Post-Construction Cleanup Prices Differently Than a Recurring Contract
Rough clean, final clean, and touch-up clean each carry their own square-footage rate — quoting a one-time construction job at your recurring office rate is the fastest way to lose money on it.
A one-time construction job isn't a recurring contract with a bigger number
Post-construction cleanup gets requested constantly by facilities managers and general contractors finishing a build-out, and it's tempting to price it the same way you'd price a recurring office contract — take your per-square-foot rate and multiply. That undercuts almost every time.
Recurring office cleaning assumes a space that's already clean and just needs maintaining: empty trash, vacuum carpet, wipe surfaces. A construction site has drywall dust in the HVAC returns, adhesive residue on floors, protective film on fixtures, and debris in places a maintenance crew never touches. The labor hours per square foot run two to four times higher than a maintenance visit, and the job usually happens once, not on a repeating schedule — so there's no second visit next week to catch what you missed on the walkthrough.
Treat it as its own line of work with its own rate card, not a variant of your office rate.
Three phases, three rates
Each phase is billed once, not monthly, and most jobs only need one or two of the three.
Rough clean — $0.15–$0.25 / sq ft
Happens right after major construction debris is hauled out. Focus is a heavy debris sweep, removing tape and stickers, and a first pass on windows and fixtures so trades can keep working without tracking dust everywhere.
Final clean — $0.20–$0.35 / sq ft
Done right before occupancy. Full detail: inside cabinets and drawers, light fixtures, baseboards, window tracks, and every surface wiped to a move-in standard. This is the phase the client remembers and photographs.
Touch-up clean — $0.05–$0.10 / sq ft
A short return visit a few days after occupancy to catch dust that settled after HVAC startup and foot traffic tracked back in. Some contractors fold this into the final clean price as a two-visit package instead of billing it separately.
What to check on a construction walkthrough
The scope changes more here than on any office walkthrough — confirm these before you write a number.
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Confirm what "clean" the contract actually requires
Ask whether you're being hired for rough, final, or both — general contractors sometimes say "cleaning" when they mean only debris removal, which is a different trade and a different price.
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Check who removes bulk debris
Construction debris — drywall scraps, packaging, pallets — is usually a dumpster or hauling job, not a cleaning job. Confirm it's gone or budgeted separately before you price square footage.
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Ask about HVAC startup timing
If HVAC turns on before your final clean, dust that already settled gets stirred up again — that changes whether you need a touch-up visit, and it should be priced in up front rather than added later.
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Get the occupancy date in writing
Final clean is usually the last trade in before occupancy, which means your schedule has zero slack if an earlier trade runs late — build a cancellation and rescheduling fee into the terms.
Questions about pricing post-construction jobs
Can I use my recurring office rate for a one-time construction job?
No — construction debris, a heavier dust load, and the fact that there's no second visit to catch what you missed all push the effective rate well above a maintenance contract. Price it from the phase rates above, not your monthly office rate.
Who's usually paying for this — the general contractor or the building's tenant?
Ask directly; it varies by job. If the general contractor is paying, they're comparing you to other construction-cleanup specialists, not office janitorial companies, and your bid should read that way.
Does this ever turn into a recurring contract?
Often, yes — a clean final walkthrough is a strong pitch for the ongoing maintenance contract on the same building. Some contractors intentionally price the one-time job near breakeven to win the recurring bid that follows.
What if the space is smaller than a typical office job I'd normally quote?
Set a minimum job price regardless of square footage — travel time, equipment setup, and disposal costs don't scale down with a small space, and a per-square-foot rate on a 2,000 sq ft suite can undercharge for the actual hours involved.
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