Cost guide
How much does roof cleaning cost?
Roof cleaning costs £400 to £900 for a typical semi-detached house, £700 to £1,500 for a large detached one and £15 to £25 a square metre where a firm prices by area. Access equipment can add £200 to £600 where scaffolding is needed.
Typical prices
Ranges, not quotes. A quote depends on the size of the roof, its pitch and how they reach it.
| Work | Typical UK price |
|---|---|
| Terraced house | £300 to £600 |
| Semi-detached house | £400 to £900 |
| Detached house | £700 to £1,500 |
| Biocide treatment only, no scraping | £250 to £600 |
| Scaffolding, where needed | £200 to £600 |
| Gutter clearing afterwards | usually included |
Get two or three quotes on this one and compare the access line specifically. Roof work has the widest spread of any job on this site, most of the difference is how the firm plans to get up there, and that is the part a customer can actually compare.
What moves the price
- Roof area and pitch. A steep roof is slower and needs more access equipment.
- Access. Scaffolding, a tower or a cherry picker is often the largest single line in the quote.
- How much moss there is, and how long it has been there.
- Tile type. Concrete, clay and slate behave differently and slate is the most easily damaged.
- Whether a biocide treatment and gutter clearing are included.
- Storeys, and whether the roof can be reached from the ground at all.
Who quotes for it
4 of the 204 cleaning companies listed on this site take on roof cleaning.
Spread across: Belfast (1), Cardiff (1), Leicester (1), Southampton (1).
Questions about roof cleaning
How long does the treatment last?
Four to six years for scraping with a biocide, and longer on a roof that gets sun and air. A shaded north-facing roof under trees is a shorter cycle whatever is applied.
Is it worth doing at all?
For a roof with heavy moss and blocking gutters, yes. For light greening on a sound roof, it is cosmetic, and there is no harm in saying so.