How Much Does It Cost to Clean a House After Construction?
Regardless of the type of property you’re building, construction is an exciting process. However, it can become difficult to enjoy your finished project immediately after completion. That is because once the construction process ends and the crew leaves the site, there is still a lot of dust, debris, and other dirt. All of this must be removed so the area is clean and well-presented after completion. In most cases, the cleanup process involves getting rid of heavy debris and scrap, so professional services are hired to do the cleaning.
The national average cost to clean a post-construction area is between $320 and $800, with most people paying around $550 to clean an average sized residential home with windows inside and out. At the low end of the spectrum, you can spend $150 for rough cleaning of a renovated apartment. At the high end, you can pay up to $2,400 for a new construction post construction cleanup project that includes a complete cleaning of the property, junk removal services, external cleaning, and touch up cleaning.
Construction Cleanup Pricing
| Post Construction Cleaning Cost | |
|---|---|
| National average cost | $550 |
| Average range | $320-$800 |
| Minimum cost | $150 |
| Maximum cost | $2,400 |
In this guide
Residential Post Construction Cleaning Rates by Project Type
Post Construction Cleaning Cost by Phase
Labor Cost for Post Construction Cleaning
Construction Debris Removal Cost
Construction Cleaning Pros
Enhancement and Improvement Costs
Additional Considerations
FAQs
Post Construction Cleaning Cost by Project Range
Post Construction Cleaning Price per Square Foot
The post construction cleaning rates per sq.ft. range between $0.10 and $0.60, depending on the extent of work required and the type of construction you have. Residential construction cleanup services are cheaper than commercial cleanup services. You may get a discount for larger residential cleanup areas. Commercial cleanup prices, on the other hand, largely depend on the type of property you hire cleanup services for. For instance, you will pay a low cost per sq.ft. for education post construction sites, while cleaning after constructing a gas station will probably be closer to the higher end of the price scale.
Residential Post Construction Cleaning Rates by Project Type
The residential post construction cleaning rates range between $0.10 and $0.60 per sq.ft., depending on the project. The property needs to be in the appropriate condition to welcome the residents after new construction, renovation, and room refurbishment. All these projects leave a different amount of debris and waste, which means the cost to clean up after them varies depending on the size of the property, scope of work, and type of cleaning done.
| Project Type | Cost per Sq.Ft. (Labor Included) |
|---|---|
| Renovation | $0.10 - $0.50 |
| New Construction | $0.15 - $0.60 |
Post Renovation Cleaning Cost
Post renovation cleaning costs range between $0.10 to $0.50 per sq.ft., depending on if you’re doing partial or full house renovation cleaning. Rough interior cleaning costs as little as $0.10 to $0.30 per sq.ft. Deeper cleanup after full renovation costs between $0.15 and $0.50 per sq.ft. In most instances, renovation cleaning includes sweeping and prepping the area for floor installation, washing the windows, dusting the surfaces, and removing debris. However, you can hire construction services to clean walls, ceilings, lighting fixtures, door and window frames, ducts, vents, and heating exchanges, and throw out the remaining trash, plastic coverings, and strikers.
New Construction Cleaning Rates
You can expect to spend between $0.15 and $0.60 per sq.ft. for new home construction cleanup, depending on the size of the construction site, the amount of work needed, and the condition you want the site to be left afterward. The cost is higher than post renovation cleanup because new construction leaves more debris that needs to be cleaned and removed. However, in most cases, you won’t have to worry about new construction house cleaning costs as the cleaning will be done by the general construction contractor and included in the price of the property.
Post Construction Cleaning Cost by Phase
The construction cleanup process can be done in several phases with costs that vary between $0.10 and $0.60 per sq.ft. for interior cleaning services, with an additional cost of $50 to $700 for external cleaning. In most cases, construction cleanup contractors charge for three types of cleanup - rough cleaning, final cleaning, and exterior cleaning. However, not all of them have to be included in the cleanup process.
