Exterior Cleaning in Lee Moor,
Wotter & Shaugh Prior
Dartmoor-edge specialists. Roof softwashing, render cleaning, gutter clearance and driveway restoration for properties dealing with china clay dust, moorland damp and heavy moss growth.
4.9★ rated · 109+ reviews · 9 years experience
Exterior Cleaning & Maintenance in Lee Moor
Lee Moor, Wotter and Shaugh Prior sit right on the south-western edge of Dartmoor, and properties here face a genuinely harder set of conditions than homes a few miles down the road in Plymouth. Elevation is higher, rainfall is heavier, and the prevailing south-westerlies push damp air straight across the moor onto your roof, render and boundary walls. Add the china clay workings that shaped this landscape and you get a combination of wind-blown dust, persistent moisture and shade that leaves surfaces looking tired far faster than most homeowners expect.
We have been cleaning exteriors across this corner of the moor for years, and the pattern is consistent. North-facing roof slopes carry thick moss beds that hold water against the tiles. Rendered and painted elevations pick up green algae and, on more exposed walls, the reddish tint of gloeocapsa. Gutters clog with a mix of moss fragments, needles from surrounding conifers and clay silt — a heavier, denser debris load than the leaf litter we clear in town. Tarmac and block-paved drives green over within a single wet season, and granite or concrete paths become genuinely slippery by late autumn.
Because this is a rural, spread-out area, we plan work differently. Many properties here are ex-quarry cottages, smallholdings, farmhouses and converted agricultural buildings on long private tracks, often without mains drainage or an easy water supply. We arrive self-sufficient with our own water tanks, generators and long hose runs, so we can work on properties well away from a tap or socket. Our access equipment is chosen with narrow lanes and soft verges in mind, and where a vehicle simply cannot get close we use pole-fed systems that reach roof height from the ground.
The service list is the same as everywhere else we work — roof cleaning and softwashing, K-Rend and render cleaning, gutter clearing and repairs, driveway and patio pressure washing, cladding, conservatory roofs, solar panels and windows, plus roof repairs where cleaning uncovers a problem. What changes on the moor is the method, the dwell time of our treatments and how often we recommend coming back.
Services Available in Lee Moor
Every service below is available across Lee Moor, Wotter, Shaugh Prior, Cadover Bridge, Bickleigh and the surrounding moorland hamlets — usually within the same week for smaller jobs.
Professional high-pressure cleaning for driveways, patios, decking and all exterior surfaces.
Expert driveway cleaning and restoration for block paving, tarmac, concrete and resin surfaces.
Professional patio restoration for Indian stone, block paving, slabs and natural stone.
Thorough gutter clearing and flushing to prevent blockages, leaks and water damage.
Expert moss removal and roof cleaning to restore appearance and extend tile lifespan.
Gentle, chemical-free cleaning for rendered walls, cladding and delicate exterior surfaces.
Professional cladding cleaning for UPVC, composite, metal and timber panels.
Specialist cleaning to maximise solar panel efficiency and energy output.
Full-scale exterior cleaning for commercial premises, car parks and industrial buildings.
Fast, effective graffiti removal from all surfaces without causing damage.
Safe, professional bird guano removal and sanitisation for homes and businesses.
Safe access cleaning for high-level gutters, fascias, soffits and building exteriors.
Professional gutter repair, realignment and replacement to protect your property.
Skilled roof repairs including tile replacement, ridge repointing and leak fixes.
Why Lee Moor Customers Choose Us
Soft washing rather than brute force. Moorland roofs are often older clay or natural slate, and many render systems in the area are thin-coat or painted. Blasting them with a high-pressure lance strips surface material, opens up hairline cracks and forces water into laps and joints. We use a low-pressure biocide application that kills the moss, algae and lichen at the root, then let the weather rinse the surface down over the following weeks. The result lasts far longer than a scrub-and-shine that simply removes the visible green.
Cleaning frequencies set for this microclimate, not a national average. In Plymouth city we might suggest a roof treatment every three to five years. On the Dartmoor edge, with the rainfall and shade you have here, we are usually recommending gutter clearance twice a year, drive and patio cleaning annually, and a roof treatment every two to three years. We will tell you honestly if a surface does not need doing yet — we would rather book you in next year than take money for work with no benefit.
Clay dust and iron staining handled properly. Standard detergents do very little against the fine clay residue and rust-coloured marks common around the Lee Moor workings. We carry surface-specific treatments for these stains and will always test a discreet area on natural stone, granite setts and older render before committing to a full clean.
