What does a post construction cleaning business do?
A post construction cleaning business removes the dust, debris, stickers, paint specks and residue that builders leave behind, so a new or remodeled home is ready for inspection, photos or move-in. It is deeper and dirtier than a regular deep clean, and it runs on the contractor’s schedule.
The three phases
| Phase | When | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Rough clean | After framing, drywall and most heavy trades, before finishes go in | Remove debris and scraps, vacuum dust from floors and surfaces, clear the way for flooring, cabinets and paint |
| Final clean | After all trades finish, before the walk-through or inspection | Detailed cleaning of every surface: inside cabinets and drawers, windows and tracks, fixtures, appliances, vents, baseboards and floors; remove stickers and residue |
| Touch-up (sometimes called a sparkle or puff clean) | After punch-list repairs, just before the owner moves in | Dust that settled since the final clean, fingerprints, floors, and the areas touched by punch-list work |
Some jobs need only a final clean, especially small remodels. New builds often need all three. Always confirm which phases the client wants, because the scope and the price change a lot between them.
Who hires construction cleaners
- Home builders finishing new houses or townhomes
- Remodeling contractors after kitchens, baths, additions and whole-home renovations
- Homeowners who managed their own renovation
- Investors and flippers preparing a home for sale or rent
- Property managers after unit renovations
How to start a post construction cleaning business
Set up a cleaning business, add the training, equipment and insurance construction work demands, time a few jobs to learn your production rate, and then pitch builders and remodelers. Many owners start by adding post construction work to an existing residential cleaning business.
- Set up the business. Register it, get an EIN, open a business bank account and get any general business license your city requires. Our guide on starting a cleaning business covers the order, and this licensing guide covers local permits.
- Learn the safety rules. Construction dust and older-home lead paint carry rules you must follow; see the safety section below.
- Get the insurance contractors ask for. See the paperwork section below.
- Buy construction-grade equipment. A regular household vacuum dies fast on drywall dust.
- Write your checklist and scope sheet. Use the checklist below so every bid and every job covers the same items.
- Time your first jobs. Record square footage, phase, crew size and total labor hours on every job. That data is how you bid accurately later.
- Pitch builders and remodelers. Start with smaller remodelers who need one dependable crew, then grow into builders with steady volume.
Equipment that holds up on job sites
- A commercial HEPA vacuum with spare filters and bags, plus a wet/dry shop vacuum for debris
- Microfiber cloths and mop pads in quantity, because drywall dust loads them quickly
- Plastic scrapers and razor scrapers for paint, caulk and stickers; ask the builder before using a blade on glass, tile or finished surfaces
- Extension poles and stable ladders for high ledges, fans, light fixtures and upper windows
- Buckets, sponges, adhesive remover and a neutral floor cleaner that is safe on new finishes
- Safety gear: eye protection, gloves, knee pads and sturdy closed-toe shoes, plus respiratory protection where the conditions require it
- Contractor trash bags and a plan for debris, agreed with the builder before the job
Many items overlap with a regular cleaning kit; the supplies list guide covers the basics.
Post construction cleaning rates: how much to charge
Most construction cleaners bid by the square foot or by phase, and some bill hourly for small or unpredictable jobs. Whichever you quote, build it from your own production rate: how many square feet a cleaner finishes per labor hour, for each phase.
Three ways to price
- Per square foot. Easy for builders to compare and budget. Use a different rate for each phase, because a rough clean goes much faster per square foot than a final clean.
- Per phase, flat. One price for the rough, final or touch-up clean on a specific home. Good once you know a builder’s floor plans.
- Hourly. Useful for small remodels, punch-list cleanups and jobs where the condition is hard to judge. Set a minimum.
