Update 2022: The home improvement and construction sectors are experiencing unprecedented inflation this year and prices; this has been reported in the media and also by our own research. The roof cleaning and coating prices on this page were updated in 2022 but are subject to change. You can get a fixed price by filling out this form with details of your project.,

Call me old fashioned but I personally dislike coloured coatings and paints, whether they’re applied to roof tiles or driveways, I just find that they look too shiny and uniform and often don’t look natural.

That said, there are benefits to removing roof moss and sealing the tiles and as more and more roofs are now experiencing moss growth (as explained here), this is an expanding industry.

How much does roof cleaning cost and how much extra is roof coating/sealing?

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1) Price to Remove Roof Moss by Hand

This is what the work involves:

• Erect access equipment to roof height, this usually compromises an access tower and use of safety harnesses and ridge ladder.
• Cover the garden with plastic sheets.
• Remove all the moss growing on the tiles by scraping it off.
• Sweep over the tiles to remove any dust or small particles.
• Inspect the roof and replace any damaged tiles.
• Inspect cement to the roof and make good any minor repairs as needed.
• Clear out the gutters and check the rainwater downpipes, unblock as required.
• Apply one coat of moss treatment chemical.
• Remove access equipment and take away all the waste.

2) Cost to Jet Wash the Roof

This work entails:

• Access equipment to work height.
• Check the roof for any damaged or broken tiles and replace them as needed.
• Disconnect gutters and cover the garden with plastic sheets.
• Jet wash the roof starting at the highest point and working downwards.
• Clear out gutters and reconnect to pipes after clearing them out too.
• Inspect roof cement and carry out repairs as needed.
• Apply one coat of moss killing chemical after the roof has dried.
• Remove access equipment, clean windows as needed and remove all waste.

3) Jet Roof Then Apply Roof Sealant or Coloured Coating

Coating or sealing should only be carried out on a roof that has been recently jet cleaned.

This is to ensure that any pollutants and algae are also removed and the tiles are ready to be painted/coated. Sealants and coatings shouldn’t be applied to roof tiles that have been brush cleaned.

The prices in the table below, therefore include jet washing and allow for at least 24 hours of drying time.

• Clean roof by jet washing.
• Ensure tiles are dry, this usually takes 24 hours but may take longer in the winter.
• Cover the surrounding area with plastic sheets.
• Brush over the roof to remove dust.
• Paint tiles with either a coloured coating or translucent sealant to the roof edges by hand.
• Apply coating/sealant by sprayer to remaining roof tiles.
• Allow to dry and apply a second coat.
• Remove plastic sheets.

How Long Does it Take to Complete the Work?

This depends on many workers are on the project. A team of two will complete more work than a single person working alone.

The weather also affects the timescale. In winter there are fewer daylight hours and more rain which could delay the work.

Removing moss by hand with a scraper and brush is generally a slow process, so for a typical 3-bedroom house expect the work to take two days at most.

Jet washing can be done in less time so expect the work to take one day.

The coating or sealant is usually applied on another day after the roof has had a chance to dry out.

How Much Are Other People Paying For This Work?

We have introduced a new feature to our website.

In addition to our polls and research into roof cleaning prices, you now have the chance to let us know how much you have been quoted for this type of work.

So if you’ve already sourced prices, please do let other visitors to our site know how much you were quoted:

You can add your own figures here.

How Long Until the Moss Grows Back?

This depends on how much sunlight hits the roof.

For north-facing roofs – 2-3 years if the moss is removed manually and 4-5 years if it’s power washed and coated with a sealant.

For south-facing roofs expect moss to take longer to grow back due to the extra sunlight, perhaps an additional year or two.

What Type of Company Does This Work?

There are specialist roof cleaning companies that do this work.

Also, for manual moss removal, any roofing company will be able to undertake this work.

If you want the roof jet washed and a sealant or coating applied then we recommend a specialist company as they will have the correct spraying equipment for the paint.

VAT – Can You Avoid Paying This Tax?

VAT is a tax that is collected by some businesses and passed to HMRC (the tax office).

Not every business needs to collect this tax, some smaller firms or one-man type traders who operate below a threshold can trade without charging VAT.

We have created a very helpful guide to legally avoiding VAT here.

Get a Price Online

Our guide to roof cleaning and coating was updated in 2022 but if you like an up to date custom price, tap the button below and fill in the online form with details of your project:

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This guide was written by Danny Woodley and was last updated in April 2022.

Don’t forget; we have price guides for hundreds of home improvement projects.

Explore our full list of detailed price guides here.