Your House Doesn't Need Repainting - It Needs a Wash

You're standing in the front yard, looking at your house, and thinking it's time to repaint.

The colour looks faded. There's streaking down the walls. The whole thing just looks... tired. You're mentally calculating the cost - a few grand for a decent painter, maybe more. You're dreading the quote.

But here's a question: when was the last time you actually cleaned your house?

That's Not Faded Paint

Most of the time, what people think is paint failure is actually just dirt.

The Gold Coast throws everything at your house. Salt air drifting in from the coast. Dust and pollution from roads. Pollen from trees. Mould and mildew growing in the shaded spots. Spider webs collecting in every corner. Bird droppings adding their own special touch.

All of this builds up gradually. So gradually that you don't notice it happening. Your house just slowly looks worse and worse, and your brain assumes the paint is failing.

But here's the thing - underneath all that gunk, your paint is probably fine. It's just buried under years of environmental buildup.

I've washed houses where the owners were genuinely shocked at the colour. "I forgot it was that bright." "I thought we'd painted it a different shade." Nope - that's just what your house actually looks like when it's clean.

The Repaint Trap

Here's what happens when you don't know this:

You call a painter. They quote you several thousand dollars. If they're honest, they might tell you a wash would help first. If they're not, they'll just paint right over all that mould and grime - and wonder why the new paint doesn't stick properly.

Either way, you're spending money you probably don't need to spend.

A professional house wash costs a fraction of a repaint. And if your paint genuinely is failing, you'll be able to see the actual problem areas once the dirt is gone - instead of repainting the whole house because you couldn't tell what was dirt and what was damage.

Even if you do need to repaint, washing first means the new paint adheres properly. You get a better result that lasts longer. Any painter worth their salt will tell you the same thing.

What Actually Works

House washing isn't just pointing a pressure cleaner at your walls and hoping for the best (Hint: don't do that).

Different surfaces need different approaches. Rendered walls, weatherboard, brick, Hardie plank - they all have different tolerances. Use too much pressure on the wrong surface and you'll do real damage. Strip paint, gouge render, force water into places it shouldn't go.

We use a soft wash approach for most house exteriors. Lower pressure, combined with cleaning solutions that actually break down the mould and grime rather than just blasting it around. It's gentler on your surfaces and gets a better result.

The mould doesn't just get removed - it gets killed. Which means it takes longer to come back. A good house wash should keep your place looking fresh for a year or more, depending on your environment.

And yeah, I'll tell you if you actually do need a painter. If the paint's flaking, bubbling, or genuinely failing, a wash isn't going to fix that. But at least you'll know what you're actually dealing with.

The Bottom Line

Before you spend thousands on a repaint, spend a few hundred on a wash.

Worst case, you've got a clean surface ready for the painter. Best case, you've saved yourself a massive expense and your house looks like new again.

Either way, you win.

Want to see what colour your house actually is? Get your free online estimate or give us a call on 1800 517 402.