PL9: coastal suburbs from Plymstock to Wembury
PL9 runs from the suburban blocks at Pomphlett and Goosewell out to the cliffs at Wembury and Bovisand. Within six miles you go from sheltered estate render to elevations taking the full weight of the Channel weather, and the same house type behaves completely differently at each end.
PL9 covers 16 places we work in, 2.5 to 6.6 miles from our base at 58 Reddington Road, Plymouth (Devon, Plymouth City Council, South Hams District Council) - all inside our 20-mile radius of Plymouth.
Questions we get asked in PL9
- How often will a Wembury-facing wall need doing?
- More often than an inland one. Exposure and salt both shorten the interval; we will give you an honest estimate for your elevation.
- Can you make a slippery patio safe again?
- Cleaning removes the algae film that causes it, and a treatment afterwards slows it coming back.
- Do you clean around a hot tub or decking?
- Yes, with the appropriate care around timber and any electrics - tell us in advance what is out there.
The coastal gradient inside one postcode
At Pomphlett and Radford, houses are sheltered and the problem is shade: green on the north wall, moss on the shallow extension roof. At Staddon Heights, Jennycliff and Wembury the same render is being sand-blasted by salt wind and needs cleaning for a different reason entirely.
It is worth knowing which of the two you are, because it decides how often the job needs repeating.
Patios, decking and sea-facing terraces
PL9 has more outdoor terraces than any other district we cover, and they are the surfaces that get slippery first. Algae on a north-facing patio in winter is a genuine safety issue rather than a cosmetic one.
Flat-surface rotary cleaning gives an even finish without the striping a hand lance leaves, and a follow-up treatment slows the regrowth.
Roofs above the cliff line
Exposed roofs here lose moss to the wind but gain lichen, which grips harder and looks worse on a light concrete tile. It responds to treatment, but it takes longer to weather off than moss does.
Reached via A379, Laira Bridge, Wembury Road, Staddiscombe Road. Recorded wall finishes: painted render, pebbledash, render. Roof coverings: slate, concrete tile, concrete interlocking tile.