A worked bid (hypothetical numbers)
Say a builder asks for a final clean on a 2,500 square foot new home. From your past jobs, your crew finishes a final clean at about 180 square feet per labor hour, so this home takes about 14 labor hours (two cleaners for seven hours).
| Line | How it is worked out | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Wages | 14 labor hours × $20/hour | $280.00 |
| Payroll taxes and workers’ comp | Assumed 15% of wages | $42.00 |
| Supplies | Pads, cloths, blades, HEPA bags, cleaners | $40.00 |
| Travel | Fuel and drive time to the site | $20.00 |
| Direct cost | $382.00 | |
| Price with 25% overhead and 15% profit | $382 ÷ 0.60 | about $637 (about $0.25 per sq ft) |
For reference on pay, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a median wage of $17.07 an hour for maids and housekeeping cleaners in May 2025. Construction cleanup is harder work, and many owners pay above their regular cleaning rate for it.
What raises the price
- Heavy debris, paint overspray, or stucco and grout haze on windows and floors
- Lots of glass, high windows, or exterior windows above the first floor
- Tight deadlines, evening or weekend work, or a builder who isn’t ready when you arrive
- Extra trips because trades keep working while you clean
- Pre-1978 homes where lead-safe practices apply
Write the phase, square footage, what is excluded (exterior pressure washing, carpet extraction, debris hauling) and the return-trip fee into every quote. The cleaning estimate template makes that quick, and the commercial cleaning calculator is useful when a builder also asks about a sales office or model home.
Post construction cleaning checklist
Work top to bottom and dry to wet: remove debris, vacuum dust from high surfaces down, then wipe, then clean glass, then floors last. Use the list below for a final clean and trim it for rough and touch-up phases.
Every room
- Remove debris, scraps, tape and packaging; agree beforehand who hauls it away
- HEPA vacuum ceilings, corners and walls if dusty, then vents and return grilles
- Dust and wipe ceiling fans, light fixtures and bulbs
- Wipe doors, frames, hinges, knobs and switch plates
- Vacuum and wipe window sills, tracks and frames; clean glass and remove stickers
- Wipe baseboards, trim and outlet covers
- Remove paint specks, caulk smears and adhesive from finished surfaces, carefully
- Vacuum and wipe inside closets and shelves
Kitchen
- Vacuum and wipe inside and outside every cabinet and drawer
- Clean countertops and backsplash, removing grout haze where safe for the material
- Clean appliances inside and out and remove protective films and stickers
- Clean the sink, faucet and the range hood, including filters
Bathrooms
- Clean tubs, showers and glass, removing grout and caulk haze
- Clean toilets inside and out, including the base
- Clean vanities, cabinets, mirrors and fixtures, and remove labels
- Wipe exhaust fan covers
Floors, last
- HEPA vacuum all hard floors and carpet, including edges and under heat registers
- Damp mop hard floors with a cleaner approved for the new finish
- Check for paint, drywall mud or adhesive left on the floor
Before you leave
- Walk the home with the builder or their checklist if possible
- Photograph every room, and note any damage you found but did not cause
- Report anything trades must fix, like scratched glass or chipped tile
To turn this into a printable sheet for your crew, start from the cleaning checklist template and add these items.
Dust, silica and lead: the safety rules to know
Construction dust can contain crystalline silica, and older homes may contain lead paint, so post construction cleaning has safety rules a regular house clean does not. Use HEPA vacuums and wet methods, avoid dry sweeping and compressed air, and know when lead-safe rules apply.
Silica dust
Cutting and sanding concrete, stone, tile, brick and some drywall products releases respirable crystalline silica. OSHA’s silica standard for construction says employers must not allow dry sweeping or dry brushing where it could contribute to employee exposure, unless wet sweeping, HEPA-filtered vacuuming or other low-exposure methods are not feasible. The same standard limits using compressed air to clean clothing or surfaces. In practice: vacuum with a HEPA vacuum first, then wipe damp, and never blow dust around with a leaf blower or air hose indoors.
