Spring is when the damage winter did becomes obvious: green algae on paths and render, moss thickened on the roof, driveways darkened with months of accumulated grime, and gutters that may have taken a battering from storms. It is the natural point in the year to do a full exterior audit and get everything back to a clean baseline before summer.
This checklist runs through what to inspect and clean, in a sensible order, and what a full spring refresh typically costs across the different elements of a property.
Start With an Inspection, Not a Clean
Before booking any cleaning, walk the property and check for winter damage: loose or slipped roof tiles, gutters that came away from brackets, cracked render, or any pooling water on paths and driveways that suggests a drainage issue. Cleaning first can mask problems that are worth fixing before or alongside the clean.
This is also the point to check downpipes are running freely and that any winter ice damage has not left cracked plastic guttering that needs replacing rather than just clearing.
What to Clean and In What Order
Roof and gutters first, since debris and algae washed down during roof cleaning will run onto whatever is below. Render, brick and cladding next, followed by driveways, paths and patios, which tend to be the most visibly affected by a winter of algae growth and darkened surfaces. Windows are usually left until last, since earlier stages can splash them and undo a clean finish.
Not every property needs every element done every spring; roof moss treatment, for example, might only be needed every couple of years, while path and patio cleaning often benefits from an annual refresh given how much algae builds up over a damp winter.
Prioritising When Budget Is Tight
If you cannot do everything in one go, gutters and drainage-related checks should come first since neglecting them risks structural water damage. After that, driveways and paths matter for both safety, since winter algae makes surfaces slippery, and kerb appeal, since they are the first thing anyone sees approaching the property.
Roof and render cleaning can usually wait a season if needed without serious consequence, whereas ignoring gutter and drainage issues tends to get more expensive the longer it is left.
Typical Costs for a Spring Refresh
A gutter clear typically runs £60 to £120 for a semi-detached house; driveway and path cleaning is usually priced per square metre, around £3 to £6; render or brick soft washing on a typical semi might run £300 to £700; and roof cleaning with moss removal is generally £400 to £1,200+ depending on size and method.
Booking several elements together as one visit, rather than as separate call-outs, often reduces the overall cost since a contractor can plan access and equipment once for the whole job.
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