How to Choose an Exterior Cleaning Company

Red flags worth taking seriously

A price significantly lower than every other quote you've received is the most common warning sign, and it's usually explained by skipped insurance, no proper training, or corner-cutting methods that risk damaging your property. Cold-caller pressure tactics, insisting you decide and pay a deposit on the spot, or refusing to leave a written quote, are also strong signals to walk away regardless of how reasonable the person seems in person.

Vague or evasive answers about insurance, method, or experience are worth taking seriously too; a legitimate, established contractor answers these questions readily because they're used to being asked and have nothing to hide.

Questions worth asking before booking

Ask to see current public liability insurance, and for roof or gutter work, confirm it specifically covers working at height. Ask what method they'll use for the specific job, soft wash versus pressure wash for render, pure water versus traditional squeegee for windows, since the answer tells you a lot about their level of expertise and whether they're using techniques suited to your surfaces.

Ask for examples of similar work, ideally with before-and-after photos of comparable jobs, and if biocide or chemical treatment is involved, ask whether they're specifically trained in its use. None of these questions should cause hesitation from a genuinely competent contractor.

What proof to actually ask to see

Insurance certificates, training certifications where relevant, biocide training in particular, and reviews or references from previous local customers are all reasonable things to request before committing. A company with a genuine track record locally will usually have this readily available, often on their website, and won't be put off by being asked to produce it.

Photos or video from past jobs, especially anything showing before-and-after results on similar surfaces to yours, tell you far more about likely quality than a glossy sales pitch.

Getting the pricing conversation right

A realistic quote should sit within a sensible range for the work involved, gutter clearing around £40-£100 for a semi, roof cleaning £400-£1,200+, driveway cleaning £3-£6 per square metre, and a company well below these ranges deserves a direct question about what's being cut to hit that price. It's not that cheap always means bad, but an unusually low price with no clear explanation is worth being cautious about.