Pricing guide · September 2026
The short answer: post-construction cleanup typically runs $0.15–0.50 per sq ft for residential new builds and light commercial, with heavy commercial and multi-phase jobs above that. A 2,000 sq ft new home commonly lands $400–900 depending on debris level and finish quality. The spread is the phases — "post construction clean" means three different jobs to three different people, and the bid is wrong until you know which one they're buying.
| Phase | What it is | Typical share |
|---|---|---|
| Rough / heavy clean | Debris removal, stickers and tape, dust everywhere, sweep-out | ~30% of the bid |
| Final clean | The real clean: windows, fixtures, floors, cabinets in/out, baths to hotel standard | ~55% |
| Touch-up / punch | Re-clean after the punch walk generates scuffs and dust trails | ~15% |
The classic margin-killer: the GC says "one clean" and means all three. Get the phases in writing, price each as its own line, and make touch-ups a capped visit rate — not unlimited free returns.
| Project | Typical US rate | Example |
|---|---|---|
| New residential (single family) | $0.15–0.30 / sq ft | 2,000 sq ft → $400–600 |
| Custom estate / high finish | $0.25–0.50 / sq ft | 5,000 sq ft → $1,250–2,500 |
| Light commercial / office buildout | $0.20–0.40 / sq ft | 5,000 sq ft → $1,000–2,000 |
| Multi-family units | $150–400 / unit | 20 units → $3,000–8,000 |
| Hotels (per room, final phase) | $65–120 / room | 123 rooms → $8,000–14,800 |
Finish level moves you inside the band more than size does. Marble and natural stone, glass everywhere, detailed millwork, painted-shut stickers on a hundred windows — that's top-of-band work at bottom-of-band speed. Walk the site before bidding; photos lie.
Access reality: power, water, working HVAC, and no trades inside. Every day you clean around electricians is a change order — put it in the contract before it happens, not after.
Debris definition: whose job is the leftover drywall chunks and paint cans? If it's yours, the dump run goes in the bid. If it's the GC's, say so in writing.
Window count: stickers on every pane at move-in inspection is a new-construction specialty — price per pane if the glazing package is big, not as a flat line.
Payment terms: milestone invoicing (deposit, per-phase, final on punch approval). Never carry a multi-week cleanup on a net-30 promise from someone you just met.
For a rough number in 30 seconds, run the Cleaning Estimate Calculator at move-out depth as a floor, then add the construction premium for debris and phases. When the bid is accepted, the invoice generator prints phase-by-phase billing, and the checklist builder keeps the punch list honest between your crew and the site supervisor.
The specialized cleaning after a build or renovation: debris removal, sticker/adhesive removal, construction dust from every surface (including ducts, vents and light fixtures), and a finish-level clean that gets the space to move-in or inspection standard. It needs different equipment, insurance and patience from a maintenance clean.
Per square foot for the space, split across the phases actually contracted, with premiums for finish level and debris. Verify with a labor-hours estimate at your crew rate — if the sq ft number and the hours number disagree by more than 20%, one of them is wrong.
Commonly 50–100% over your deep-clean rate for the same space: construction dust is in everything (windows, vents, cabinet interiors, floor grout), stickers take real time, and the punch-list dynamic means you're cleaning to an inspector's standard, not a homeowner's.
Check the GC's requirements before bidding — many require a COI naming them, and some sites require workers comp even for solo cleaners. It's a paperwork day, not a price problem, but only if you find out before the bid.