Interior cleaning involves cleaning the inside of the house, including the walls, ceilings, lighting fixtures, doors, windows, floors, ducts, vents, appliances, and throwing out the trash, plastic coverings, and stickers. Exterior cleaning, on the other hand, involves getting rid of the trash around the property, washing the doors and windows from the outside, sweeping the doorways, power washing the paved surfaces, and cleaning the exterior lights, if any.
Phase | Cost (Labor Included) |
|---|---|
| Rough Cleaning | $0.10 - $0.30/sq.ft. |
| Final Cleaning | $0.15 - $0.60/sq.ft. |
| External Cleaning | $50 - $700/project |
Rough Cleaning
Rough cleaning of post construction sites costs $0.10 to $0.30 per square foot. This includes a rough clean, which occurs during the construction before the finish work is complete. Rough cleaning includes cleaning the flooring, preparing it for a new one, scrubbing the walls, and preparing the surfaces in a home. It’s also done once the construction ends and can include removing hazardous substances, trash, and debris from the area. Not every construction clean requires a rough clean, but most will require it to some degree.
Final Cleaning Services
The cost of final cleaning construction sites is $0.15 to $0.60 per sq.ft. Once the rough cleaning is done, homeowners can hire final cleaning services, including dusting and vacuuming the surfaces and cleaning bathrooms, countertops, and cabinets from top to bottom. Your ducts and vents will be cleaned in this phase. If your service includes windows, these are thoroughly washed as well. Caulk and sealants are usually checked and may be cleaned if spills occurred. Deep interior cleaning may be involved in the final cleaning, but it’s not always provided by the contractor.
External Cleaning Services
External cleaning services can be included in the cleaning process for $50 to $700, depending on the services included. Exterior cleaning might include cleaning the outside windows, removing things like nails or debris from around the home, and making sure that all caulk and paint are cleaned up and finished. Pressure washing the paved surfaces and driveway may be included in this phase. If you only had interior work done, this phase may not be necessary.
Labor Cost for Post Construction Cleaning
The average cost per hour for post construction dust cleaning service is $20 to $50 per worker, with many projects taking a minimum of eight hours to complete and a minimum of two workers. A home remodel, requiring two workers and eight hours and including windows both inside and out, costs around $480, plus an additional $70 for the materials used in the process.
Factors such as the scope of the project, the state of the area to be cleaned, how much you want it to be cleaned, if deep cleaning post construction is needed, and other factors impact the overall labor costs. Some areas are charged an additional fee per area or per sq.ft., such as an extra “fluff” clean, consisting of a final walk-through and staging of the home. Specialty cleans range from $0.06 to $0.50 a sq.ft., which is added to the hourly base fee.
Construction Debris Removal Cost
Junk removal services charge around $400 for construction debris removal. Construction debris removal and junk removal are different projects than post construction cleanup, but they can be included as part of it if needed. The process involves throwing out construction debris, yard waste, old household items, appliances, equipment, and so forth. These services can be provided by the general contractor. In some cases, you may have to hire a separate service to get rid of the construction junk that accumulates during the project.
Construction Cleaning Pros
Construction and remodeling are messy jobs. There is no single best way to clean up construction dust that can be applied to all projects. At a minimum, they produce a lot of dust, which gets everywhere within a home or business and must be removed. The workers step with dirty or muddy shoes, which must be cleaned. New furniture, windows, and cabinets come with stickers and tags that need to be removed and cleaned, which is included in the post construction cleaning process.
Of course, you can take care of all these things yourself, but it takes you more time than a cleaning company. You may not have the proper filters or cleaning materials or realize all the places and areas that debris and dust settle. Materials like nails, glass, or wires may be left behind and can be hazardous if handled improperly, so you would need to take extra care when removing them. On the other hand, professionals know how to dispose of them safely and clean the home from top to bottom. By cleaning the whole area, they will remove bacteria, germs, pest infestations, and other harmful substances you may not have been aware of.
