Facade cleaning
Has the facade of your house become dirty over the years? Having your facade cleaned will give your house a fresh look in no time. This article will tell you more about the types and techniques involved in facade cleaning. You will also get useful tips so you know exactly what you need.
What does facade cleaning cost?
Would you like to have your facade cleaned, and are you curious about the costs of facade cleaning? On average, prices are around £10 to £22 per m². These costs depend on a number of factors, including the surface to be cleaned and the technique used by the facade specialist. See below for a handy overview of facade cleaning techniques and prices.
| Type of facade cleaning | Costs per m2, incl. labour costs and VAT | Working |
|---|---|---|
| Sandblasting | £10 – £17 | The coarse abrasive is sprayed against the façade with a high-pressure cleaner, causing the dirt to fly off the façade. |
| Moist blasting | £ 12 – £ 22 | The abrasive is mixed with water and sprayed onto the façade using a high-pressure cleaner. The dirt is sprayed off, as it were. |
| Fog blasting | £ 15 – £ 20 | The fine abrasive is sprayed dry or wet against the façade at low pressure. Whereby the dirt is removed. The pressure can be adjusted manually. |
| Steam cleaning | £ 5 – £ 15 | The water is heated to 150 degrees Celsius and, as it were, dissolves the soiling on the facade. |
| Chemical cleaning | £ 15 – £ 20 | A chemical agent is applied to the facade by means of a brush or handheld sprayer. After it has taken effect, the facade is cleaned with a high-pressure cleaner. |
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What does facade cleaning involve?
Facade cleaning refers to the cleaning of your facade. The facade specialist can clean your facade in different ways. Which method is suitable for your facade depends on the substrate, the grouting and the degree of pollution.
A cleaned facade not only makes your house look clean and beautiful again, it also increases the value of your house. If you also have the facade impregnated, your facade will be better protected against weather conditions from now on. As a result, your house will keep moisture out and be better insulated. Finally, a cleaned and impregnated facade will last longer because dirt does not adhere to the material of the facade and, therefore, cannot affect anything.
In addition to cleaning your facade, facade impregnation, roof cleaning and facade renovation are often also part of the job description of a facade specialist.
Types of facade cleaning
There are different types of facade cleaning, all of which have a different effect on your facade. Do you want to have your facade cleaned but don’t know which type is suitable? Read below which options are available and see which type suits your home.
Gable blasting
Gable blasting is the toughest type of facade cleaning. The specialist often uses this to remove stubborn dirt, such as graffiti. This method involves spraying water and/or air together with abrasive at high pressure against the facade. Having your facade blasted can damage your facade if used incorrectly. It is, therefore, important to consult a facade specialist beforehand.
The most common methods of facade blasting are sandblasting, moist blasting and mist blasting:
Sandblasting
Sandblasting is the hardest method of facade blasting because it uses coarse grains of abrasive sprayed onto the facade at high pressure. Sandblasting is ideally suited for removing graffiti or other stubborn dirt.
Damp blasting
Damp blasting is a milder form of facade blasting that uses finer grains of abrasive sprayed onto the facade at low pressure. This produces a limited amount of dust.
Facade blasting
The mildest form of facade blasting is mist blasting. Here, you can adjust the pressure manually, allowing you to work extremely precisely. It also allows you to minimise water consumption.
Facade cleaning
Do you have ivy or moss on your facade? To remove this, the facade specialist uses steam. Water is heated to 150 degrees Celsius and sprayed under high pressure on your facade. The high temperature of the water loosens the deposits on your facade. The specialist does not use chemicals, which is better for the environment.
Chemical cleaning
Do you have stubborn dirt on your facade, such as paint residue? Then steam cleaning is not enough and you will end up with chemical cleaning of your facade. The specialist will apply the chemical cleaning agent to the façade, after which it will soak in for about half an hour. The facade specialist then sprays the cleaning agent off your facade together with the loosened dirt. This mixture is collected and the facade specialist makes sure it is recycled. After chemically cleaning your facade, it can take up to a week to see the final result.
There are two types of chemicals that the specialist can use:
Basic
Basic cleaners have a low PH value, which makes them suitable for porous substrates. This is because porous substrates are not water-repellent and are prone to damage.
Acid
Acid cleaners have a high PH value and can damage substrates. A facade specialist can see at a glance which substrate he is dealing with and whether acidic cleaners can be used.
Facade impregnation
To protect your facade against frost, mould and acid rain, among other things, have your facade impregnated by a facade specialist. Having your facade impregnated costs an average of £7 per m². The impregnation of your facade is done after your facade has been cleaned. An impregnating agent is applied, which forms a protective layer, as it were.
Impregnation makes your facade water-repellent and less susceptible to dirt from the outside, which means less facade maintenance. On average, impregnation protects your facade for 10 years. Some professionals offer a guarantee on this.
Did you know that an impregnated facade also reduces your energy bill at the end of the month? Because it is a water-repellent coating, the façade stays drier, increasing its insulating power.
Jointing
Jointing fills the space between the bricks. The jointing serves as reinforcement and increases waterproofing. In case of damage, it is important to replace the jointing. If you don’t do this, moisture can enter your home, causing moisture damage.
When a grouting company comes to replace your grouting, you will spend, on average, between £10 and £100 per m², depending on the type of grouting. An average terraced house with a 60 m² facade works out to between £600 and £6,000.
This can easily be combined with cleaning and/or impregnating your facade. See below for a handy overview of the different types of grouting and their characteristics.
| Joint type | Average cost per m², incl. VAT | Characteristics | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Platted smooth grout | £10 – £12 | – Most common – Smooth finish – Aligned with the bricks in your facade |
|
| Platted brushed/combed grout | £10 – £12 | – Most common – Rough finish – Aligned with the bricks in your facade |
|
| Glad recessed joint | £ 10 – £ 12 | – Joint deeper than the bricks (2 – 5 mm behind the bricks) – Stone type stands out better |
|
| Shaded joint | £ 10 – £ 12 | – Joint deeper than the bricks (2 – 5 mm behind the bricks) – Stone type stands out better |
|
| Shadow joint | £ 50 – £ 100 | – Irregularities in the stone clearly visible – Joint equal to the stones – – Often used on monumental buildings |
. Often in monumental buildings |
| Cut joint | £ 50 – £ 100 | – Similar to cut joint – Protrudes from the facade – Tight lines |
Do you need a permit for facade cleaning?
Whether you need a facade cleaning permit depends on your property type and municipality. Do you live in a listed building? Then chances are you will need to apply for a special permit for facade cleaning. Before you start your project, check with the facade specialist or your municipality whether a permit is required.
For larger projects such as facade renovation, an environmental permit is often required, as this can change the appearance of the street. For conditions, check the central government website.
Tips when hiring a facade specialist
Are you having your facade cleaned? Then the next step is to hire a suitable facade specialist. But what should you pay attention to when hiring a facade specialist? Here are some useful tips.
Compare different facade specialists.
By requesting facade cleaning quotes from different facade specialists, you can get a good idea of the different prices. Take a good look at what work facade specialists offer and at what price they perform these tasks. That way, you can find the facade specialist who charges the best price for your project. The organisation VNV Facade Specialists not only represents the interests of facade specialists but also adheres to quality standards. The Keurmerk Schoon is another hallmark you can look out for. This quality mark guarantees quality and reliability.
Combine projects
Is the neighbour’s house also in need of facade cleaning? By combining projects, the specialist can give you volume discounts and you will also save on call-out charges. So ask your neighbours if they are also interested in facade cleaning.
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