How Much to Charge for Post Construction Cleaning
Post-construction cleaning typically runs $0.30–$0.80 per square foot, well above a standard clean, because of dust, debris, and the multiple phases involved. The rough clean, final clean, and touch-up are priced as separate phases, and heavy debris, high dust load, and detail work like paint and sticker removal push toward the top of the range.
Base pricing per square foot
$0.30–$0.80 per square foot — well above a standard clean because of the dust, debris, and phases involved. Debris load and detail work decide where in the range you land.
Why it prices higher
Construction dust gets on everything, and it doesn’t wipe off in one pass. Debris haul, sticker and paint removal, glass, and multiple passes make this far more labor-intensive than maintenance cleaning.
Price by phase
- Rough clean — debris removal after major work.
- Final clean — detailed dust, glass, fixtures, floors.
- Touch-up — right before handover.
Quoting phases matches how the builder schedules and pays, and keeps each scope clear.
Always walk it first
Never quote post-construction sight-unseen. A high-dust, detail-heavy build can justify a flat premium over square-foot math — you need to see the site to price it right.
Frequently asked questions
Why does it cost more than regular cleaning?
Construction leaves fine dust on every surface, debris to haul, stickers and paint to remove, and often multiple passes. It's far more labor-intensive than maintenance cleaning, so the per-square-foot rate is much higher.
What are the phases?
Rough clean (debris removal after major work), final clean (detailed dust, glass, fixtures, floors), and touch-up (right before handover). Each is a separate scope, and pricing them as phases matches how the builder schedules the work.
Flat or per square foot?
Per square foot is the base, but walk the site first — a high-dust, detail-heavy build can justify a flat premium quote over pure square-foot math. Never quote this sight-unseen.