What exterior cleaning costs, and how often it needs doing

What changes the number

• Size and reach. A short driveway is a different job from a long one, a tall gable end or a two-story wall.
• Surface and condition. Bare concrete behaves differently from painted wood, and a season of dust is not the same as years of growth.
• Buildup. A light film rinses away. Oxidized siding, rust streaks and grease take longer, and often a second pass.
• Prep and protection. Covering plants, screens and outlets, and keeping water out of the wrong places, is part of the work.
• Access. Gates, slopes, tight side yards and where we can park all change how long a visit takes.
• Extra work in the same visit. Repairing a post, replacing joint sand between pavers or coating a floor adds time.

That is why we ask for photos and the town before quoting. Two similar houses in Salado and Georgetown can still land in different places once the surface and the buildup are taken into account.

How often each job is worth doing

• House wash. Yearly for most homes. Walls that stay in shade collect growth faster, and brick holds onto pollen longer than siding.
• Gutter clearing. Twice a year for most roofs, with a third visit where trees hang over the house.
• Fence and deck staining. Clean the wood every year or two, and plan on a fresh coat every two to four years, sooner on the sun side.
• Paver and stone sealing. Every two to three years, or once water stops beading on the surface.
• Driveways, walks and patios. Whenever they read dull or stained, and before an event where they will be looked at.
• Garage floors. Once. A coated floor is a finished floor, and it is the one job here that is not on a repeat schedule.