How much does it cost to clean a house after construction?

Reviewed by Cristina Miguelez remodeling expert. Written by Fixr.com.

Regardless of the property you build, 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 dust, debris, and other dirt. This must be removed so that the area is clean and well-presented after completion. In most cases, professional services are hired to remove the heavy debris and scrap.

The national average cost to clean a post construction area is between $500 and $800, with most people paying around $650 to clean an average-sized residential home with windows inside and out. This project’s low cost is $275 for rough cleaning of a renovated apartment. The high cost is $2,400 for post construction cleanup on new construction that includes a complete cleaning, junk removal, external cleaning, and spot cleaning.

Construction Cleanup Pricing

Post Construction Cleaning Price per Square Foot

The post construction cleaning rates per square foot range between $0.15 and $0.60, depending on the extent of the work and construction type. Residential construction cleanup services are less expensive than commercial cleanup services. You may get a discount for larger residential cleanup areas. Commercial cleanup prices largely depend on the property type you hire cleanup services for. For example, you pay a low cost per square foot for education post construction sites, while cleaning after constructing a gas station is closer to the higher end.

Residential Post Construction Cleaning Rates by Project Type

The residential post construction cleaning rates range between $0.15 and $0.60 per sq.ft., depending on the project. The property must be in the appropriate condition to welcome the residents after new construction, renovation, and refurbishment. These projects leave different amounts of debris and waste, meaning the cost to clean varies depending on the property size, work scope, and cleaning type.

Post-Renovation Cleaning

Post-renovation cleaning costs range between $0.15 to $0.50 per sq.ft., depending on if you are doing partial or full-house renovation cleaning. Rough interior cleaning costs $0.15 to $0.30 per sq.ft. Deeper cleanup after a full renovation costs between $0.20 and $0.50 per sq.ft. In most cases, renovation cleaning includes sweeping and prepping the area for floor installation, washing windows, dusting 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

Expect to spend between $0.25 and $0.60 per sq.ft. for new home construction cleanup, depending on the construction site size, amount of work, and condition you want the site to be left in. The cost is higher than post-renovation cleanup because new construction leaves more debris that must be cleaned and removed. However, in most cases, you do not have to worry about new construction house cleaning costs because the cleaning is done by the general construction contractor and is included in the property price.

Post Construction Cleaning Cost by Phase

The construction cleanup process can be done in several phases, with costs varying between $0.15 and $0.60 per sq.ft. for interior cleaning services and $0.29 to $0.60 a sq.ft. for external cleaning. In most cases, construction cleanup contractors charge for 4 types of cleanup: rough, final, touch-up, and exterior. However, not all of them must 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, throwing out the trash, plastic coverings, and stickers. On the other hand, exterior cleaning involves removing 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.

Rough Cleaning

Rough cleaning of post construction sites costs $0.15 to $0.40 per sq.ft. Rough cleans begin during construction before the finish work is complete. Not all construction work needs a rough clean, depending on the level and work being done. Rough cleans remove debris and remove the bulk of the construction dust and material. Areas cleaned include the floors, walls, and other surfaces. The rough clean gets the surfaces of the home ready for use. It is not the final clean and does not finish everything, but it sets the stage for a later clean.

Final Cleaning Services

The cost of final cleaning construction sites is $0.20 to $0.60 per sq.ft. The final clean occurs once all construction is done and the rough clean has occurred. The final clean removes the last coat of dust, removes fingerprints and stickers, and ensures everything is ready for use. All surfaces get a final wipe-down, including counters, flooring, cabinets, and other surfaces. The floor is vacuumed, and the surfaces are double-checked. Your ducts and vents are cleaned in this phase. If your service includes windows, these are thoroughly washed. Caulk and sealants are usually checked and may be cleaned if spills occur. Deep interior cleaning may be involved in the final cleaning, but the contractor does not always provide it.

Touch-Up Cleaning

The cost of a touch-up clean is $0.25 to $0.60 per sq.ft. Sometimes, dust takes time to settle after the project. When this happens, you might find construction dust in previously cleaned places. For this reason, some companies offer a touch-up clean, where they return after the final cleaning to wipe down affected surfaces. This usually includes countertops, window sills, vents, and some floor areas. This is usually a much smaller cleaning job, so while it may cost slightly more per square foot, it takes less time, and your total costs are likely lower.

External Cleaning Services

External cleaning services can be included in the cleaning process for $0.29 to $0.60 per sq.ft., depending on the services included. Exterior cleaning might include cleaning the outside windows, removing nails or debris from the home, and ensuring all caulk and paint are cleaned and finished. Pressure washing the paved surfaces and driveway may be included in this phase. This phase may not be necessary if you only had interior work done.

