Suncoast Roof Cleaning - The true cost of roof cleaning
" Professional services are not cheap and cheap services are not professional "
Before moving forward, you should know that roof cleaning work is an extremely dangerous profession. If you attempt to do it yourself, please wear a harness and have someone assist you in case of a fall or carry a cell phone to call for assistance.
One has to be true to self and honest about the value of services expected. We are all human and want to have the best at the lowest out of pocket cost (often referred to as reasonable priced - it’s a state of mind). The fact that a 3000 square feet tile roof cost to replace is about $25,000 or roof leaks can cost thousands to repair, not to mention the damage a roof leak can create inside a home. It is beyond comprehension to seek the least expensive service provider, when you can jeopardize the integrity of your roof and home in the process or even putting the life at risk of that person performing the job, just to save a few hundred dollars. Get a professional company to do the job and save the life of a guy.
Are you ready for this? In the past two years, we have recorded a total of over 10,000 broken tiles on our customers roofs, why? Do you know how many broken tiles you have on your roof, probably not. Some people say:
- But, I have a new roof!
- No one has been up on my roof!
- I have used the same guy for years and he doesn’t break tiles!
We keep documenting many damages and every time the customers informed about it they get surprised to find out the truth. We have a General Liability Insurance to actually work on “ Roofs ”, not just ground work, which can easily be bought by anyone such as a painter or landscaper or your local handyman. We have an insurance with coverage from the ground and up to the roof top of a three stories building structure, valid for 365 days per year. If we need to work on higher altitudes, it is required from us to add an addendum to our policy for that particular job. This type of General Liability Insurance is expensive to carry and if you know how much damage a roof leak can create or replacement cost is, then you understand why the cost of it is higher. Workers Compensation for roof work is not the same as for ground work either, the fall risk and danger of work is much higher than cutting the grass or pressure washing a driveway and in the case of an accident you want to be able to keep your property free from liens and avoid lawsuits. Also, once you have a roof leak you want to be sure that the company (or individual) whom caused the damage is reachable and accountable, so having a registered corporation, either LLC or Inc doing the work will show that you have taken the least precautions to avoid havoc and hopefully they have proper insurance coverage to compensate you for the damage they have caused. This can save you thousands in your deductible and avoid premiums going up for your home owner insurance.
The need for having a clean roof has created an appetite for cheap services that carry a high risk for the contractors and low immediate out of pocket experience for the home owner. We all love to have a clean roof and they should be, but at what cost? The cost of running a company is high, due to Licenses, Insurances, Equipment and not to mention the high level of risks that roof cleaning has on the applicator which is why one should always take a measured risk when working on a roof. Cleaning a roof is not the same as installing a new roof, the level of risk is much higher, we often have to deal with very dirty roofs which have high amounts of mold, mildew and algae on them. This makes them very slippery when wet, and on top of that once we apply the cleaning solutions they become more slippery due to the surfactants (soaps) that we must use. The dirtier the roof is the higher the risk of a fall accident is to happen therefore one should not wait too long to clean a roof. If you have a two story home or higher, please demand from whomever is going to work on it to have proper safety equipment and wear a harness properly installed, falling from those altitudes often result in death casualties or permanent life injuries.
Let’s be honest and take a closer look at these factors, how much do you pay per year for:
- Pool Cleaning Services
- Landscaping Services
- Roof Cleaning Services ( *most roofs stay visually clean for two years or more )
Ask yourself how much the replacement cost or repair of the products above would cost and what level of danger they carry to the applicator.
If you have been true to self about the above you will realize what an inexpensive service roof cleaning really is even when carried out by a Licensed and Insured professional.
*most roofs stay visually clean for two years or more
Only applies if cleaned by a professional: Most roofs that we clean, stay visually clean for two years or longer. Not all of them do there are many factors that need to be counted in. How was the roof cleaned in the past? Are there oak or other trees above or near the roof? What is the integrity of the tile glaze? Your surroundings such as close to a pond or a lake? Seasonal weather conditions and other technical aspects?
Written by: Suncoast Roof Cleaning