As the builder of a property it is important to remember that the first impression that your property gives to anyone who views it is crucial. That is why it is so important to have a quality builders clean prior to handing over the keys to your new property. Most people do not realize the work that goes into having a property cleaned after all of the building work has been completed, but a builders clean is more than just a quick clean around. It is a time consuming and skilled job that needs to be completed properly in order to leave your new property looking its very best.

The term ‘builders clean’ is sometimes used as if it were a single task, similar to a paint or decorate job, but in reality it is a series of stages that are required to complete a satisfactory clean of a building. The impression given by a builders clean is of great importance to any contractor or developer, as a dirty building will give a poor first impression to any client. As with any process it is best to complete a builders clean in the correct order and allow each stage to be completed by a competent operative.

The three stages, and what each one does

Most “builders cleans” are actually completed in three stages and it is wise to book a rough clean, a fine clean and a sparkle clean separately.

There is usually time to complete a rough clean whilst the last of the trades are finishing off. This is heavy work to clear a building of debris and offcuts, to sweep and vacuum all surfaces and to remove big messes so that other work can continue in a clean and safe environment.

The fine clean is the most important part of the builders clean, often referred to as the ‘detail clean’. It is the fine clean that brings the building back from a building site to a completed building, all the surfaces are cleaned and all of the fixtures and fittings are cleaned. The majority of the builders clean is carried out in the fine clean, and as this clean requires the most time and the most skill, it is priced accordingly.

The final stage of the builders clean is known as the sparkle clean. This final clean takes place just prior to handover and includes tasks such as polishing all glass and mirrors, giving all surfaces a good buff to remove any marks or fingerprints, and generally giving the building and its surfaces a final once over to ensure that everything is clean and ready to show off to potential clients.

What’s actually included

The details of a builders clean that need to be removed from a property before handing over to a client include internal glazing and frames. Skirting boards, architraves, and the tops of doors. All of the items including switches, sockets, and radiators. The kitchen and bathroom including the inside of all of the cabinets and all of the units. The floors which will need to be cleaned and sealed or buffed and polished, or even covered with a specialist floor treatment, depending on the type of floor coverings used throughout the property. The stickers, protective films, and labels that have been applied to the glazing and the various domestic appliances throughout the property. These are extremely fiddly to remove, extremely time consuming, and the first thing that a client will notice if they have not been removed.

The details are the most important bit of the building to clean, such as the reveals between walls and windows and doors. The edge of skirting boards and architraves. The tops of door frames. The backs of switches and sockets. Behind bathroom and kitchen fixtures and appliances. The areas inside kitchen and bathroom units and cupboards. The dusty and dirty surfaces that are above head height and normally difficult to reach. Stickers and protective films that have been stuck onto windows and appliances. Stickers and protective films that have been stuck onto other surfaces of buildings. Labels that have been stuck onto surfaces of buildings.

Why it matters for snagging and handover

A clean building snags better! So much of the snagging list is hidden under the dirt, dust and debris that has accumulated on the surfaces of the building. This is especially true for large, complex buildings where the number of possible problems is already high. When surfaces are left dirty and dusty, defects are often obscured from view and only discovered when the surface is cleaned. The problems are then recorded and remedied before handover to the client, rather than being found by the client and recorded as defects.

When it comes to handing over a property the first impression is a vital one. If a developer hands over a property that has been finished to a high standard and looks to have been cleaned with care then the developer will be viewed in a very positive light. Conversely, a property that has been left to be cleaned by the end consumer with a thick film of dust covering every surface will give the impression that the property was finished in a rush and with little care.

When to book it

The timing of a Builders Clean can also be critical. The rough clean can be done at the same time as the end of the trade work, to clear the site of debris and off-cuts etc. The fine clean is best done when the building is substantially complete, i.e. all the major work has been finished and there is a large amount of dust etc. to clear. The sparkle clean is best done as close to handover as possible, to give the best finish to the building.

Why the cheapest quote usually costs more

Everyone can get a cheap builders clean done on a project. But if someone offers a cheap builders clean then expect to get a bad builders clean. The cheap builders clean will normally be a single visit where the cleaner will complete a single pass of cleaning. The high level of dust will have been left in the building and there will be a film of dust on all of the glazing. All of the reveals and edges will have been left to collect dust. Then either you or your customer will have to pay for another clean to sort out the mess left by the first cleaner.

A professional builders clean from a contractor that specializes in this type of work will charge for the value that they are bringing to the site. A properly completed builders clean includes the correct number of stages for a particular site, the correct products for cleaning particular surfaces, a properly trained team of operatives, method statements and insurance to name a few things. As a developer or main contractor this work is not an overhead, it is the last check on the quality of work that you have paid for and it is your guarantee that the value of your completed project will not be eroded by a sloppy builders clean. Get this work specified in your program early on and make sure that the contractor is treating this work as part of the finish of the project and it will pay for itself when you hand over the keys to the new property and the client is impressed by a spotless clean property.