A Jacksonville driveway is priced as a job, not a clock. Square footage, how stained it is, and whether curbing, the sidewalk, and the trash-can pad are in the bid all move the number. Market talk for residential exterior cleaning often sits in a $0.36–$1.50+ per-square-foot band, but that's a conversation starter, not a menu. A lightly filmed slab in Riverside is a short visit. Oil, rust from irrigation, and years of tire marks take degreaser, dwell, and more passes. If someone quotes by the hour, ask what happens when the stains don't lift on the first pass.
How long should it take to clean a driveway or patio?
A typical residential driveway, once the water is hooked up, is measured in hours — not a weekend. Patios and pool decks add time if the grout lines and furniture footprints are filthy, but they still shouldn't swallow your Saturday. What stretches a visit is stain chemistry, not the wand waving. Algae film on Florida concrete comes off with the right mix and a surface cleaner. Oil needs degreaser. Rust and irrigation stains need specialty chemicals, and those don't always yield in one pass. If a quote assumes a quick rinse and the slab is mottled brown, the time — and the price — will move when they see it. That's legitimate scope, as long as they tell you before they start.
Why does driveway pricing jump around so much?
Crew size, whether they use a surface cleaner — the spinning deck that leaves a streak-free finish — or a wand that stripes the concrete, and what's included. Curbing included is a real line. Plenty of cheap bids wash the field and leave the curb dirty, which is the strip you see from the street. Sidewalks, pool decks, and pavers may be extra; paver cleaning and sealing is not the same service as a concrete wash. Small pads can hit a minimum charge. A red flag is the door-knocker who cuts the price after they 'see the job,' then adds chemicals or travel on the invoice.
If the curb isn't in the driveway quote, you don't have a finished driveway. That's the strip everyone sees from the street.
How do I know the concrete work is actually done?
Walk it wet and walk it dry. Streaks from a wand show up as tiger stripes once the sun hits. A surface cleaner should leave an even field. Oil shadows may lighten without vanishing — honest crews say that before they start, because some petroleum stains are in the pour. Compare the back of the house, the walkway, and the pad by the garage. Reviews for this kind of work in Jacksonville keep landing on the same tells: they didn't stop until they were satisfied, they came back for a curb that didn't look right. That's the standard, not a bonus.
Matthew Wood Pressure Washing, LLC treats driveway and concrete cleaning as a streak-free job with the curb in the picture, and they'll make it right if you're unsatisfied. Ask for a free quote that names the slab, the curb, and any oil or rust treatment so you're not comparing a rinse to a real clean.