Post Construction Cleanup Steps

Each construction project you undertake can be different. Therefore, the amount of post construction cleanup and steps needed may differ by project. However, there is a general process that most cleaners follow to ensure the entire area gets cleaned properly. A general cleaning usually includes:

1. Debris Removal

First, large debris is removed. Sometimes, this is leftover materials. Other times, it may be packaging left from boxes of tile or straps that had been holding flooring. These items are removed first.

2. Stain and Spot Removal

Splashes, stains, and spots are removed. If paint, caulk, grout, sealant, or other substances has splashed, dripped, or leaked onto other surfaces, these are cleaned. This stage can be minimal if the contractors took care to cover the surrounding surfaces.

3. Wipe Down

Next, all surfaces get a rough wipe down. This includes windows, doors, cabinets, countertops, and other areas. This is not the final cleaning these surfaces receive, but this step removes the worst of the debris.

4. Sticker Removal

If you had new windows or appliances installed, they may have stickers. At this point, the stickers are removed from the surfaces. Any residue is cleaned with the surrounding area.

5. Deeper Cleaning

At this point, wash down all the surfaces in the room. Walls, floors, cabinets, and countertops get a more thorough wipe down. This is the final cleaning that readies these surfaces for use.

6. Flooring

Cleaning the floors is generally the last step. The floors are swept and mopped or vacuumed. This is done last to ensure nothing is dripped or pushed from other surfaces onto the clean floors.

Post Construction Cleaning Cost per Hour

While many services are given as a cost per square foot, these numbers give you an estimate of the time the project takes to estimate the service cost. However, when it comes to the final payment, many companies charge by the hour. The average cost per hour for post construction dust cleaning service is $30 to $50 per worker, with many projects taking a minimum of 8 hours to complete and a minimum of 2 workers. A home remodel, requiring 2 workers and 8 hours and including windows, costs $480 to $800 plus an additional $70 for the materials.

Factors like the project scope, the state of the area, how much you want it to be cleaned, if deep cleaning post construction is needed, and others impact the labor costs. Construction cleaning is a messy job, which is why it is not typically done DIY. Construction cleaning pros know there is no single way to approach a job. Dirty footprints, left-behind materials, including glass, wire, and hazardous materials, and dust can all be left after even the most basic construction. For that reason, you may find that your costs vary throughout the project. Some areas are charged an additional fee per area or per square foot, such as an extra “fluff” clean, consisting of a final walk-through and staging of the home. Specialty cleans range from $0.10 to $0.50 a sq.ft., adding to the hourly base fee.

Construction Debris Removal Cost

Junk removal services charge $200 to $600 for construction debris removal. Construction debris removal and junk removal are different projects than post construction cleanup, but they can be included if needed. The process involves removing construction debris, yard waste, old household items, appliances, and equipment. These services can be provided by the general contractor. In some cases, you may have to hire a separate service to remove the construction junk that accumulates during the project.

Enhancement and Improvement Costs

Carpet Cleaning

Carpet cleaning costs average between $75 and $300 for professional cleaning of 1 to 3 rooms. Homeowners typically do carpet cleaning as part of post-renovation cleanup projects to eliminate stains, dust, and debris. Cleaning the carpets ensures they are free of allergens and harmful particles and safe for everyone in the house.

Stone Floor Buffing

Some construction cleanup services wax and buff the floors for an additional $2 to $8 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 is a great option for renovation projects to improve the home’s interior look without paying the full cost of floor replacement.

Refinish Hardwood Floors

The cost to refinish hardwood floors ranges between $3 and $8 per sq.ft., including the materials and labor. Like other floor refinishing projects, it improves the appearance of the flooring and makes it look new and updated. It is often done by homeowners after renovations with the cleanup to ensure everything is clean and dust-free.

Post Construction Window Cleaning

The cost to clean windows after construction or renovation is around $8 to $40 per window. Windows may have stickers, residue, and fingerprints from the construction work. This is more labor-intensive than other types of cleaning to remove, so it may be charged separately from the other parts of the cleaning. Sometimes, homeowners take care of this cleaning to help keep costs down. Other times, the windows may be included in the final clean. Because it is often an additional charge, speak to your cleaners about whether windows are included in the final clean.

Additional Considerations and Costs

• DIY. If you want to try this DIY, 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 are also needed.
• Professional cleaning. Many contractors clean after a job, but hiring a service specializing in this work is the only way to guarantee a deep clean after construction. Check your contract because if cleaning is involved, the degree is generally specified. Sometimes, cleaning means debris removal only. Other times, they completely clean the job site, and no further cleaning is necessary.
• Timing. Schedule the cleanup to start after construction ends. This way, if the cleaners uncover issues, you can address them right away.
• Additional services. Post construction cleaning companies often offer other services, such as disposing of debris after disasters and cleaning after fires, floods, and other hazards.
• 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 contact at least 3 companies before settling for a specific contractor to ensure you get the best deal.