There are several factors that must be accounted for when calculating the price to soft wash your roof.
The first factor we must determine is the size of the roof. A larger roof will take longer and require more cleaning solution to clean than one that is half its size in comparable circumstances. To determine this, we use GPS software to trace the outline of your home and get a square footage measurement. We then determine the roof’s pitch. The home’s square footage is multiplied by the pitch factor, which gives us the total roof square footage. Now that we have the size of your roof, we just need to evaluate a few more factors to determine the appropriate cost per square foot for your roof.
The roofing material is the next factor in determining the cost per square foot for your roof. Each roofing material has its own range of square foot prices due to the ease or difficulty of cleaning them. Shingle roofs are one of the easier roof types to clean and are therefore cheaper than many other roof types. Metal and barrel tile roofs are much more difficult to clean and are therefore more expensive to clean.
Next, we must account for the level of infestation. A roof that is infested with algae will take longer to clean than a roof with a milder infestation. Each roofing type has a $0.05 per square foot price range depending on infestation level, as determined by the Territory Manager. For example, a shingle roof that looks nearly new will be at the very bottom end of that range. A shingle roof with black streaks and some clean areas will be towards the middle or lower end of the range. A shingle roof that is completely black with algae will be at the very high end of that range.
Factors such as landscaping and gutters are also taken into account. When gutters are present, we must protect your plants and property differently than when no gutters are present. Will we need to cover the plants during the cleaning or move potted plants? Will we need to run tubing from the downspout to a safe location or maybe tie off the tubing and dispose of the runoff safely after the cleaning? Will we need to partially or fully rinse the roof? All of these factors take different amounts of time and supplies and must be accounted for during the estimate to ensure you are getting the best possible service.
Lastly, access to the roof must be planned out and factored in. Can the technicians access all areas of the roof to clean it thoroughly and safely? We always try to clean your roof with the safest method first and only proceed to the next risk level if required. As we increase from one risk level to another, the price will usually increase as well. Those risk levels are: cleaning from the ground with an extension pole, cleaning from a ladder, cleaning from a lift, and cleaning on the roof with a safety harness. If, on the rare occasion, a lift is needed for your roof cleaning, the rental fee will be charged separately from the cleaning price.
As an example, at the time of this writing, a smaller 2-bedroom home with easy access and a low infestation could be from $400 whereas heavy infestation and poor access cost easily double the price. A larger 5-bedroom home could be $2,000 or more.
In summary, the key factors affecting price are size, roofing material, ease of access and location, and level of infestation.
