Once the builders have packed up, most people are surprised by how much dust and debris is left behind, and by how varied the quotes are for clearing it. This guide sets out what after builders cleaning actually costs across the UK, why London tends to sit at the top of the range, and how to tell a fair quote from a low one that will not finish the job.
Most after builders cleans are priced either per hour per cleaner or as a fixed price for the whole property. Hourly rates for builders cleaning generally sit between 20 and 35 pounds per cleaner per hour outside London, and 25 to 45 pounds in the capital. The higher rate reflects the heavier work, the specialist equipment and the fact that a builders clean takes far longer than a standard domestic clean.
As a rough guide for fixed price quotes, expect a one bedroom flat that has had a kitchen or bathroom refit to come in around 180 to 350 pounds. A three bedroom house after a full refurbishment or extension typically lands somewhere between 400 and 800 pounds, and a large detached property or a full strip and rebuild can run past 1,000 pounds. In London, add roughly 15 to 30 percent to these figures.
These are ranges rather than promises. Two houses of the same size can differ by hundreds of pounds depending on what was done and how the builders left it.
The single biggest factor is the state the site is left in. Plaster dust, sanding residue and tile adhesive haze settle on every surface, inside cupboards and along the tops of door frames, and it takes several passes to remove properly. If the builders have swept up and removed their rubbish, the clean is quicker. If there are offcuts, packaging and grout smears everywhere, you are paying for labour to deal with that first.
Type of work matters too. A loft conversion or a knocked through kitchen produces far more airborne dust than a bathroom refit, and it travels to rooms nowhere near the works. Newly installed items also need careful handling: sticker residue on windows and appliances, protective film on radiators and paint splatter on glass all add time.
Finally, access and timing affect cost. Fourth floor flats with no lift, properties with no parking for a van, and same week bookings all tend to push the quote up. In London specifically, parking permits and congestion charges are often built into the price.
A cheap quote often turns out to be a standard deep clean under a different name. A genuine after builders clean is a two stage process: a rough clean to remove debris and the bulk of the dust, then a fine clean once the dust has settled again. Some companies build both into one visit, others return a day or two later, but you should ask which you are getting.
At a minimum, the quote should cover all surfaces high and low, inside all cupboards and drawers, windows and frames inside, doors, skirting, light fittings, switches and sockets, radiators, and a full clean of the new kitchen and bathroom including removing grout haze and silicone smears. Floors should be vacuumed with HEPA filtration and then washed, not just mopped once over the dust.
Ask whether removal of protective film, label residue and paint spots is included, and whether the company will bring its own industrial vacuums and ladders. If it is not written down, assume it is extra.
The most common complaint after a builders clean is that the dust came back. That is usually because the clean was done too soon, before the last trades had finished, or because only one pass was carried out. Book the clean for after the snagging is complete and the builders have genuinely left, and be honest with the cleaning company about how much dust there is.
Send photos of every room when asking for a price, or ask for a site visit for anything larger than a flat. A company that quotes a fixed price without seeing the property will either pad the number to cover themselves or turn up and ask for more. A clear written quote listing rooms, tasks and exclusions protects you both.
Both are common. Hourly rates work well for small jobs where the scope is uncertain, while fixed prices are better for full refurbishments because you know the total cost before anyone arrives. Always check how many cleaners and how many hours a fixed price is based on.
Fine construction dust gets everywhere and needs repeated passes with HEPA vacuums and damp cloths, and there is usually adhesive, grout and paint to deal with too. A three bed house that takes four hours to deep clean can easily take two cleaners a full day after building work.
Most building contracts include a broom sweep and rubbish removal but not a proper finish clean. Check your contract or quote; if a builders clean is not listed, you will normally need to arrange and pay for it yourself, though some builders will add it to the job at cost.
Tell us about the project and Chris will reply same day with a written quote and scope.