Do you clean render above a flat roof?

Yes, with the roof covering sheeted and the drip detail checked.

What is the difference between this and a wash down?

A wash down removes what you can see. A treatment removes what is growing, which is not the same thing.

What if the render is cracked?

We will point it out and work around it. Cleaning does not fix cracks and can make them more obvious.

What if part of the wall does not come up?

It is left to weather rather than pushed harder, and we will say what we think is happening.

How is a quote put together?

By elevation area, surface type and access, written down before anything starts.

Is a lower price ever a bad sign?

Not automatically, but ask what method is being used. Speed on a delicate finish usually means pressure.

Will it strip my paint?

Sound paint is unaffected. Paint that has already lost adhesion may lift, which is why a test patch goes on first.

What if the render is hollow in places?

It is tapped and mapped first, and hollow sections are treated dry-side only rather than soaked.

TQ10 - Devon - 11.4 miles from PL3

Wall and render softwash near Cheston

Wall cleaning in Cheston is mostly a question of what the wall is made of. Farming hamlet on the Avon between South Brent and Ermington. The nearest hub we cover in depth is South Brent, and the building stock here follows the same pattern.

The wall finishes we meet around TQ10

Where stone has been repointed with cement, water is pushed into the stone instead of out through the joint.
Cleaning stone reveals natural colour variation, which some owners expect to be uniform and it never is.
Growth on cob is usually treated in light passes with long gaps rather than one wet application.
Any rinse on cob is minimal and directed downwards, never held on the surface.

Conditions around Cheston that feed growth

A patio laid up against a wall reflects splash onto it every time it rains hard.
Growth returns fastest where the underlying cause was never dealt with, which is usually water going somewhere it should not.
Render that has lost its water repellency absorbs and holds surface water instead of shedding it.
Where two properties share a wall of different finishes, the finishes weather at different speeds and look mismatched.
A wall next to a busy road picks up a film of traffic grime that holds moisture on the surface.
Growth that appears in a neat rectangle usually marks something that was leaning against the wall.
Salt spray does not itself grow, but it roughens and holds damp, which is the same outcome.
A wall that faces a large expanse of glass on another building gets less sun than its aspect suggests.
A downpipe discharging onto a hard surface next to the wall sends the water straight back at the brickwork.

Checks made before anything is applied

01A slow walk of the gutter line from the ground finds most of the causes worth fixing.
02Cracks are traced to their ends, because a crack that runs to an opening behaves differently from one that stops.
03Whether the property is exposed or sheltered is judged on the day, not from a map.
04Where the wall carries a previous coating over render, its edges are inspected for lifting.
05The first question is whether the staining sits on the surface or has gone into the material, because only one of those cleans off.
06Any staining that continues below ground level is a drainage question, not a cleaning one.
07Anything that cannot be explained by water is treated with more caution, not less.
08The direction the growth thickens in points at the source of the moisture.

What happens on the day

1.The wall is left to dry naturally rather than being wiped, which is what keeps the finish even.
2.Treatments are kept away from vegetable beds entirely, with those sections sheeted rather than diluted.
3.The lower band of an elevation is checked for salt or silt staining, which is rinsed rather than treated.
4.Overspray is controlled by working with the wind rather than across it, and by stopping when it gets up.
5.Any garden furniture within the spray arc moves before the mix is made up, not while the lance is running.
6.Timber decking or a doorstep directly under the work is covered rather than rinsed afterwards.
7.Anything that has to be moved - bins, planters, a bike - goes back exactly where it was found.
8.Everything is packed down before the last inspection, so the wall is judged clear of kit.
9.Anything found broken before we arrived is photographed before work starts, not after.
10.External drains below the work are covered with a grate mat and cleared before we leave.

Access and preparation

Warn us about a soft lawn or an unmade drive so boards come on the van.
Move cars off a drive that runs tight to the house if you can, and tell us if you cannot.
Point out where the render was patched, since patches clean differently from the original.
Mention shared access or a right of way that we will be crossing.
Trim back anything that has grown tight against the wall, or ask us to work around it.
Mention any glazing you already know is cracked before work starts.
Say if the elevation is overlooked by a neighbouring window that should stay shut.
Unlock side gates the night before if you are not going to be in, because a locked passage stops a whole elevation.

Coverage and travel

Nearest full coverage hub: South Brent (TQ10), South Hams District Council.
Typical wall finish here is cob and stone, which sets the cleaning method.
Access is usually via A38.
TQ10 covers 2 town hubs and 4 villages or districts in our radius.
Postcode district: TQ10. County: Devon. Approx 11.4 miles from the PL3 base.

See everywhere we cover in TQ10

Straight answers before you book

Do you clean render above a flat roof?: Yes, with the roof covering sheeted and the drip detail checked.
What is the difference between this and a wash down?: A wash down removes what you can see. A treatment removes what is growing, which is not the same thing.
What if the render is cracked?: We will point it out and work around it. Cleaning does not fix cracks and can make them more obvious.
What if part of the wall does not come up?: It is left to weather rather than pushed harder, and we will say what we think is happening.
How is a quote put together?: By elevation area, surface type and access, written down before anything starts.
Is a lower price ever a bad sign?: Not automatically, but ask what method is being used. Speed on a delicate finish usually means pressure.
Will it strip my paint?: Sound paint is unaffected. Paint that has already lost adhesion may lift, which is why a test patch goes on first.
What if the render is hollow in places?: It is tapped and mapped first, and hollow sections are treated dry-side only rather than soaked.

Other Devon places on the same round

Where to go next

Start with the worst elevation

Most enquiries begin with one side of the house. That is a sensible place to start.

Start there 07830 242403

The essentials

The mortar is the weakest link on most walls, so the mortar sets the pressure. Cleaning reveals condition. Sometimes that means finding a repair, and it is better found than hidden under moss. One elevation done properly is better than four done quickly. Monday to Saturday, 8am to 7pm.

Quote for a Cheston property

Monday to Saturday, 8am – 7pm