Above head height, cleaning stops being a cleaning purchase and becomes a work at height purchase. The method of access decides the price, the programme and the risk, and it is what the Work at Height Regulations 2005 ask you to think about first. A quote that names a price but not an access method is not a quote you can accept, however attractive the number is.
Access decides everything
Regulation 6 of the Work at Height Regulations 2005 requires work at height to be avoided where reasonably practicable, and where it cannot be avoided, that equipment is selected to prevent a fall. In practice that ranks water fed pole from the ground first, then mobile elevating work platforms, then rope access, with scaffold or cradle last. Each has a different cost and a different effect on your car park and your neighbours.
Cladding needs a method, not a pressure washer
Composite panels, powder coated aluminium, render and profiled steel all have finishes that a high pressure lance will strip or dull. The usual method is a low pressure soft wash with a suitable detergent and dwell time, rinsed clean. Ask which chemical, at what dilution, and whether it has been used on your panel type before, and ask for a test patch in an inconspicuous area before the whole elevation is committed.
Gutters are drainage, not decoration
Blocked commercial and industrial gutters overflow into the building fabric, and on a large roof the water volume is substantial. Clearing is usually by vacuum from the ground on lower roofs and by platform or rope access higher up. Ask for before and after photographs per gutter run, because it is the one job you cannot see, and ask for outlets and downpipes to be proven clear rather than just the channel.
What the contractor should produce before starting
A task specific risk assessment and method statement naming the access equipment. Evidence of competence for that equipment, meaning operator cards for MEWPs or IRATA certification for rope access. Public liability cover appropriate to working at height. A rescue plan if rope access is used. And agreement on exclusion zones, because the pedestrian below is the person most at risk on a high level job.
Questions people ask about high level cleaning
How often should commercial gutters be cleaned?
Usually once or twice a year, weighted to autumn where there are trees nearby. Buildings with flat roof outlets and hopper heads often need more.
Can cladding be pressure washed?
Most modern cladding should not be. A low pressure soft wash with a suitable detergent and dwell time is the normal method, tested on a small area first.
Is rope access cheaper than a scaffold?
Usually yes for cleaning, because it is quick to mobilise and does not occupy the ground for weeks. It requires certified technicians and a written rescue plan.
Who is responsible for safety, us or the contractor?
The contractor plans and carries out the work, but as the occupier you must satisfy yourself they are competent and you control the area below. Both duties are real.