In Lakewood Ranch the pressure washer usually gets called after the HOA letter arrives: mildew on the roof, algae on the driveway, green film on the lanai. It is a low barrier business. Anyone with a machine from a big box store can hang a sign. The difference between a professional and a hobbyist shows up in your roof tiles, your paver sand and your landscaping. Here is what to look for.
No state license, so insurance is the whole story
Florida does not issue a state license for pressure washing. What a legitimate company has instead is a local business tax receipt and, far more important, general liability insurance with limits that would actually cover a damaged roof or a flooded lanai. Ask for the certificate of insurance and confirm it is current. If the company has employees, ask about workers’ compensation. A worker who falls off your tile roof without coverage becomes your claim.
Roofs are soft washed, never pressure washed
This is the single most important thing to know. Concrete and clay tile roofs, which cover most of Lakewood Ranch, must be cleaned with low pressure and a cleaning solution, usually sodium hypochlorite and a surfactant, applied and rinsed gently. High pressure on tile breaks tiles, drives water under them, strips the surface and shortens the life of the underlayment that is actually keeping your house dry. Shingle roofs are even more vulnerable.
Ask the company how it cleans roofs. If the answer involves pressure, or if they cannot explain the difference between pressure washing and soft washing, do not let them on the roof. Also ask how they protect your plants, since the runoff from roof cleaning solutions will burn landscaping if it is not pre-wet and rinsed.
Pavers need more than a blast
Paver driveways and pool decks are everywhere here. Cleaning them properly means a surface cleaner rather than a wand, which leaves stripes, followed by re-sanding the joints with polymeric sand and, if you choose, sealing. A company that pressure washes pavers and leaves without replacing the joint sand has just set up your driveway for shifting, weeds and ants. Ask whether sanding is included, what kind of sand, and whether sealing is offered as a separate line item.
For concrete driveways, ask about the pressure and nozzle used. Etching and visible wand marks on concrete are permanent.
Pool cages, lanais and screens
Screen enclosures collect mildew in Florida humidity. They should be cleaned with low pressure and a mild solution. High pressure tears screens and loosens the spline that holds them. Ask the company to walk the cage with you first and note any already damaged panels so there is no argument later about who tore what. The lanai floor itself, whether pavers, concrete or travertine, follows the same rules as above. Travertine in particular should never see high pressure.
Chemicals, water and the environment
A professional will tell you what they are putting on your property. Sodium hypochlorite at various dilutions is standard for mildew and algae. Ask about:
- How they protect plants, grass and the pool from runoff.
- Whether they use a reclaim or capture system when washing near storm drains.
- Whether the house wash includes the gutters and soffits, where mildew is most visible.
- What they do about rust stains from irrigation water, which require a different product and are not removed by bleach.
Both Manatee and Sarasota County have stormwater rules, and your HOA may have rules about runoff into ponds.
Scope and pricing
Get the scope in writing. A “house wash” from one company includes the roof, driveway, walkways, lanai and cage. From another it means the front of the house. Pricing is usually by the square foot or by the surface, and should state:
- Which surfaces are included.
- Whether the roof is soft washed and whether that is a separate price.
- Whether pavers are re-sanded and sealed.
- Whether windows are rinsed and whether screens are removed or cleaned in place.
- What happens if it rains.
Many companies will send before and after photos. Ask for them.
Red flags
- Any mention of pressure washing a roof.
- No insurance certificate, or one with limits too low to matter.
- A wand only operation with no surface cleaner for flatwork.
- Prices that are dramatically below everyone else, which usually means no insurance and no chemicals.
- No willingness to walk the property with you before starting.
Reading the reviews
Our pressure washing listings pull ratings from Google, Yelp, Angi and the BBB together. For this trade, read for:
- Damage to screens, plants, tiles or paint and how the company handled it.
- Whether the result lasted or whether the mildew came back within weeks, which usually means no cleaning solution was used.
- Whether the crew showed up when scheduled.
- Paver sanding and sealing outcomes, since this is where many jobs go wrong.
Check the lowest rated list as well.
The short version
Hire a company with insurance you have seen, that soft washes roofs, uses a surface cleaner and re-sands pavers, protects your landscaping, and puts the scope in writing. A clean house that stays clean until next year is the point. A clean house with a leaking roof is not.
Start with the top rated home pros in Lakewood Ranch and the full pressure washing directory.
Published September 22, 2026. Lakewood Ranch Home Pros is an independent directory and does not accept payment for rankings. Verify licenses and ratings at the linked sources before hiring.