Real safety cover for high and awkward work. Working at height on a sloping site in Dartmoor weather is not a job for a ladder propped against a gutter. We use tower scaffold, cherry pickers or pole systems as the property requires, and we are fully insured with £5 million public liability cover on every visit.
Local, accountable and easy to deal with. We are a Plymouth-based team, not a national franchise passing your job to a subcontractor. You get a named contact, a written quote with no obligation, and the same people turning up on the day. Our work across Devon and Cornwall holds a 4.9-star average from over 109 Google reviews.
Straightforward quoting. For most properties we can quote from photographs and a short phone call. For larger farmhouses, multi-elevation render or anything involving roof access, we prefer to visit so the price you get is the price you pay.
Frequently Asked Questions – Lee Moor
Do you actually cover Lee Moor, Wotter and Shaugh Prior?+
Yes — these villages are a regular part of our round, roughly 20 to 25 minutes from our Plymouth base. We also cover Cadover Bridge, Wotter Waste, Bickleigh, Shaugh Bridge, Sparkwell and Cornwood, so if you are anywhere on this stretch of the moor edge we can reach you without a travel surcharge.
Why does moss come back so quickly on my roof up here?+
Higher rainfall, higher humidity, more shade from surrounding trees and cooler surface temperatures all favour moss and algae. Spores are constantly present in moorland air, so the question is never whether growth returns but how quickly. Physically scraping moss off leaves the root structure and spores behind, which is why it reappears within a season. A proper biocide softwash kills the growth at the root and typically buys you two to three years before another treatment is worthwhile.
Will pressure washing damage my slate or clay roof?+
It can, which is why we do not pressure wash pitched roofs. High pressure lifts and cracks natural slate, erodes the surface of concrete tiles and drives water underneath the covering into the loft. We softwash instead. The only time we use pressure equipment at roof level is on flat roofs, conservatory glazing and certain commercial surfaces where it is appropriate.
How often should gutters be cleared on a moorland property?+
Twice a year for most properties here — late spring after the growing season and again in late autumn once the leaves are down. If you have conifers, overhanging trees or a lot of roof moss shedding into the gutter line, three visits a year is sometimes more sensible. Blocked gutters on exposed properties are the single most common cause of damp patches on internal walls we get called out to.
Can you clean the reddish or rust-coloured staining on my render?+
In most cases yes. That colouring is usually either gloeocapsa algae or iron and clay staining, and each needs a different treatment. We identify which one you have on site, test a small area first, and treat accordingly. We will be honest if a stain has permanently penetrated the render, in which case we would recommend cleaning followed by a breathable masonry coating rather than promising a result we cannot deliver.
My property has no outside tap or mains water. Is that a problem?+
Not at all. We bring our own water tanks and generators, which is standard for the rural and smallholding properties we clean around Dartmoor. All we usually need is somewhere sensible to park the van and access to the elevations we are working on.
Is the treatment safe around livestock, ponds and gardens?+
We take this seriously in a farming area. We sheet and pre-wet planting, avoid application in windy conditions, keep well clear of open water and ponds, and will agree with you beforehand where animals need to be kept while we work and for how long afterwards. Tell us about any wells, boreholes or watercourses on the property when you book.
How much does exterior cleaning cost in this area?+
Driveway and patio cleaning starts from £150. Roof and render work is priced per property because elevation count, pitch, access and the amount of growth all change the job significantly. Quotes are free with no obligation, and there is no extra charge for the drive out to the moor.
Do you work through the winter?+
Yes, with sensible limits. Biocide treatments still work in cold weather as long as there is no frost forecast within 24 hours and it is not actively raining hard during application. Gutter clearance and roof inspections carry on year round. We will move a booking rather than apply a treatment in conditions that would waste your money.
What if you find damaged tiles or gutters while cleaning?+
We will photograph it and show you before doing anything else. We carry out roof repairs and gutter repairs ourselves, so in many cases we can put it right on the same visit or quote separately if it needs materials ordering. There is no obligation to use us for the repair.
How long does a typical job take?+
A driveway or patio is usually half a day to a full day. A roof softwash on a standard house is typically a single visit of two to four hours, with the surface continuing to improve over the following weeks as rain rinses the dead growth away. Full render cleaning on a larger farmhouse can run to two days depending on access.
Are you insured and can you provide proof?+
Yes — we hold £5 million public liability cover and will send documentation on request before we start. We are happy to provide method statements and risk assessments for any work at height, which is often needed for commercial and agricultural clients.
Ready to Get Started in Lee Moor?
Contact us today for a free, no-obligation quote. We respond within 24 hours.