Why two quotes for the same roof can look nothing alike
Short answer: because they are usually not describing the same job. The word cleaning covers everything from a fast pressure wash with nothing applied afterwards to a full hand clean with a treatment and a written guarantee, and those are days apart in labour.
This page gives you the specific things to line up side by side so you can compare quotes properly rather than defaulting to the lowest number.
Compare these six things, not just the price
- Method: is the roof being hand cleaned, or blasted with a pressure washer? We do not pressure wash roof tiles, because it strips surfaces and forces water where it should not go.
- Treatment: is a biocide included, and is it applied to the whole roof or only the visible pitches?
- Guarantee: is anything given in writing? Our full roof cleans carry a written 24-month biocide guarantee.
- Insurance: ask directly. We are fully insured, and any company working at height on your home should be able to say the same without hesitating.
- Who does the work: our own uniformed team in our own signwritten vans, or a subcontracted crew you have not met?
- Clear-down: is removing and disposing of the debris and protecting the ground included, or extra?
The cheap quote is often a different job
A quote that looks unusually low normally reflects a faster method with no treatment. The roof will look acceptable for a season and then return, often worse, because pressure washing damages the tile surface and gives moss an easier grip next time round.
It can also reflect access being priced out. If a roof genuinely needs a tower or powered access to be worked safely and a quote does not allow for it, somebody is either planning to take a risk or planning to add cost later.
Get quotes on the same basis
Ask every company for the same three things in writing: the method, whether a treatment is included, and what happens if growth returns within the guarantee period. Once all the quotes describe the same job, comparing them takes about a minute.
Our own photographs
Images from Sky Scrapers Ltd work showing the methods described on this page.
Where this applies locally
Towns where this comes up most often on our patch:
Questions we get asked
Should I always avoid the cheapest quote?
Not automatically, but check what it includes. If it is genuinely the same method, the same treatment and the same guarantee, a lower price is fine. It usually is not the same job.
Is a written guarantee normal in this trade?
It varies. We give a written 24-month biocide guarantee on full roof cleans, and we would encourage you to ask any company you are comparing what they put in writing.
How do I check a company is insured?
Ask them to confirm it before booking. It is a fair question for anyone working at height on your property, and we are happy to answer it.
Do you charge for quoting?
No. Quotes are free and carry no obligation.
Get a quote you can actually compare
We set out the method, the treatment and the guarantee in writing so you can put our quote next to anyone else's. Free, no obligation.
Sky Scrapers Ltd · info@sky-scrapers.co.uk
Summary
Quotes differ because the jobs differ. Compare method, treatment, guarantee, insurance, who does the work and clear-down before comparing price.