Roof painting and sealing
Three coats, over a roof that has been cleaned and repaired first. Not a colour change on top of a problem.
Quoted once the roof is clean and sound
Roofshelter · Parramatta & Western Sydney
Roof cleaning in Parramatta
Moss, lichen and the black weathering that holds moisture against the tile. It comes off before anything else happens.
Usually a day, and it comes before any coating
5.0
Google reviews
Based in Rosehill
Open 24 hours
What this actually is
Cleaning is not cosmetic. Moss and lichen hold water against the surface of a tile indefinitely, and anything that keeps a roof permanently damp is shortening its life. Lichen in particular gets its roots into the surface and takes the top layer with it when it eventually lets go.
It is also the only way to actually see a roof. Half the cracked tiles and failed pointing on an old roof are invisible under growth. We clean, then we photograph what is underneath, and quite often the clean changes the conversation about what the roof needs.
What the job involves
- Gutters and downpipes protected Debris is enormous and it will block everything if it is allowed to. Downpipes get covered before we start.
- Pressure matched to the surface Enough to take off lichen, not enough to blast the surface off an already weathered tile. This is a judgement call and it is where damage happens.
- Worked in sections, top down So nothing gets washed into the part that is already finished.
- Gutters flushed afterwards Everything that came off the roof went somewhere. It gets cleared out rather than left to set.
- The roof photographed clean Now you can actually see the tiles, the bedding and the valleys. You get the photos.
What roof cleaning costs
Cleaning is priced by roof area and by how bad it is, and it is one of the cheaper things a roofer does. It is also frequently the first stage of a bigger job rather than a standalone one — if you are having the roof restored or painted, the clean is already part of it and paying for it separately makes no sense.
Worth knowing: a clean on its own makes the house look dramatically better and does genuinely extend the life of the tile, but it does not fix anything that is broken underneath.
What moves the price:
- Roof area The base number.
- How heavy the growth is A light weathering wash and a roof carrying years of lichen are very different days.
- Roof pitch and access Steeper is slower and needs more fall protection.
- Gutter clearing afterwards Everything that comes off the roof ends up in the gutters. It has to be cleared or you have traded one problem for another.
- Standalone or part of a restoration Bundled into a restoration it is not a separate line at all.
How to tell
Signs you need this
Most of these you can check yourself from the ground, before you call anyone.
- Green or black growth across the tiles Especially on the shaded side. That is moisture that never leaves.
- Crusty grey-green patches Lichen. It is attached to the surface, not sitting on it, and it does damage coming off.
- Gutters filling with organic sludge It came off the roof and it will keep coming.
- Before any coating quote A quote for coating a dirty roof is a quote for a job that will fail.
Questions
Roof cleaning, answered
Ask us anything that is not here. We would rather talk it through than have you guess.
Call 0434 115 094Will pressure cleaning break my tiles?
It can, in the wrong hands or at the wrong pressure on an already porous roof. That is why the pressure is matched to the condition of the surface, and why any tiles that were already cracked get identified and replaced rather than hidden.
Do I need to do anything before you come?
Close your windows and move anything precious away from the eaves. That is about it.
Is cleaning enough on its own?
Sometimes, on a roof that is structurally fine and just looks tired. More often it is the first step of a restoration, because cleaning is what reveals the work underneath.
Will pressure cleaning damage my roof tiles?
It can, at the wrong pressure or on tiles that are already porous and near the end of their life. That is why the pressure is matched to the condition of the surface rather than turned up to save time, and why any tiles that were already cracked get identified and replaced rather than washed over and hidden.
How often should a roof be cleaned?
There is no fixed interval — it depends on how much shade and tree cover you have. If you can see green or black growth from the ground, or crusty grey-green patches, it is time.
Is it worth cleaning without painting?
Sometimes. On a roof that is structurally fine and just looks tired, a clean transforms the house for a fraction of a restoration. On a roof that has lost its surface, cleaning without sealing leaves porous tiles exposed and the moss comes back faster.
Do you clean Colorbond and metal roofs?
Yes, at lower pressure than tile. Metal marks and dents more easily than people expect.
Related
Often done at the same time
Roof restoration
The full job on a tiled roof, done in the right order. Free inspection first, so you find out whether you actually need one.
Free inspection first, then a fixed price
Gutters, downpipes and fascias
Colorbond quad or half-round to match the roof, with the fall set properly so water actually reaches the downpipe.
Quoted with the roof, or on its own
Find out what your roof actually needs.
Free inspection, photographs, and a straight answer about whether this is the job you need.
The phone is answered 24 hours, including weekends.