Green roof maintenance cost and frequency
Green roof maintenance – cost and frequency explained
What does it cost to maintain a green roof and how often should it be done? These are perhaps the most frequently asked questions of (future) green roof owners. You’ve heard that a green roof is low maintenance, but not entirely maintenance-free. And if you then have maintenance done, of course you want to know what to expect financially. On this page, we explain how often you should ideally maintain a green roof and what factors determine the cost. This will give you a clear picture and allow you to properly plan and budget for your green roof.
Facts about maintenance frequency and costs
Recommended frequency
Most green roofs need maintenance twice a year: once in the spring and once in the fall. This is how you keep the roof in top condition. Some people get away with once a year (especially with small sedum roofs), but twice is ideal to avoid problems.
Type of green roof matters
A simple sedum roof is low-maintenance and requires less frequent attention than an intensive green roof with a variety of plants. The more complex and varied the planting, the more frequently you need to make adjustments. A sedum roof: 1-2x a year. A roof garden with grass, flowers or shrubs: prefer quarterly minor touch-ups and a few times a year more frequent maintenance.
Environmental factors
The location of your home comes into play. Is your roof under trees or in a wooded area? Then you get a lot of leaves and maybe even acorns or pine needles on the roof, which requires extra cleaning in the fall. Do you live in a windy seaside area? Sand and salt can build up. So environment affects how often you need to check. In general, lots of leaf fall = extra checking in the fall.
Cost factor: roof area
The size of your roof is one of the most important cost determinants. It makes sense: a larger roof takes more time to maintain. Many providers charge a price per m² or work with tiers. The cost per m² often drops slightly with larger areas (a larger roof is relatively more efficient to maintain), but the total amount is higher. For example, a small 10 m² roof may have a starting rate, while a 100 m² roof will have a discount per m².
One-time vs. subscription
If you opt for separate, one-time maintenance, then you pay per service. Often the price per service is slightly higher than when you take out a subscription. With a maintenance subscription (for example, two fixed annual services) you usually get a better price per visit and the assurance that maintenance will not be forgotten. Moreover, you spread the costs conveniently over the year (some providers let you pay per month).
Save through maintenance
Good maintenance saves money in the long run. This may sound strange (“you’re spending money on maintenance, right?”), but by preventing problems, you won’t have to spend big bucks later. For example: regular weed removal prevents your sedum roof from being eaten bare by unwanted plants and from having to buy expensive new sedum mats. Or: a timely cleaned drain prevents water damage that can be very costly.
On balance, the benefits of regular maintenance far outweigh the costs. It’s similar to maintaining your car, for example: those few tens or hundreds of euros a year will keep you from having breakdowns or expensive repairs. It’s no different with your green roof. Moreover, every year you enjoy a beautiful green and healthy roof – and that is hard to express in money!
Why investing in maintenance pays off
Perhaps you hesitate to spend money on maintenance, especially if you feel you can do it yourself. Then consider that investing in maintenance of your green roof pays for itself in several ways:
A green roof protects your roofing from UV radiation and extreme temperature changes, but only if the green roof itself is healthy. With maintenance, the underlying roofing often lasts 2 to 3 times longer than without a green roof. So you postpone an expensive roof renovation. That alone can more than make up for the maintenance costs.
As mentioned above, small maintenance costs prevent large repair costs. A clogged drain point that goes unnoticed can cause leaks – then you spend a lot more to repair water damage. By investing a little each year in inspection and cleaning, you potentially avoid a financial setback.
Besides finances, there is also aesthetic and personal benefit: your green roof simply looks much more beautiful and full with regular maintenance. That adds to the value of your home and to your own enjoyment of living. A well-maintained green roof is an asset; a neglected green roof can even become a detriment if it looks like a barren wilderness.
It’s not always just about dollars. When you have a maintenance contract, you also buy convenience and peace of mind. You don’t have to climb the ladder yourself, don’t have to keep an eye on when it needs to be done – it’s taken care of for you. For many people, that comfort is worth a lot. Instead of “Oh yeah, I still have to go up on the roof,” you just have it taken care of.
Green Roof Specialist appreciates customers who choose maintenance. For example, fertilizers and small materials are often included in our service. That in turn saves you purchase costs. Also, with long-term cooperation, you sometimes get a discount arrangement or priority during busy times. You build up a relationship with us as a service provider, so that we know your roof well and can help you quickly if something comes up. A form of insurance, as it were, that your roof will always get the attention it needs.
“Since I outsourced the maintenance of my sedum roof, it looks beautiful every season. All I have to do is enjoy the greenery on my roof.” ~ Tim
What does green roof maintenance cost on average?
Now specifically, what should you think about approximately in terms of cost? Although it varies by provider and region, we can give rough indications. For a standard sedum roof of say 20-30 m², the costs for two maintenance sessions per year are often around a few hundred euros. Think of €200-€400 per year as a guideline. For that money you then have two visits by specialists who check everything, weed, spread manure and clean the drains. For larger roofs (e.g. 100 m²), the annual cost may be higher, but often the price per m² drops. You might pay around €600-€800 per year for 100 m², depending on the arrangements.
If you opt for one turn a year instead of two, you’ll obviously spend about half as much – though one turn is often slightly more expensive than half of two (because of start-up costs per visit). If you want extras, such as three or four times a year maintenance (usually only needed for intensive roof gardens), it adds up.
