Roof cleaning in Fareham can vary depending on a few factors:
- Infestation levels of moss
- Ease of access for our cherry picker and temporary access systems
- Type of tile
The figures below cover professional moss removal either by steam cleaning, or a manual hand scrape method. Both of which are always followed by a Biocide treatment, which helps stop the moss coming back for a number of years, More on that below.
Here’s what you can expect to pay, what pushes the price up or down, and what a proper quote should include.
Roof cleaning prices by property type
| Property type | Typical price (2026) |
|---|---|
| Bungalow | £495 – £795 |
| Terraced house | £695 – £895 |
| Semi-detached | £795 – £995 |
| Detached (4 bed) | £895 – £1095 |
| Large detached | £1200 – POA |
What affects the price
Roof size. The obvious one. A 60m² roof on a modest three bed costs a lot less to clean than 120m² of tiles on a large detached with dormers and valleys.
Access. A bungalow reachable from a short scaffold tower is easily completed in a day. Where as a three storey townhouse with a conservatory under the eaves needs more kit and more time. Normally our specialist cherry picker is brought into action to gain safe access.
How much moss there is on the roof can vastly affect the pricing.
Thick moss that’s been building up for decades takes longer to scrape or steam off, which can add 20% or more to the labour costs.
The methods
- Manual moss removal – Costs a little more than steam cleaning, but it’s the right way to do it on certain tile types, like listed properties, fibre based slate tiles etc. The biocide is then applied to all the tiles, which over the coming months removes all other deposits of organic matter, like lichens, algae and smaller moss spores. This can take many months.
- Steam Cleaning – suitable for 90% of tiles we come across in the UK. Steam cleaning a roof gives you an instant clean effect, giving immediate curb appeal. We will then apply a biocide treatment, this acts more as a protective measure as the roof is already clean. Any new spores that land on your roof, will be absorbed by the chemical that hides in the tile for many years
The difference between steam cleaning and pressure washing
It’s tempting to assume a pressure washer is the fastest way to clean a roof.
It’s also the fastest way to wreck one. The NFRC and tile manufacturers advise against pressure washing roof tiles because it strips the protective surface, forces water under the tiles, and can crack older ones. Once the surface coating has gone, moss actually grows back faster than before.
Our Superheated steam Cleaning systems actually run at very low pressures, not much more than a domestic pressure washer you would clean your car with. It’s the heat that does the Cleaning not the pressure, (imagine running your dishwasher on it’s cold as cycle, don’t expect it to clean the dirty pots as well as the hot cycle!)
Is biocide treatment worth it?
Yes. Without it, a cleaned roof can start greening up again within a year. Biocide kills the spores, algae and lichen left behind after the moss comes off, and it keeps working for weeks, months and years after it’s applied. If a quote doesn’t mention biocide, ask why.
Why Fareham roofs get so mossy
Moss loves damp air and shade, and Fareham has plenty of both. We’re on the south coast, the winters are mild and wet, and a lot of local streets have mature trees overhanging north-facing roof slopes. Concrete tiles, which most homes built from the 1960s onwards have, are porous and give moss an easy grip.
Left alone, moss holds moisture against the tiles, blocks gutters when it falls off in clumps, and in a hard frost can lift and crack tiles. A roof clean is cheap compared to a roof repair bill. See it has not only an aesthetic bonus for your house, but an investment into your homes roof.
How do I get a quote?
Our survey team will come to your home with our aerial drone. We will take plenty of pictures of your roof, and a couple of videos. This gives us the best insight into what cleaning method is best for your home.
We can also spot anything sinister, like missing tiles or pointing. so we can give further advice to getting these repaired before or after our roof clean.
It also gives us the most accurate pricing matrix, so we can give the best possible price to our customers.
What a good quote should include
Get a written quote before anyone goes near your roof, and check it covers:
- The cleaning method (it should say manual removal or steam cleaning and never pressure washing)
- Whether biocide treatment is included
- Whether gutters are cleared afterwards (moss ends up in them, so they should be)
- Any access equipment costs
- Waste removal
If any of those are missing, ask. A vague quote is usually a cheap job done badly.
Roof cleaning across Fareham and the surrounding area
We clean roofs throughout Fareham and nearby, including Portchester, Titchfield, Stubbington, Locks Heath, Park Gate, Sarisbury Green, Whiteley and Gosport.
So, when is the best time of year for roof cleaning in Fareham? The simple answer is that roofs should ideally be cleaned every 10 years, most of the time we can just apply a biocide around the 7-10 year mark, eliminating the need for either steam Cleaning or moss removal thus saving costs for the home owner