# Construction Clean-Up



## ddpromo1

A friend of mine wants to do a rough cleaning and post cleaning when complete. He gave me a quote of .20 per sq foot plus extra for windows for both times. Is this what you guys are paying for rough and final clean? Or is this guy whacked?

Thanks,

David D.
D&D Builders
Knowledge Is Power ONLY When Executed!


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## Glasshousebltr

Seems a a little high to me, but I think it depends on if the dumptsters on site or haul away.

You do make your subs consolidate their waste don't you?

Think about it, 1500 sqft would be 300.00. The entire site could be cleaned really well with two people in a morning if they stay busy.

I guess it also depends on what its worth to you. If they do a really good job on time or at the last notice. Maybe.

Around here I've had pickups full of students. They cleanup for a little over 100.00.

Bob


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## ddpromo1

*That answers one question..*

I appreciate your feedback. That answers the "rough" cleaning question. But I'm looking for a service that will "detail" my custom homes, ready for the home owner. I've had friends help, but there not always there when I need them. I heard "post" cleaning rates run anywhere from .10 - .25 sq foot, some include windows some don't> Who to believe?

Thanks,

David D.

Oh PS. I supply the trash/dumpster removal.


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## guliegirl

Depends on what he/she does exactly. If that includes windows, basement sweep, and reclean is included in the .20 cents a square foot thats a good deal. Myself I charge 15 cents a square foot without windows or a basement sweep. and 4 cents to come back and do a reclean. I don't do the basement usless its finished and/or included in the square footage. When we do the first clean we try to get it detailed and cleaned the best we can including shining sinks and fixtures. We clean it how we would want it before we move in all dust and garbage removed we even hand wash floors.  Then come back and touch up if needed before the home owners move in. If you have more questions let me know. what area are you in? wish you were in my area. I need some work!!


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## hbrown

I've started a cleaning service in florida and trying to determine if you charge by the hour or square foot.(commerial and residential)


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## Zatol

I pay .12/sf... That is a very detailed final clean only.

I do require that my subs clean up after themselves and they understand before hand that I will charge them if I have to clean behind them. (In order to do this, you must visit the site daily. Otherwise it becomes difficult to hold them accountable.)

My .12 may be equal to your .20.... Pricing is geographically subjective.


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## hbrown

If you dont mind, what does your detailed final clean up consist of.


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## Zatol

Floors, tubs, showers, toilets, windows(inside and out), window sills, cabinets(top to bottom, inside as well), fireplace(slate surround usually treated w/baby oil), appliances, baseboards, etc...

Our houses are mid-level homes, 2000-2500sf.

They do not clean the exterior, porches, or garage at the price I listed.

She tells me that they do on average two houses per day.


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## Zatol

Hbrown... just thought I'd let you know that I got a quote yesterday for .20/ft..


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## RowdyRed94

Our detailers (3500-6000 s.f. homes) get $500 and up, to around $1000. We ask a lot of them, though. We do our own rough cleanup, but they clean it as a maid would - windows, cabinets, floors, woodwork, lighting, you name it. They usually number two or three and spend a day or more on site.


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## ConstructionGal

Hello All, I'm new to your site. I've got a large hotel in Austin that I am bidding on and got a very high estimate from the window cleaners. The hotel is about 285k with 15 stories. Anyone have any ideas on pricing for a hotel? I tried to break it down by the amount of rooms and price it that way; like I do on most of my other smaller jobs however it seems very high too. Any suggestions are much apprecited. I tend to price my jobs by sq footage as well. thanks


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## deborah

where in florida r u?
starting business in panhandle soon

prices are low to me at 20 cents squ ft,,how do you cover allyour costs of insurance,supplies,etc at such low rates esp at the pennies for second clean?


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## acme const.

i am trying to get 20 posts so i can send an im


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## Top to Bottom

*clean rates????*

Hello eveyone, I am new to this site and to new construction cleaning. I am in MD and know that the going rate for homes are .15 per s.f., but what I don't know is how to price a condominium building??? I know there should be some sort of a discount......but how much??? Please help me with this! Thanks


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## TaDa

*cleaning rates*

Hello everyone

New to this site and from kansas city Missouri. We just started our cleaning business about 1 year ago. We are charging .18 sq ft and $7 per window. I know alot of people are charging around .16 sq ft, but are much higher on their window prices. Anyone from close to here?

Tammy V
TaDa Cleaning


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## Cole

Guys you might want to check out: http://www.cleaningtalk.com/

It is a sister site of this one and is just getting started.


