Wellington house washing, decided in one page.
Soft wash the house. It’s what weatherboard, stucco and painted cladding need. Blast only the hard surfaces. Bundle roof and gutters if the whole exterior is due. And check the water restriction level before you touch a hose.
Soft wash: low pressure, smart chemistry
The default for Wellington houses. A biodegradable wash kills mould, algae and lichen, then a gentle rinse follows. Safe on weatherboard, painted surfaces and stucco, the cladding mix most older suburbs are built from.
Water blasting: driveways, paths, decks, brick
High pressure suits robust surfaces only. Never blast weatherboard or fragile cladding. It forces water behind boards and strips paint. Most providers do both and pick per surface.
Bundle house + roof + gutters
Roof moss treatment, gutter clean and house wash are usually cheaper as one booking than three. The right call for pre-winter maintenance or pre-sale prep.
What it costs in Wellington
House washing is quoted per job, usually after photos. These are the working ranges: one Wellington published entry point, plus NZ-wide guides, because no Wellington-specific cost guide exists yet.
Basic house wash (Wellington)
Acorn House Washing publishes a from-$280 + GST entry point for a basic house wash across Wellington, Kapiti and Hutt. Most providers quote per job after photos or a site look.
Typical range by house size
Published NZ guides put a typical house wash at $200–$600 by size, usually a one-day job, with a medium-house average around $350–$450. No Wellington-specific cost guide exists yet, so ranges draw on NZ-wide and Auckland published data.
DIY hire
Kennards and Hirepool hire water blasters (1,400–4,000 psi) for flat hard surfaces. DIY on cladding, heights or lead-paint-era homes is where the damage bills start. Professional soft wash exists for a reason.
Choose by job type
Soft wash: Softwash Solutions, Chemwash, Acorn, Wellington Wash or Pristine Wash. Low pressure plus chemistry, the only safe approach for Wellington’s weatherboard and stucco stock.
That’s water blasting territory: ProWash, Clear Water Blasting or Metro. Keep the blaster off the house itself.
Bundle it. Manta, Metro and Chemwash all package roof moss treatment with house wash: one booking, one setup, usually cheaper than separate jobs.
Dentice runs whole-property exterior maintenance (washing, gutters, windows) on a recurring basis. Chemwash sells annual soft-wash plans. Right for rentals and pre-sale prep.
Wellington provider shortlist
Start here. Soft wash specialists for the house, multi-service crews for whole-property work, franchises for standardised coverage.
Softwash Solutions
20+ year Wellington soft wash specialist; residential and commercial. Best for cladding-sensitive older homes.
Acorn House Washing
Transparent entry pricing (from $280+GST); biodegradable soft wash; Wellington, Kapiti, Hutt. Best for a clear starting price.
Manta Wash
Soft wash packages plus roof treatment; Wellington City, Porirua, Hutts. Best for bundled house + roof work.
Wellington Wash
Instant online quote tool; safe on stucco and monolithic cladding. Best for a fast fixed price without phone quotes.
Pristine Wash
Soft wash focus with a structured three-step quote process; Wellington, Porirua, Kapiti.
ProWash Wellington
Weatherboard-specific method; house wash plus controlled blasting for hard surfaces.
Clear Water Blasting
Owner-operated since 2001; before/after photos on every job; region-wide including Kapiti and Wairarapa.
Dentice Property Services
Family firm, 30+ years; truck-mounted blaster, SkyVac gutters, pure-water windows; Wellington plus Manawatu. Best for whole-property maintenance.
Chemwash Wellington
NZ’s longest-running soft wash brand (since 1981; Wellington since 1990); annual maintenance plans. Best for a proven system and recurring care.
Wash Rite Wellington City
“NZ’s largest house washing company”; separate Hutt Valley and Porirua/Kapiti franchises. Best for standardised franchise process.
Metro Water Blasting
National franchise with a Wellington franchisee; residential and commercial, seven days. Best for weekend booking and bundled exterior work.
Wellington rules that change the job
Water restrictions are real. Wellington Water’s Tiaki Wai system runs four levels; at Level 3 all residential outdoor water use stops. Wellingtonians use more water per capita than any other NZ metro, and summer supply is finite. Check the current level before any DIY wash.
Stormwater here is untreated. Wellington’s stormwater network drains straight to streams and the harbour. Discharging chemicals into it is illegal. Wash on grass so soil filters runoff, and ask providers how they manage chemical containment.
The climate grows things on your house. Rain, wind, salt air and humidity drive fast mould, algae and lichen buildup, worse on shaded sides and in bush-adjacent northern suburbs. Left alone, organic growth damages paint and timber. That’s why the pros recommend cycles, not one-offs.
Common mistakes Wellington homeowners make
Water blasting weatherboard or stucco: high pressure drives water behind boards and strips paint. Soft wash exists because Wellington’s housing stock demands it.
DIY blasting near stormwater drains: Wellington’s stormwater network is untreated and drains straight to streams and the harbour. Chemical runoff is illegal, not just untidy.
Ignoring water restriction levels: at Tiaki Wai Level 3, all residential outdoor water use stops. Check the current level before planning a DIY wash.
Washing the house but leaving the roof: moss and lichen on corrugated iron shorten its life, and roof treatment bundles cheaply with a house wash.
Choosing on sticker price alone: a $280 wash that damages lead-paint-era cladding costs far more than a $450 soft wash done right.
Letting organic growth go for years: mould and lichen eat paint and timber. A 6–12 monthly cycle is cheaper than restoration.
FAQ
How much does house washing cost in Wellington?
Acorn House Washing publishes a from-$280 + GST entry point for a basic wash. Published NZ guides put typical jobs at $200–$600 by house size, with a medium-house average around $350–$450. Most providers quote per job after photos. Send them upfront for a tighter number.
Soft wash or water blasting?
Soft wash for the house: low pressure plus biodegradable chemistry that kills mould, algae and lichen, safe on weatherboard, painted surfaces and stucco. Water blasting only for hard surfaces: driveways, paths, decks, brick. Never blast cladding.
How often should I wash the house?
Annually or every 6–12 months in Wellington’s climate. Frequent rain, wind, coastal salt air and humidity drive fast organic buildup, worse on shaded sides and bush-adjacent suburbs like Johnsonville, Khandallah and Newlands. Regular cycles protect paint and timber.
Is DIY worth it?
Only for flat hard surfaces with a hired blaster, and only when water restrictions allow. DIY on cladding, heights or older homes is where damage bills start, and chemical runoff into Wellington’s untreated stormwater network is illegal.
What should I ask before booking?
Send photos and state the cladding type, storeys, access, and whether you want roof treatment or gutters included. Ask whether the price includes GST, how chemical runoff is managed, and whether they carry insurance for cladding damage.
For most Wellington homes: soft wash the house with Softwash Solutions, Chemwash, Acorn, Wellington Wash, Pristine or Manta; blast only driveways and hard surfaces with ProWash, Clear Water Blasting or Metro; bundle roof treatment and gutters when the whole exterior is due. Check the Tiaki Wai water restriction level first, and never let wash chemicals reach stormwater drains.