So I received a request for a fence rail pressure wash prep for painting. I don’t know how should I quote it if by the linear footage which I think would make more sense or doing it by square footage. The linear footage its approximate 3000 ft. This would be my first fence rail and any help would be appreciated. Please don’t be an ■■■ with the comments, help someone out. And no there isn’t anything in the forum about it because I searched before posting. Thank you
There’s a couple threads here that discuss some of what you’re asking. However you haven’t given enough data to get accurate feedback:
Type of wood/fence material (rail makes me think vinyl but could be wood)
Both sides?
Are you prepping and painting or just painting?
This thread had decent info in it relating to your questions Someone please help me price this huge 3,250 sq/ft fence job
Also posting pics would help with feedback.
Dang a 3000 foot fence is your first one. Good job. Wood Fences aren’t much different wood decks. I always charge by the linear foot. But hight determines he rate. So in reality it’s square footage.
Its wood, both sides and and no I only pressure wash, I do not paint. They are 3 long 8 foot by 6 foot
Thank you and yes 3000 linear footage of fence. They are (3) 8x6 that make the fence height.
What is 386? Post a pic. We’re shooting in the dark here
I think he’s talking about 3 runners per section of fence.
Are they just mildewed, or flaking paint? Most white one’s here are vinyl, usually wood are painted or stained darker browns. Either way, water is your biggest challenge. Is it 3000 LF, is that counting both sides or just one? How close is your water access. Can you run enough hose or are you going to have to stop and go fill your tanks periodically?
One thing that has worked well for us on larger projects is to get a friends pickup, put a spare tote in it and let it be filling up while you’re using what you have. Then bring truck to trailer and sludge pump it over into working tank. Takes about 10 min and you’re not having to lose an hour or so every so often waiting on water.
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I understand all the aspect that go into it, and asking all the question before quoting, but the question really is should it be by linear footage or square footage. water is going to be a challenge. I have a 275 gallon tote. I can maybe get more hose to actually fill the tank while working from the source. I just don’t know how much should I start at if in linear footage just counting that with out the rest. My business partner was thinking start at $0.30 is that logical. It is a big job and our first one in this magnitude. I know we can do it. Thank you for the help. This forum is for helping each other succeed.
Well, I just did a long privacy fence for a friend, and it was a bear with 20yo stain and multiple algae buildup cycles.
I guess determine how long it takes to do a section and multiply by how many they have. If you’re just doing a HW and rinse it shouldn’t be that difficult.
Thank you I appreciate your comment.
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Depending on how dirty anywhere from .65 to 1.10 per LF for both sides. I can tell you, at .30 per lf per side you better have it down to a science. I do a lot and I have one I do every 2 years for .325 per side and it’s tough. I’d say go in at about .45-.50 per lf per side.
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Dang. You threw out your pricing. Not many do that on here.
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Because I’m not worried about losing customers. Once I clean a property, they’ll never use anyone else. 
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Your are super! I don’t understand why people get so secretive about pricing. Who cares. This forum is to help each other grow. Thank you so much for the tips you have given me. Will take it into consideration.
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You know you come to a forum that has great resources and then criticize it. To quote someone, “I just don’t understand that.” There are lots of reasons people avoid talking about pricing.
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That never really made sense to me either. Why are people so secretive about pricing and chemical mixtures. Chances are the person asking is in another town, or another state. If you’re really worried about someone coming in and under bidding you or stealing your “secret formula” then maybe you should be doing better work. Word of mouth advertising is a powerful thing.
I did a fence like that a few months ago (wood painted white). Little bit of green mold, paint chipping off. Customer wanted it clean enough to be repainted (by someone else), which included knocking off whatever paint comes off easily. It was only about 450 feet, I hit it with some bleach from a pump up sprayer and about 2000 psi (adjustable wand) at 5.5 GPM. It took about 4 hours by myself. Used about $50 worth of 12% bleach (diluted down to about 3% in the sprayer), job paid $500. Just make sure to water down the grass below first so the bleach doesn’t kill it.
Price guarding is an insecurity trait lol. A solid business is based on relationships. If I charge $500 doesn’t mean you’ll sweep it from under me for $400. The chemical mixtures is a waste of time, 2 minutes on the internet you’ll know everything you need to know, it’s only a secret to sound smarter than you. 1% 3% 5% is the secret, it’s out now.
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Here’s the thing pricing is different regionally, sometimes vastly. Rural Mississippi or most areas in FL might be half or a third of NJ or CA. On top of that pricing is simple figure out on your own. Figure what you need to earn an hour multiply it by how long the job will take. Yes, it’ll take a few jobs to fine tune it. Yes, asking people you don’t know for pricing is a sign of insecurity.
