EIN for taxes, get insured and bonded.
Yes those are costs but if you start out right the lesson know will help you so much as this business grows.
Go talk to a CPA company and offer to trade washing for advice.
My 2 pennies worth
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