# Exterior soft wash cost in Chicago

Exterior soft wash in Chicago runs between $0.082 and $0.258 per square foot of exterior wall, most likely $0.154. These are the Illinois rates.

Rates calibrated October 2, 2026. Review by December 31, 2026. Updated October 14, 2026. Method propdata-estimator-v6.

## Rates by service

**Exterior soft wash rates in Chicago, per square foot of exterior wall**

| Service | Low | Most likely | High |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Facade wash (drone) | $0.082 | $0.154 | $0.258 |
| Facade wash with mold or growth treatment | $0.124 | $0.227 | $0.391 |
| Facade wash, conventional access | $0.154 | $0.278 | $0.464 |

Grade C: modelled from the Texas calibration and scaled by the state factor of 1.03. [What the grades mean](https://skypsi.com/estimates/methodology/confidence-grades/).

## What moves the price

- Moderate: adds 10%
- High: adds 25%
- Extreme or first clean: adds 40%
- Minimum job value: $5,000
- Boom lift, up to 8 floors: $2,000 a week
- Boom lift, 9 to 12 floors: $3,500 a week
- Boom lift, 13 floors and up: $4,500 a week
- Lift fuel: $75 a day
- [Access and permit costs](https://skypsi.com/estimates/methodology/add-ons/)

## Buildings on file

- Buildings on file: 386,020 (public building records, as of October 14, 2026)
- With measured height: 357,308 (public building records, as of October 14, 2026)
- Tallest: 1,450.1 feet (public building records, as of October 14, 2026)
- Median estimate: $11,000 (most likely, per building, SkyPSI estimator, as of October 14, 2026)

## Building types

- [Office](https://skypsi.com/estimates/exterior-soft-wash/il/chicago/office/)
- [Retail](https://skypsi.com/estimates/exterior-soft-wash/il/chicago/retail/)
- [Industrial](https://skypsi.com/estimates/exterior-soft-wash/il/chicago/industrial/)

## Tallest buildings on file

- [215 South Wacker Drive, Chicago](https://skypsi.com/property/il/chicago/spzaxd7byv3b7w2-215-south-wacker-drive-chicago/): 1,450.1 feet, 108 stories
- [401 North Wabash Avenue, Chicago](https://skypsi.com/property/il/chicago/spx98a8rvdktw86-401-north-wabash-avenue-chicago/): 1,170.9 feet, 98 stories
- [130 East Randolph Street, Chicago](https://skypsi.com/property/il/chicago/spyj15y8rf7f1v0-130-east-randolph-street-chicago/): 912.1 feet, 71 stories
- [10 South Dearborn Street, Chicago](https://skypsi.com/property/il/chicago/spn0w8xk5erwbmg-10-south-dearborn-street-chicago/): 853 feet, 60 stories
- [737 North Michigan Avenue, Chicago](https://skypsi.com/property/il/chicago/spnphby9rjj8w2w-737-north-michigan-avenue-chicago/): 725.1 feet, 63 stories
- [141 West Jackson Boulevard, Chicago](https://skypsi.com/property/il/chicago/sppbhdsyrhqa6ah-141-west-jackson-boulevard-chicago/): 603.7 feet, 45 stories
- [500 West Monroe Street, Chicago](https://skypsi.com/property/il/chicago/sppee6a0dtq7xxj-500-west-monroe-street-chicago/): 600.4 feet, 42 stories
- [5415 North Sheridan Road, Chicago](https://skypsi.com/property/il/chicago/spxwevrg76vhkhj-5415-north-sheridan-road-chicago/): 499.8 feet, 54 stories
- [454 North Columbus Drive, Chicago](https://skypsi.com/property/il/chicago/spkb5ryn8sbvgab-454-north-columbus-drive-chicago/): 497.1 feet, 37 stories
- [500 West Madison Street, Chicago](https://skypsi.com/property/il/chicago/sp0nwzy54ded2cf-500-west-madison-street-chicago/): 491.8 feet, 42 stories
- [3660 North Lake Shore Drive, Chicago](https://skypsi.com/property/il/chicago/spnzrj15a63zfvh-3660-north-lake-shore-drive-chicago/): 490.3 feet, 49 stories
- [2105 South Prairie Avenue, Chicago](https://skypsi.com/property/il/chicago/spsj3fh4xgrewbq-2105-south-prairie-avenue-chicago/): 438.6 feet, 34 stories

## Methods

- [Drone](https://skypsi.com/estimates/exterior-soft-wash/drone/il/chicago/): buildings from 45 feet to 250 feet tall
- [Boom lift](https://skypsi.com/estimates/exterior-soft-wash/lift/il/chicago/): any height
- [Rope access](https://skypsi.com/estimates/exterior-soft-wash/rope-bmu/il/chicago/): work above what a pole reaches

## Questions

### What does mold or algae treatment add by drone?

A drone facade wash with mold or growth treatment runs between $0.124 and $0.391 per square foot of exterior wall, most likely $0.227.

### When does a boom lift or rope access fit better than a drone?

Conventional access suits buildings under 45 feet, which sit below the drone range. A conventional facade wash runs between $0.154 and $0.464 per square foot of exterior wall, most likely $0.278.

### What changes the price of exterior soft wash in Chicago?

Difficulty adds 10% for moderate access or soiling, 25% for high, and 40% for an extreme building or a first clean.

### What does a boom lift add?

A boom lift for a building up to 8 floors adds $2,000 a week.

### Is there a minimum job value?

The minimum job value is $5,000. A smaller job is raised to it once, on the proposal.

### Which rates does Chicago use?

Chicago uses the Illinois rates.

## About these estimates

SkyPSI sets the exterior cleaning estimate for commercial buildings. Exterior soft wash is a service. Drone, boom lift and rope access are methods.

## Related

- [Exterior soft wash in Illinois](https://skypsi.com/estimates/exterior-soft-wash/il/)
- [Window cleaning in Chicago](https://skypsi.com/estimates/window-cleaning/il/chicago/)
- [How a SkyEstimate is built](https://skypsi.com/estimates/methodology/how-a-skyestimate-is-built/)
- [Rates for every service](https://skypsi.com/estimates/methodology/per-square-foot-bands/)
- [Regional price factors](https://skypsi.com/estimates/methodology/regional-price-factors/)

[Request a Quote](https://skypsi.com/request-a-quote)

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Sources: USA Structures, Overture Maps building footprints, SkyPSI estimator, USGS 3D Elevation Program.

Building footprints: USA Structures, FEMA Response Geospatial Office, Oak Ridge National Laboratory and U.S. Geological Survey (CC BY 4.0). https://disasters.geoplatform.gov/USA_Structures/

Building footprints from Overture Maps Foundation, including OpenStreetMap contributors, Microsoft, Esri Community Maps contributors and USGS, under the Open Database License (ODbL). https://opendatacommons.org/licenses/odbl/1-0/

Building heights from the U.S. Geological Survey 3D Elevation Program (public domain). https://www.usgs.gov/3d-elevation-program

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