Can you do it while I am at work?

Yes, as long as gates are unlocked and we can reach the elevations.

Will you tell me if the job is not worth doing?

Yes. If the staining is in the substrate rather than on it, cleaning will not change much and we will say so.

Do you work on flats and shared buildings?

Yes, with permission from whoever is responsible for the elevation.

How do I know it is algae and not damp coming through?

Surface growth wipes and lightens. Damp coming through darkens the wall from behind and returns as soon as it dries out.

Can lichen be removed completely?

The organism is killed, and what is left weathers off. Deeply rooted lichen on stone can take a season to fade.

Is timber cladding treated the same way?

No. Cladding takes a weaker mix, and pressure is avoided entirely because it raises the grain.

Can you remove ivy marks?

Suckers can be treated and weathered off, though the shadow of an old ivy run can take a season to fade fully.

Can the whole outside be planned in one go?

Yes, and getting the order right matters more than doing it all at once.

Softwash for walls in and around Blackawton

Rolling South Hams parish north of Dartmouth.

Everything below applies to cob and lime render elevations in Blackawton, inside the TQ9 area we cover in full. The method is set by the surface and the exposure, and nothing else changes it.

Working out what is wrong on a Blackawton wall

01Hollow-sounding render is checked by tapping before any water is put onto it.
02The presence of moss rather than algae suggests standing water rather than damp air.
03The first question is whether the staining sits on the surface or has gone into the material, because only one of those cleans off.
04Where the pattern is a band at the bottom, splash from the ground is doing it.
05A slow walk of the gutter line from the ground finds most of the causes worth fixing.
06The mortar is tested with a key at a discreet point, since soft mortar sets the whole method.
07A wall that is warmer than its neighbours on a cold morning is likely holding moisture.
08The underside of the soffit is checked, because staining there rarely stays there.

Material first, method second

Thin-coat systems are thinner than people assume, and a jet held still in one place leaves a permanent shadow.
A rendered plinth takes more water than the face above it and is usually the first band to look tired.
Cob walls dry slowly, so work is planned for a dry settled stretch.
The safest outcome on cob is a lighter, slower improvement rather than an immediate transformation.
Lime walls are worked in cooler conditions so nothing dries before it has acted.
The colour of a lime finish is in the material, so it returns rather than being restored.

Why this keeps happening on TQ9 elevations

Rain shadow works both ways: the sheltered face stays dry of rain but also of the washing that rain provides.
North-east corners hold frost longest and thaw slowest, which extends the damp window every morning.
A drying rack or store built against a wall keeps that panel of it permanently shaded.
Render that has lost its water repellency absorbs and holds surface water instead of shedding it.
Overhanging eaves protect the top of a wall and leave the unprotected lower band to take everything.
Growth that appears in a neat rectangle usually marks something that was leaning against the wall.
Black spotting on white render is a different organism from the green film beside it, and it clears at a different rate.
Where a chimney is no longer used, rain that once dried out now sits in the stack and shows on the wall below.
Concrete render plinths wick moisture upward from the ground more readily than the face above them.

On site in Blackawton

1.Anything found broken before we arrived is photographed before work starts, not after.
2.Areas that stay stubborn after full dwell are left to weather rather than pushed harder on the day.
3.Heavy lichen gets a second lighter application on a later visit instead of an increase in pressure on the first.
4.The colour keeps improving for a fortnight after the visit as dead growth loses its grip and weathers away.
5.Treatment goes on from the bottom of the elevation upwards, which stops clean streaks forming where liquid runs onto dry surface.
6.Kit is set down on a groundsheet rather than on planting or paving joints.
7.A wall with a visible damp patch inside is treated on the dry areas only until the cause is found.
8.Rinsing, where it is needed at all, runs top down at a pressure you could hold your hand in front of.
9.Overspray is controlled by working with the wind rather than across it, and by stopping when it gets up.
10.Any window left open is closed, or that section is skipped and left for a second visit.

Local detail that changes the job

Postcode district: TQ9. County: Devon. Approx 17.7 miles from the PL3 base.
Nearest full coverage hub: Modbury (PL21), South Hams District Council.
TQ9 covers 1 town hubs and 15 villages or districts in our radius.
Typical roof covering here is slate, which affects what washes down onto the walls.
Typical wall finish here is cob and lime render, which sets the cleaning method.

See everywhere we cover in TQ9

Preparing a village property

Mention whether the drive drains to a soakaway that already struggles in heavy rain.
Say if a conservatory or lean-to abuts the elevation, so glazing can be sheeted.
Tell us about any previous treatment that came back quickly, and how quickly.
Mention any planned decorating so the drying window can be built into the date.
Say if the property has a flat roof section that we would be working above.
Clear the base of the elevation of pots, ornaments and loose paving where you can.
Tell us if there is a low wall or a step at the base of the elevation that gets slippery.
Let us know whether the gutters have been cleared in the last couple of years.

Where wall work sits in a Blackawton visit

Small repairs to pointing are best done after cleaning, when what needs doing is visible.

Where gutters need repair rather than clearing, that goes ahead of any cleaning at all.

If a decorator is due, the wall clean goes in first and is given time to dry fully.

The number of elevations completed in one visit depends on their area, access, condition and weather.

Straight answers before you book

Can you do it while I am at work?: Yes, as long as gates are unlocked and we can reach the elevations.
Will you tell me if the job is not worth doing?: Yes. If the staining is in the substrate rather than on it, cleaning will not change much and we will say so.
Do you work on flats and shared buildings?: Yes, with permission from whoever is responsible for the elevation.
How do I know it is algae and not damp coming through?: Surface growth wipes and lightens. Damp coming through darkens the wall from behind and returns as soon as it dries out.
Can lichen be removed completely?: The organism is killed, and what is left weathers off. Deeply rooted lichen on stone can take a season to fade.
Is timber cladding treated the same way?: No. Cladding takes a weaker mix, and pressure is avoided entirely because it raises the grain.
Can you remove ivy marks?: Suckers can be treated and weathered off, though the shadow of an old ivy run can take a season to fade fully.
Can the whole outside be planned in one go?: Yes, and getting the order right matters more than doing it all at once.

Other Devon places on the same round

Where to go next

The essentials

Photographs and a postcode are enough to start a conversation about the work. Water in the wrong place explains most tired elevations, and it is cheaper to fix than to keep cleaning. A first clean is the heavy one. What follows is maintenance, and maintenance is quicker every time. Monday to Saturday, 8am to 7pm.

Split it over two visits

Front now, back later is a perfectly normal way to plan it.

Split the work 07830 242403

Quote for a Blackawton property

Monday to Saturday, 8am – 7pm