What if you maintain it yourself? Then your direct costs are low. You’ll need to buy some sedum fertilizer; a 5 kg bag costs around €50 and that will do several years on a small roof. You might buy a pair of gardening gloves, a rake or leaf rake, together maybe €50. So those costs are not the main issue – it is mainly your time and labor that you invest.
Important: Consider a maintenance contract or periodic maintenance costs as part of the total cost of owning a green roof. Just as you include expenses for painting your window frames in the maintenance of your home, green roof maintenance is part of it if you have one. Fortunately, as you can see, it’s relatively affordable. And with our cost calculator (below), you can calculate it more precisely for your situation.
Maintenance frequency in practice
We already named it: twice a year is ideal. Let’s concretize that briefly:
After the winter, the green roof gets a refresh. Removal of weeds that sprout in early spring, removal of leaves that have been left lying around, filling in any bare spots (spreading or replanting sedum plants) and fertilizing so that the plants are ready for the growing season. This is a crucial turn because it is when the roof “wakes up” from winter.
Before winter sets in, go over everything again. The sedum has bloomed in the summer; dried-up flowers can be removed for neater appearance. All kinds of weeds that came up in the summer are removed before seeding. Important in the fall is drain cleaning because of falling leaves. We also often give a light autumn fertilizer so that the plants go strong into the cold.
Some green roofs, especially intensive garden roofs, also do a little summer maintenance (say July) to trim spent flowers and check for any drought damage. And in the winter, you usually don’t do anything except check after a storm.
If you do your own maintenance, you can follow this schedule. With a maintenance contract, you don’t have to remember this – then we’ll keep track of it for you and come by at the right time.
Frequently asked questions about cost and frequency
There is no one fixed amount per m², but roughly you can count on a few euros per m² per year for professional maintenance, depending on the size of your roof. Often companies use a graduated scale: for example, €15 per m² for a small roof up to 20 m² (minimum amount needed), €10 per m² for 20-50 m², and around €5-€7 per m² for really large roofs (>100 m²). These are very rough figures. In practice, you will have to ask for a quote. For a small roof you often end up with a few hundred euros per year in total. Our cost calculator or custom quote will give you exact prices for your roof.
“Expensive” is relative. Compared to an ordinary garden, the maintenance of a green roof is actually cheap (you don’t have to mow or prune every week, fertilization is limited, etc.). Compared to no green roof, of course, we’re talking about extra costs that you wouldn’t otherwise have. In general, most people find green roof maintenance costs quite reasonable. Especially when you see what you get in return: a beautiful roof, longer life of your roof covering, lower energy costs through extra insulation, biodiversity… The costs are usually between €100 and €500 per year depending on roof size and wishes. This is a manageable amount for most homeowners. And as mentioned earlier, many municipalities provide subsidies on construction (sometimes also on maintenance) or discounts on taxes, which makes it even more attractive.
This may vary by supplier or subsidy scheme. Some green roof systems only provide a warranty if you can show that you have maintained it annually (whether by yourself or a company), for example. Subsidies often require that you maintain the green roof for at least X years, but rarely specify the frequency of maintenance – though it makes sense that you need to do maintenance to keep the roof intact. Our advice: at least once a year maintenance, because at least that way you can show that you are doing structural maintenance. For optimal results and to be sure of warranty terms, twice a year by a professional is ideal. Always check the fine print of your warranty or subsidy; sometimes it says, for example, that you must keep a maintenance log.
Spring (spring) and fall (fall) are most effective, as described earlier. In the spring (around April) everything comes alive and you can do a good job of fertilizing and cleaning up, and in the fall (September/October) you clean up for the winter. If you do once a year, choose late spring – then your roof has just survived the winter and you can prepare it for the growing season. Then the fall cover-up might be optional as an extra. At twice a year, you cover both seasons. In the summer you can do minor maintenance if something bothers you (e.g. get rid of weeds), but the really big turns are not needed in the summer. In the winter, you generally don’t do anything except maybe clear some debris after a storm.
In the beginning it may still go well – sedum is tough and can do quite well for a year without attention. But over time you will see change. First year without maintenance: probably few problems, although weeds may begin to establish themselves. After 2-3 years of no maintenance: the sedum layer gets thinner, bare spots appear and substantial weed plants (grass, maybe some bushes from seeds blown onto it). Drains may become clogged from accumulation of debris. Your roof begins to look untidy and function less well (fewer live plants = less water absorption and insulation). After 5+ years of neglect: large areas of the green roof may have died or been taken over by unwanted plants. It may start to leak as the roots of grass, for example, grow through the protective layer. Eventually, you then actually no longer have a full green roof and may have to rebuild the entire roof. Conclusion: not maintaining at all is a waste of your investment and can lead to additional costs to repair the roof. A little attention every year will keep your green roof vital.
At Green Roof Specialist , the necessary fertilizers and small materials are included in our maintenance service. You pay an all-in price per maintenance service or per year, and we take care of the fertilizer, possibly a bag of gravel if we need to add some, a piece of sedum mat if we need to fix something, etc. We like that for the customer: no surprises or separately charged costs for some grains of manure. If there is something bigger going on (for example, a whole section of the roof needs to be re-vegetated), then of course we consult and make an offer. But normally everything that belongs to regular maintenance is just included in the agreed price.
Do you have other questions about maintaining your sedum or green roof? Then feel free to contact us. We will be happy to help you – whether it’s advice on how to get started, or to take care of all the maintenance for you. That way you can keep your roof beautifully green and healthy year after year.