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## asbestos

The idea of pricing by the S/F is odd. some places are trased and you could spent 7 hours just bulking out the big stuff. The important thing is that you just spent how long building the place and then the only thing the owner sees is that there was grime in the tub. Not a way to save $50


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## ApgarNJ

i think most of us that would hire someone to do a final clean, would already have all the construction related debris out of there by then, and we are looking for someone to just clean the windows, floors, and anything else that is dusty. i have never paid anyone to do the final cleaning. i just usually go through and do it myself, doesn't take me more than a day at the most. and i know it's done right and i dont have to worry about someone i don't know, who doesn't speak english going through this several hundred thousand dollar job and screwing something up. or scratching something. i do understand for the really large houses though that it's better to hire someone. 
12-15 cents a sq ft sounds ok to me. anything hire and you are wasting money.


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## Nathan

Cole said:


> Guys you might want to check out: http://www.cleaningtalk.com/
> 
> It is a sister site of this one and is just getting started.


Thanks for the plug Cole but just so everyone knows... this site is not officially launched yet. We are still working on graphics, colors, and topics. 

You are free to sign up and post whenever you want though, I just didn't want anyone to think it was done yet.

Any feedback on topics and such would be greatly appreciated. 

THANKS! :thumbsup:


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## FCPWLLC

ApgarNJ said:


> i think most of us that would hire someone to do a final clean, would already have all the construction related debris out of there by then, and we are looking for someone to just clean the windows, floors, and anything else that is dusty. i have never paid anyone to do the final cleaning. i just usually go through and do it myself, doesn't take me more than a day at the most. and i know it's done right and i dont have to worry about someone i don't know, who doesn't speak english going through this several hundred thousand dollar job and screwing something up. or scratching something. i do understand for the really large houses though that it's better to hire someone.
> 12-15 cents a sq ft sounds ok to me. anything hire and you are wasting money.


Worrying about someone that doesn't speak English or screwing something up isn't a problem when you hire insured, professional and Legitimate Businesses that don't hire illegals. That can be accomplished by paying more than 12 to 15 cents. The work is worth closer to 50 cents but lowballers that have no insurance and hire ilegals, have brought prices too low.

Just my 2 cents as a contractor that bids against toothless, uninsured "so-called businesses" everyday that price jobs at a rate that will allow them to buy a twelve pack at the end of the day.


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## Cole

12 to 15 cents is robbery.

I agree, 50 cents is more realistic.

Welcome to the forum, FCPWLLC!


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## Linda Roy

For a rough clean up in the 1st-2nd stages of the home I charge a flat rate of $250, that's for a home anywhere from 1500sf - 4500sf. Then I charge the .12sf for the final and that includes windows.


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## Linda Roy

Wow, I never knew contractors felt that way about small people trying to make an honest living, I have all of my teeth and I speak very good english. Maybe a little *******, but definitley english. Ouch !..


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## Clean_pro1

Hello all my cleaning buddies. I'm new to this site so I'll keep my price comments to myself. But just a quick question. I have a job I'm bidding on, Commercial Construction cleaning 16000 sf bldg in Southern Calif, one story, lots of wood. What would be an ideal rate to charge by sf. Or should I charge by the hour per person? and how much


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## erico_usa2008

*Final Construction Cleaning Rates in St. Louis, MO*

I need to get an idea of what the going rates are in St. Louis, MO for Final Cleaning of a new construction Hotel. Taking everything into consideration such as windows, carpet, stone granite floors & counter tops, 117 units plus common areas? I would like and appreciate any feedback on this topic. I will be cking my replies or e-mails periodically, thanks to all.


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## dannym

ConstructionGal said:


> Hello All, I'm new to your site. I've got a large hotel in Austin that I am bidding on and got a very high estimate from the window cleaners. The hotel is about 285k with 15 stories. Anyone have any ideas on pricing for a hotel? I tried to break it down by the amount of rooms and price it that way; like I do on most of my other smaller jobs however it seems very high too. Any suggestions are much apprecited. I tend to price my jobs by sq footage as well. thanks


I would suggest charing by the sq ft. We are cleaning a hotel with 4 floors and you need to charge by the sq ft


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## dannym

We are in stillwater oklahoma and we charge from .17 to .20 a sq ft.


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## shorty t

any body there


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## shorty t

all of these post are old ones any one up to date here??????????????? would like some new feed back please!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## andreia

*~*~*~*Just started~*~*~**

Hi, Im new to this site but all the question and answers i have about the cleaning idustry seem to be posted on this forum. 

For you more expereinced contractors i had a question. I just started a cleaning company. We have employees who we get to clean post contruction homes. So they dont have any furniture no one living there. I was wondering whether or not i need to first off have insurance and how much i should be charging. Just any advice that can help me get this buisness started off on the right way.

