Apartment Complex Pressure Washing Proposal Template

Everything below is written to be copied into your own letterhead and edited. The generator further down assembles the short version automatically; the written sections give you the full language to keep on file.

Dear [Manager name],

Thank you for walking [Property name] with me on [date]. The proposal that follows covers exterior cleaning for all [#] buildings, [#] breezeways, the community sidewalks and curbs, and [#] dumpster pads, priced in [#] phases so the work can be scheduled around residents and your budget period.

Scope and exclusions are listed in detail so you can compare this against any other bid line by line. My certificate of insurance, W-9 and three multifamily references are attached. I can begin the week of [date] and complete Phase 1 in [#] working days.

I'm glad to walk the property again with your regional manager or answer questions by phone at [phone].

Sincerely,
[Your name], [Title] — [Company]

Put this at the top of page one. It is what lets the proposal be filed and forwarded correctly.

Write scope as surfaces plus method plus frequency. Copy the structure below and replace the bracketed values with your takeoff from the apartment bid guide.

Areas excluded from this proposal: roof surfaces; window and glass cleaning; balcony interiors and resident personal property; rust, battery acid, paint overspray and hard-water etching; oil-stain removal beyond standard degreasing; gutter interiors; sealing or coating of any surface; irrigation or landscape repair. Any of these can be added by written change order.

Disclose method by surface. Vinyl, stucco, EIFS and hardboard all require low-pressure application with detergent dwell time rather than high pressure, and stating that in writing protects you when a manager assumes "pressure washing" means blasting the siding.

List the chemical classes you use — sodium hypochlorite dilutions, surfactants, commercial degreasers — and note that safety data sheets are available on request. Follow label directions; the EPA's pesticide label guidance governs how antimicrobial products may legally be applied and described.

Spelling this out is the single cheapest way to avoid a bad job. Copy it as written and adjust:

State where water comes from, who pays for it, and what happens if it isn't available. Sample language: "Property will provide access to a functioning hose bib within 150 feet of each building at no charge to Contractor. Contractor supplies all hose, reels and buffer tanks. If water is unavailable on a scheduled day, that phase will be rescheduled to the next available date at no change in price. If Contractor must haul water, a surcharge of [$] per day applies and will be issued as a written change order before work begins."

Do the same for electrical: note whether you supply your own generator, and that Contractor will not use resident-metered outlets.

Give a phase-by-phase schedule with working days rather than calendar dates so a two-week approval delay doesn't invalidate the plan. Sample weather clause: "Work is weather dependent. Contractor will not clean during rain, sustained winds above [#] mph, or when ambient temperature is below [#]°F. Weather-delayed phases will be rescheduled to the next available working day at no change in contract price, and Contractor will notify the on-site manager by [time] the morning of any delay."

List the protective steps you actually take: pre-wetting and post-rinsing plantings adjacent to treated elevations, covering or bagging light fixtures and low-voltage fittings, masking HVAC units and electrical panels, protecting freshly painted surfaces, coning and taping work zones, and posting wet-floor signage in breezeways.

Add a damage-reporting clause: any suspected damage must be reported in writing within [#] days of phase completion so it can be inspected while conditions are documentable.

Sample clause: "Contractor will manage wash water in accordance with applicable federal, state and local stormwater regulations. Wash water from dumpster pads, drive lanes and other areas subject to oils or grease will be contained, collected and disposed of at an approved sanitary discharge point. Contractor will not permit pollutant-bearing wash water to enter storm drains, retention ponds or surface waters."

Verify your local rules — requirements are set locally under the EPA NPDES stormwater program and enforced by your municipal or county stormwater authority, so the correct answer differs by city.

State the coverages you carry and offer the endorsements the management company requires rather than asserting limits you haven't confirmed with your agent: "Contractor carries commercial general liability, workers' compensation and commercial auto coverage. Upon acceptance, Contractor will furnish a certificate of insurance naming [Owner entity] and [Management company] as additional insured, with the endorsements and limits specified in the management company's vendor requirements."

What managers actually check — additional insured versus certificate holder, primary and non-contributory wording, waiver of subrogation — is broken down in vendor insurance requirements and the broader commercial insurance requirements guide.

Sample clause: "Any work outside the scope described above requires a written change order signed by an authorized representative of Management before work proceeds. Change orders will state the added scope, price and schedule impact. Verbal requests will be confirmed in writing before Contractor performs the work."

One page, one signature, before the work. That single habit ends most multifamily payment disputes.

Spell out deposit, progress billing by phase, final invoice timing, net terms, accepted payment methods and late-payment terms. On phased apartment work, invoicing at the completion of each phase keeps your cash flow ahead of your labor.

Close with: "This proposal is valid for [30] days from the date of issue. After that date, pricing is subject to review for material and fuel cost changes."

Fill in your details and print to PDF, or copy the plain-text version straight into an email. Nothing is uploaded — everything runs in your browser.

Keep the signature block simple and complete:

Subject: [Property name] exterior cleaning — quick question on Phase 1 timing

Hi [Manager name] — following up on the proposal I sent [date]. Two things that might help you move it forward: I can hold [dates] for Phase 1, and if the full scope is more than this budget period allows, I can split it so the street-facing buildings and clubhouse are done now and flatwork follows next quarter.

Anything you need from me for vendor compliance — COI, W-9, references — I can send today. Happy to walk it with your regional manager if that's the next step.

[Your name] — [Company] — [Phone]

Send follow-up one on day 3 and follow-up two on day 10 with a new piece of information, not a nudge. The commercial bid guide covers the full follow-up cadence.