Guests arrive at the outside of the property before they see a single thing you have done indoors. The walk from the car to the door sets the tone, and it is the part most owners never look at with fresh eyes because they always arrive the same way.
What ends up in reviews
Green patios, a slippery path, garden furniture nobody could sit on, and outdoor areas that look nothing like the photos. The last one matters most. If the listing shows a clean terrace and the guest finds a black one, that gap is what gets written about.
The slip risk is the real one
Algae on a shaded path or decking is genuinely slippery when it rains, and a let has strangers walking it in the dark with bags in both hands. A patio clean from £4/m² is cheap next to an accident, and it is the part of the property your insurer would ask about.
Fitting it around changeovers
Changeover day is too tight. Surfaces need drying time and the work makes noise and mess, so the sensible slot is a gap between bookings, however short, or the shoulder season either side of your busy months. Tell James the dates that are blocked rather than the ones that are free, and he will work to them.
A simple yearly pattern
- Patio, decking and paths before the season starts, so the surfaces match the listing photos when bookings peak.
- Gutters in autumn, once the leaves are down, from £85.
- Render every couple of years, or sooner on the shaded elevation.
Re-shoot the photos afterwards
The cleaning only earns its money if the listing shows it. Take the outside shots again on the first dry day after the work, in the same light as the originals, and swap them in.
Ready to sort yours?
Get the outside quoted