4 min read
Cleaning up after a remodel, and why it takes more than one pass
Post construction cleaning after a remodel is done in stages, not one visit. Fine drywall dust hangs in the air and keeps settling for days, so a rough clean removes the debris and heavy dust, a final clean details every surface once the trades are gone, and a short touch-up catches what settles after that. In Northwest Indiana it is usually priced by square foot: roughly $0.28 for a rough clean and $0.45 for a final.
The kitchen is finished, the contractor has gone, and there is a fine white film on everything, including rooms nobody worked in. That film is the reason this kind of cleaning is its own job and not a regular visit with extra time.
Why one pass is never enough
Sanded drywall compound is extremely fine. It stays in the air long after the sanding stops, drifts through the whole home, and settles slowly over the next several days. Clean everything on day one and you will find a new layer on day three. That is not a bad clean, it is how the dust behaves, and it is why builders schedule cleaning in phases.
The three stages
- Rough clean: debris, packaging and the heavy dust, done while trades may still be finishing
- Final clean: every surface top to bottom, including walls, vents, inside cabinets, window tracks and light fixtures, once the work is complete
- Touch-up: a short visit a few days later for the dust that settled after the final
Top to bottom, dry before wet
The order matters more than the effort. Ceilings, fans and the tops of doors and cabinets come first, then walls, then counters and fixtures, and floors last. Dust is vacuumed with a filtered vacuum before anything gets a damp cloth, because wiping drywall dust wet turns it into a paste that smears into grout and textured surfaces.
The things that get missed
- Stickers and adhesive on new windows, fixtures and appliances
- Dust inside cabinets and drawers, which were open during the work
- Heat registers and cold air returns, where the dust goes to hide
- Window tracks and the tops of door frames
- Paint and caulk specks on hard floors and tile
How it is priced
Because the work depends on the phase more than the size of the home, it is quoted rather than booked online. As a guide, it runs roughly $0.28 a square foot for a rough clean, $0.45 for a final and $0.24 for a touch-up. I work with homeowners after a remodel and with builders across Porter and Lake counties, including Crown Point and Winfield.
One thing to check first
If the home was built before 1978 and the remodel disturbed old painted surfaces, ask your contractor how the work was handled before any cleaning starts. Older paint can contain lead, and that cleanup is a job for a certified renovator, not a cleaning company.