Lead paint in pre-1978 homes
The EPA’s Renovation, Repair and Painting program requires anyone paid to disturb painted surfaces in homes, child care facilities and preschools built before 1978 to be certified, and their workers trained, in lead-safe work practices. That rule targets the renovation firm, but it shapes your job: after the work, the area must be cleaned, and under 40 CFR 745.85 a certified renovator must perform the cleaning verification, including wiping sills, floors and countertops with a wet disposable cloth and comparing it with a verification card.
If a remodeler hires you for the cleanup on a pre-1978 job, ask whether it is an RRP project, follow their certified renovator’s instructions, and don’t start until the work area rules are clear. If you plan to do much of this work, the one-day renovator course is worth considering.
Everyday job site safety
- Wear eye protection, gloves and closed-toe shoes; nails and screws end up everywhere
- Use ladders on stable, level ground and never stand on the top steps
- Check with the site supervisor before entering, and follow their site rules
- Ventilate when using adhesive removers or strong cleaners, and never mix chemicals
- If you provide respirators, OSHA respiratory protection requirements may apply; ask a safety professional
Insurance and paperwork builders will ask for
Builders and remodelers usually ask for a certificate of insurance before you set foot on site, and many ask for more than a homeowner would. Have your documents ready and you will win work over cleaners who don’t.
- General liability. Contractors may set minimum limits and ask to be named as an additional insured on your policy.
- Workers’ compensation. Required in most states once you have employees. Some contractors require proof of it from every subcontractor, or charge you for coverage if you can’t show it.
- Commercial auto if your crew drives to job sites in business vehicles.
- A W-9 so the contractor can pay you and report it.
- A written scope and terms: phases, square footage, what’s excluded, payment terms, and fees for return trips when the site isn’t ready.
Tell your insurance agent you do construction cleanup, because it can be rated differently from house cleaning. The cleaning business insurance guide explains policy types, limits and certificates of insurance.
Getting paid
Builders often pay on terms, such as 30 days after the invoice, rather than on the day of the job. Plan your cash flow for that gap, invoice the day each phase is done, and agree on terms before the first job. Some contractors also hold back part of each payment until the whole project closes; ask up front. A cleaning invoice template covers the basics.
How to find construction cleaning clients
Go to the people who finish homes: remodelers, custom builders, production builders, flippers and property managers. They value a crew that shows up the day the trades leave, more than the lowest price.
- Remodelers and custom builders. Visit their offices with a one-page sheet: phases offered, your certificate of insurance, photos of finished work, and how fast you can schedule.
- Building permit data. Many cities publish issued building permits. A remodel permit today is a final clean in a few months.
- Supply houses and design showrooms. Flooring, cabinet and tile showrooms know which contractors are busy.
- Real estate agents and investors. Flipped homes need a final clean before listing photos.
- Your existing clients. House cleaning clients who renovate need a construction clean before your regular service starts again.
After every job, ask the builder for the next one. Repeat contractors are the core of a construction cleaning business, because they send steady work with no marketing cost. For channels that work across all cleaning services, see how to get clients for a cleaning business.
How to run construction cleaning jobs smoothly
Confirm the site is ready the day before, send a crew with a checklist, document the finished home with photos, and invoice the same day. Most problems on construction jobs come from arriving before the trades have finished.
- Confirm readiness. Call the site supervisor the day before. Are the trades done? Is power and water on? Who has the key or lockbox code?
- Brief the crew. Phase, scope, special finishes to protect, and where debris goes.
- Clean top to bottom. Follow the checklist in order, and keep the HEPA vacuum running ahead of the wipers.
- Photograph and report. Room-by-room photos protect you if a trade damages something after you leave.
- Invoice and schedule the next phase. While you are on site, book the touch-up date.
If you run a residential cleaning crew alongside construction work, BroomBook’s crew app gives each cleaner checklists with photos and clock-in on their phone, which helps you record job times for future bids and show builders what was done. See the features page for what it covers.