Enhancement and Improvement Costs
Carpet Cleaning Price
Carpet cleaning costs average between $75 and $300 for professional cleaning of one to three rooms. Homeowners typically do carpet cleaning as part of post renovation cleanup projects to eliminate the stains, dust, and debris that may have gotten trapped inside before or during the project. Cleaning the carpets ensures they are free of allergens and harmful particles and safe for everyone in the house.
Touch Up Cleaning
Some cleanup service contractors offer a touch-up cleaning, which costs around $0.20 per sq.ft. Also known as fluff cleanup, this process takes place roughly a week after the initial clean. When you hire this type of service, the professionals will take care of any dust that has settled after the first clean and any missed smudges or other minor issues.
Stone Floor Buffing
Some construction cleanup services wax and buff the floors for an additional $3 to $5 per sq.ft. During renovations, your existing floors may suffer some damage or get scuffed or scratched by the machinery and rough materials used in the project. Buffing is a great option to give your floors their old shine back. It’s a great option for renovation projects done to improve the interior look of the home without paying the full cost of floor replacement.
Price to Refinish Hardwood Floors
The cost to refinish hardwood floors ranges between $3 and $8 per sq.ft, including both the materials and labor required to do it. Like other floor refinishing projects, it improves the appearance of the flooring and makes it look new and updated. It’s often done by homeowners after renovations, along with the cleanup to ensure everything is clean and dust-free.
Post Construction Window Cleaning Prices
The cost to clean windows after construction or renovation is around $3 to $50 per window. Windows are often treated as a separate charge from the standard clean, so contractors charge an additional fee to clean them. Stickers, residue, and fingerprints are often left on windows post renovation and need to be removed and cleaned, so this is a cost that most homeowners undertake.
Additional Considerations and Costs
- Professional cleaning. Many contractors clean up after a job, but hiring a service specializing in this work is the only way to guarantee a deep clean after construction.
- Duration. Small cleanup jobs, usually for a one- or two-room remodel, take about a day to complete. Larger jobs like new construction may take two or three days.
- Timing. Schedule the cleanup to start right after construction ends. This way, if the cleaners uncover any issues, you can address them right away.
- Additional services. Post construction cleaning companies often offer other cleaning services, such as disposing of debris after disasters and cleaning after fires, floods, and other hazards.
- DIY. If you want to try this DIY, you may want to consider renting a dumpster to dispose of debris and filters to remove the dust. High-powered vacuums are recommended. Cleaners that remove adhesive from glass or wood will also be needed.
- Accessibility. If the area that needs to be cleaned is difficult to access or on a higher floor, expect to pay a higher cleanup cost than you would for an easily accessed home.
- Estimates. Every provider offers varying services for different rates, so before settling for a specific contractor, make sure to contact at least three companies to ensure you’re getting the best deal.
FAQs
- How much do you charge for a builder’s clean?
The average cost of a builder’s clean is $320 to $800, or roughly $0.10 to $0.60 per square foot
- Is post construction cleaning profitable?
Depending on the projects the company undertakes, post construction cleaning can be a profitable and fast-growing business.
- How many square feet can one person clean per hour?
It usually takes around one hour for a worker to clean a 100 to 200 sq.ft. space in a new construction home. Typically, a residential home can be cleaned with two workers in one to three days.
- How do you clean construction dust?
Typically, this is done through specially filtered vacuums, microfiber towels, and air filters to help trap the dust as it becomes airborne.
- What is included in post construction cleaning?
This varies based on your needs. In general, it involves removing debris and dust and deep cleaning surfaces.
- What is construction cleanup?
Construction cleanup includes the process of removing any junk, dust, debris, hazardous materials, adhesives, and other substances left on site after completing a construction project.
How much does it cost to clean a house after construction in my city?
Cost to clean a house after construction varies greatly by region (and even by zip code). To get free estimates from local contractors, please indicate yours.
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