Mildew, algae, rust stains and salt film build up quickly on South Florida buildings. Cleaning the facade, walkways and garage makes a property look well managed, and it also helps paint and coatings last longer.
Use the estimator below for a typical range on your building's exterior walls, then read on for what affects the price.
Estimate your facade cleaning cost
Match the settings to your building. You'll see a typical price range right away.
Required to see a price
A drop is one trip down the building on ropes: a technician starts at the roof and cleans a vertical strip of windows on the way to the ground. Each drop usually covers one or two columns of windows. Your roof anchor plan or last contract usually lists your drop count. Don't know the exact number? Just estimate.
Don't know it? Multiply the distance around your building by its height (about 10 ft per floor). An estimate is fine.
Engineer's reports and past bids usually list it.
Don't know the exact number? Just estimate.
Don't know the exact number? Just estimate.
Budgeting for your structural integrity reserve study (SIRS)? Waterproofing, exterior painting and windows are reserve items, so this range is a reasonable starting number for the board.
Typical range for South Florida commercial buildings, based on our typical prices. Not a quote. Your exact price comes after a walk-through. Prices updated November 2026.
Example costs for South Florida buildings
What typical buildings in Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach pay, using the same typical prices as the estimator. Facade cleaning is soft washing the walls.
| Building | Facade cleaning |
|---|---|
| 8-story office building, 28,000 sq ft of exterior wall Adjust | $5,000–$7,800 |
| 20-story condominium, 80,000 sq ft of exterior wall Adjust | $14,400–$22,400 |
| 45-story tower, 180,000 sq ft of exterior wall Adjust | $32,400–$50,400 |
How pressure washing is priced
Building cleaning is priced by the square foot of the surface being cleaned. For a facade, that means the wall area, not the building's floor area. These are typical ranges, not quotes:
- Facade soft washing: about $0.18 to $0.28 per square foot of wall.
- Walkways, pool decks and hardscape: about $0.09 to $0.22 per square foot.
- Parking garage cleaning: about $0.09 to $0.13 per square foot.
Soft washing or pressure washing?
High pressure can damage painted stucco, coatings and sealant, so facades are usually soft washed: low pressure with cleaning solutions that kill mildew and algae at the root. Higher pressure is used on concrete walkways, pool decks and garage floors, where it's safe and gets the surface cleaner.
What drives the cost
- Height and access. Low buildings can be cleaned from the ground or a lift. High-rises need rope access or a swing stage.
- How dirty it is. Heavy mildew, rust stains and oil spots in garages take extra treatment and time.
- Surface type. Painted stucco, glass, stone and bare concrete each need different methods and cleaners.
- Protecting the property. Covering landscaping, cars, pool furniture and entrances adds time, especially on occupied buildings.
- Scheduling. Garages and walkways in busy buildings often have to be cleaned in sections or after hours.
How often to clean
Many South Florida buildings clean the facade every one to two years, and oceanfront buildings more often because of salt and mildew. Walkways, pool decks and entrances often need cleaning several times a year.
Cleaning is also the first step before painting or waterproofing, since coatings don't bond well to dirty or mildewed surfaces. See How Much Does It Cost to Paint a High-Rise in South Florida? and How Much Does Building Waterproofing Cost in South Florida?.
How to lower the cost
- Combine it with window cleaning. Both use the same access, so doing them in one visit saves setup time. See How Much Does High-Rise Window Cleaning Cost in South Florida?.
- Clean on a schedule. Light buildup cleaned regularly is faster to remove than years of mildew.
- Give accurate measurements. Square footage of the garage and decks leads to a tighter quote.
Get a price for your building
See our pricing page for typical ranges on all of our services, or learn more about our Pressure Washing & Facade Cleaning service. For an exact price, request a quote with your building address and what you'd like cleaned, and we'll schedule a walk-through.