Thanks all.

By the way im from canada (toronto) im not sure if the protocol and prices are different


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## CleaningTime

ddpromo1 said:


> I appreciate your feedback. That answers the "rough" cleaning question. But I'm looking for a service that will "detail" my custom homes, ready for the home owner. I've had friends help, but there not always there when I need them. I heard "post" cleaning rates run anywhere from .10 - .25 sq foot, some include windows some don't> Who to believe?
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> David D.
> 
> Oh PS. I supply the trash/dumpster removal.



Hi David. Depending on the service, if they haven't walked the site to be cleaned, the quote is useless. In our area, .25 sf is a little high, but may be great depending on what is included. 

Glass in/out, floor treatments (wax vct) and fixture cleaning (ceiling lights/fans etc),vac/dust walls, will bring the price up. In my area a T&M cleaning will cost you upward of $36 per hour per worker, or .25 sf. For the price you were quoted, make sure it includes everything you can think of. For a lesser price, expect only what the homeowner will see to be cleaned. 

Myself, I am VERY detailed and average @ .18 sf interior glass inc., every surface gets touched/wiped/polished basement sweep. Also ask to have exterior entry swept and craft paper put down on hardwood/tile, a plastic path on carpeting so the cleaning is not for nothing. I have re-cleaned after other cleaning contractors and found areas untouched. (under range drawer/under fridge/top of base...)


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## cowboytough

I am responding to your post and to advise you that your friend is letting you off easy due to the fact that contractors in this field actually quote cleaning windows on per liniar feet basis. For example I would quote you depending on how many windows are there and calculate the liniar feet; also it depends upon which side of the scale your project fits on for my company profits. One side could get you 3.00 per liniar foot or 2.50 per linear foot for post construction.
Charging per linear foot for post, new commercial construction, and final cleaning for the windows is seeming a medium between what the customer wants (Free service) and what we want ( a profit ). 
I hope that this helped answer your question and don't be to hard on you buddy.

Respectfully,

Jack T. Ross, Owner
_Cold Mountain Construction Cleaning Services, LLC_.


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## cowboytough

We charge .15-.30sq ft for post cleaning and final cleaning. For windows and casing we charge as much as 5.00 per linear foot.


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## packer_rich

cowboytough said:


> We charge .15-.30sq ft for post cleaning and final cleaning. For windows and casing we charge as much as 5.00 per linear foot.


DUDE, call me when you need windows and casing cleaned!!


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## cowboytough

Why is that. Linear feet is much less than charging by the square feet by far.


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## Jackpine Savage

I just had two buildings cleaned, one twelve unit apartment and one office at between .40 and .45 a square foot. That's clean enough to pass a lead clearance (which means you have to be able to eat off of the floor) and since it was two buildings (one project) they had to mobilize twice. Windows cleaned inside and out. Not sure if I paid too much-- I couldn't find anyone else who wanted to bid the lead cleaning part--if I had failed the clearance test she would have had to come back.


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## packer_rich

cowboytough said:


> Why is that. Linear feet is much less than charging by the square feet by far.


 I'm not sure how big those window are, but at $5 a ln/ft, I could do pretty well


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## Electric_Light

deborah said:


> where in florida r u?
> starting business in panhandle soon
> 
> prices are low to me at 20 cents squ ft,,how do you cover allyour costs of insurance,supplies,etc at such low rates esp at the pennies for second clean?


You should be very clear in the extent of cleaning, so their expectations and your expectations are clear as possible to each other. New construction and contract commercial cleaning should be fairly predictable, so with experience, its possible to submit competitive bids based on variables. # of steps, linear feet, square feet, specific inclusions, exclusions, etc. 

When I lived in the dorms, we trashed the floor lounge. Beer cans, pizza boxes, food debris everywhere. A smashed window. It remained like that for the whole weekend, but it was magically squeaky clean Monday evening. 

The custodial provider must have had a provision for extraneous cleaning outside of reasonable use. We were told custodial contract doesn't include this kind of mess and that the entire floor will be allocated damage for window repair + clean-up. 

Yeah, we got billed :\ with registration hold as collateral.

If the contract specifically included huge party mess everyday, but we didn't take the liberty to trash it everyday, then we'd be overcharged for the service.

By specifically excluding it, the provider knows what they don't have to do for free so they don't end up underbidding. The school expects the mess cleaned up and knows we would have just left it like that so they've probably got the overage rates negotiated. 

Hourly rate is more suitable for standard residential cleaning service or one of the kind jobs based on relationship based jobs rather than hard core number based.


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