Home/Renovation Centre/How-to guide

How-to guide

House Washing Before Selling — The Cheapest Lift There Is

Add Value Makeover · Auckland · Updated June 2026

Before you reach for paint, reach for the wash gear. A clean exterior, clean paths and clean windows is the cheapest single lift you can give a home — and sometimes it's all the outside needs.

What washing does

Years of grime, mould and lichen make a perfectly good home look tired. A proper exterior wash brings weatherboards, render and roofs back to life, brightens the whole property in photos, and signals "well-maintained" to buyers — for a fraction of repainting.

The pre-sale wash list

  • Soft-wash the cladding — weatherboards, render or brick. Soft-wash (not high-pressure) protects paint and seals.
  • Treat moss and lichen on the roof and shaded walls.
  • Water-blast hard surfaces — paths, driveway, steps and patio.
  • Clean the windows, inside and out — bright glass makes interiors feel lighter.
  • Clear and flush the gutters.

Wash or paint?

If the paint is sound but dirty, washing alone can transform the exterior. If paint is flaking, faded or patchy, washing is the prep step before a repaint — never paint over grime. At the walk-through we'll tell you which camp your home is in.

A whole-house wash is a low-cost job and is built into the exterior week of a refresh.

In short

A soft-wash of cladding, roof, paths and windows is the cheapest pre-sale lift there is — and if the paint is sound, it can be all the outside needs. If paint is flaking, washing is the prep before a repaint.

Common questions

Good to know before you start

Is house washing worth it before selling?

Almost always — it's the cheapest way to brighten a home for photos and signal good maintenance. If the paint underneath is sound, a wash alone can transform the exterior.

Should I soft-wash or water-blast my house?

Soft-wash painted cladding to protect the paint and seals; save the water-blaster for hard surfaces like paths and driveways.

Do I still need to paint if I wash the house?

Only if the paint is flaking, faded or patchy. If it's sound but dirty, a wash may be enough. Washing is also the essential prep step before any repaint.

no obligation, promise!

Ready to see your number?

Answer a few quick questions and get a ballpark price and a finish date in about 30 seconds — emailed to you as a PDF. No charge, no pressure.