A large new build does not get one post-construction clean; it gets several, because the house keeps changing after the first crew leaves. On a recent $13 million custom home in Coral Gables, about 8,000 sq ft including a guest house, pool house and outdoor living areas, Miami House Cleaning cleaned the property three separate times over the final stretch of the project: a two-day clean with 15 cleaners, a post-paint clean with 12, and a final detail with 6 before the realtor staged it. Here is why each pass was needed and how we sized the crews.
Phase 1: the heavy post-construction clean
The first pass is the one most people picture when they hear post-construction cleaning. The trades had finished the bulk of their work and every surface in the main house, guest house and pool house carried a film of fine construction dust and drywall powder. On a property this size that is not a one-day job for a normal crew, so we scheduled 15 cleaners for two consecutive days.
The order matters. Dust is lifted from the top down, ceilings, vents and high fixtures first, then walls, cabinetry and millwork, then floors last, so nothing settles onto a surface that has already been cleaned. Paint overspray and adhesive residue come off glass, frames and tile before the final floor pass. Window tracks, sliding-door channels and the covered outdoor areas get the same treatment, because on a Coral Gables lot the outdoor rooms are part of the house.
What we did not do is haul anything. We are a cleaning company; construction debris removal stayed with the contractor, which is the case on every job we take.
Phase 2: after the painters came back
On a build like this the painters return after the first clean for touch-ups and final coats, and painting undoes a surprising amount of a clean: sanding dust, tape residue, drips on floors and hardware, and a fresh layer of fine particles that settles overnight. So we came back with a crew of 12 for a full post-paint clean. It is lighter than Phase 1 because the drywall dust is gone, but it still covers every room, because paint dust travels through open interiors and HVAC runs.
Phase 3: the pre-staging detail
The last clean was scheduled around the realtor. Staging furniture and art were about to arrive, and listing photos were next, so the house needed a final detail with nothing left to argue with: streak-free glass, spotless stone, no fingerprints on fixtures, floors ready for the stagers to walk in. A crew of 6 handled this pass. Smaller, because the heavy work was done, but the standard is the highest of the three, since this is the version of the house buyers see.
How we size a crew for a project like this
- Finished square footage sets the base. Our flat rates for post-construction work run from $1,500 for spaces under 1,500 sq ft up to $10,000 for spaces under 10,000 sq ft, and an 8,000 sq ft estate with outbuildings sits in the upper tiers.
- Stage of construction changes the scope. A rough clean with drywall dust everywhere takes far more labor than a post-paint or pre-staging detail, which is why we quote each phase on its own and why the crews on this job went 15, then 12, then 6.
- The deadline sets the crew count. The contractor’s schedule needed the first pass done in two days, so we brought enough people to do it in two days rather than stretching it across a week.
The result
Every phase landed on the contractor’s timeline and the house went to staging clean. Miami House Cleaning is now the go-to cleaning company for that general contractor and for the realtor on the project. You can read the full case study on our reviews page.
If you are a general contractor, builder or realtor finishing a project anywhere in Miami-Dade, Broward or Palm Beach County, see our page for post-construction cleaning for general contractors, our Coral Gables post-construction cleaning page, or request a free estimate. Call 754-354-6072 with your square footage and the stage you are at, and we will quote the phase you need.