Post-construction cleanup is its own discipline. The skills don't transfer cleanly from recurring janitorial — different chemicals, different equipment, different tolerance for dust, different relationship to the contractor's schedule. Most cleaning vendors quote post-construction work the same way they quote a recurring office contract, and the result is a final clean that misses the dust on top of cabinetry, leaves paint splatter on glass, and forces the GC to re-clean before client walkthrough.
MDSM Solutions runs post-construction cleanup as a three-stage protocol — rough, final, touch-up — each scoped separately so contractors and homeowners pay only for the stages they need. We work for general contractors, custom home builders, commercial fit-out crews, renovation contractors, real-estate agents prepping homes for sale, and homeowners closing out their own projects.
Who this is for
The three stages — what each one is for
Rough Clean
After major construction is done, before final fixtures and finishes go in. Large debris removal, vacuum-up of construction dust, removal of protective floor coverings, basic surface wipe-down. Usually right before final inspection.
Final Clean
Detailed top-to-bottom cleaning before client walkthrough. Every surface, every fixture, every window. HVAC vent and duct dust, ceiling fans, light-fixture interiors, paint splatter on glass, sticker residue, appliance interiors and exteriors, full restroom detail, floor cleaning.
Touch-Up
Pre-handover or pre-move-in. Drywall dust resettles for days after the final clean — touch-up addresses what dropped overnight plus any items the GC's punch-list walkthrough surfaced. Final pass before keys change hands.
Most projects we run for GCs use Stage 1 + Stage 2. Higher-end residential and commercial fit-outs almost always also use Stage 3 because the client walkthrough is consequential. The stages are quoted separately so you have flexibility.
The drywall dust problem
Drywall dust is the hardest part of any post-construction job. It's not just on the floors and counters — it's everywhere airflow took it during the build. The places most cleaning vendors miss:
- HVAC supply and return vents — the registers themselves, but more importantly the duct interior several feet in. Dust here re-aerosolizes the moment the system runs.
- Top of cabinetry, refrigerators, and tall appliances — out of eye-line, never wiped on a typical cleaning.
- Inside light-fixture diffusers and ceiling fans — visible from below the moment the lights come on.
- Top of door frames and crown molding — usually requires a stepladder.
- Inside lower cabinet boxes and drawers — fine dust filters through gaps and settles inside.
- Behind appliances — washer/dryer pedestals, fridge coils, dishwasher base.
- Window tracks and exterior weep holes — sand-grade construction debris collects here.
- Attic-access pull-down ladders — the stairs themselves and the trim around the access.
Our final-clean protocol works top-down — ceilings and fixtures first, then walls and uppers, then floors last — so dust dislodged from high surfaces gets captured on the floor pass instead of resettling on already-cleaned areas. We use HEPA-filtered vacuums on dust-heavy work to avoid re-aerosolizing fines.
Window, glass, and surface detail
The glass detail is where most post-construction cleans visibly fail. Common items:
- Manufacturer stickers on every window, glass shower door, mirror, and appliance — adhesive backing that needs solvent and a razor.
- Paint overspray on glass, frames, hardware, electrical outlets, switch plates.
- Caulk smears on tile, glass, and adjacent surfaces.
- Tape-adhesive residue from masking — on baseboards, door frames, fixtures.
- Tile haze — grout-and-thinset residue on tile surfaces that needs a haze remover, not just water.
- Hardware polish — fingerprints and dust on door hardware, cabinet pulls, faucets, hinges.
Razor scrapers with proper technique (held at a low angle, in the direction of glass, never on coated or tempered surfaces without testing first) are how the glass actually gets clean. Commercial adhesive removers handle the rest.
Builder turnover vs. move-in-ready standard
Two different standards depending on who's accepting the work:
Builder turnover standard — the GC needs the property clean enough to pass final inspection and hand over without callbacks. Surfaces clean, glass clear, floors sealed, dust under control, restrooms operational. The bar is "no quality issues."
Move-in-ready standard — the homeowner or commercial tenant is moving in. The bar shifts from "no quality issues" to "this looks new." Cabinet interiors clean, appliance interiors clean, window tracks free of construction dust, vent registers spotless. This is where Stage 3 touch-up matters most.
We quote Stage 2 to builder-turnover standard by default and Stage 3 (when included) to move-in-ready standard. If your project requires move-in-ready as the final-clean target instead of touch-up, we adjust the Stage 2 scope and price accordingly.
Working with general contractors — what we do differently
GCs run on schedules, not budgets. The difference between a good post-construction crew and a bad one is whether you can plan around them. What contractors get from MDSM:
- Hard scheduling commitments — when you give us the date, we give you the crew. We don't bump GC work for residential recurring.
- Stage-by-stage time and crew estimates — you can fit our work into your master schedule instead of guessing.
- Certificate of Insurance issued naming your company as additional insured for the project.
- Direct project communication — Maria takes the call when the date moves, when scope changes, when there's a callback. Not a customer-service queue.
- Walkthrough closeout — we walk the project with you (or your superintendent) at completion to catch anything before the client does.
- Net-30 invoicing for established GC clients (after the first project).
For residential renovators, the same applies at a smaller scale. We're family-run; the lead operator on your project is the same person from quote to completion.
Pricing — project-based, scoped by stage
Post-construction cleanup is quoted by:
- Total square footage of the project.
- Which stages are included (rough only, rough + final, all three).
- Project complexity — kitchen and bath are dust-heavier per sq ft than a basic interior remodel; commercial fit-outs vary by industry (medical/dental higher, retail lower).
- Window and glass count for residential; storefront-glass square footage for commercial.
- Schedule pressure — work-around-trades (where painting and finishing are still happening when we arrive) costs more than clean-handover scheduling.
Walkthrough is free; quote within 24 hours. Request a project walkthrough to start.
Frequently asked
What's included in post-construction cleanup?
Three stages, scoped separately. Rough: debris removal, vacuum, protective-cover removal. Final: detailed dust removal, glass and window cleanup, paint and sticker residue, appliance and restroom detail, floors. Touch-up: pre-handover or pre-move-in final pass after dust resettlement.
How is post-construction cleanup priced?
Project-based, not recurring. Quoted by square footage, project complexity, and stages needed. Quote within 24 hours after we walk the site.
Do you work for general contractors or just homeowners?
Both. Most of our work is for GCs, custom builders, and commercial fit-out contractors. We also work directly with homeowners after renovations and real estate agents prepping homes for sale.
How do you handle drywall dust?
Top-down protocol — ceilings and fixtures first, walls next, floors last. HVAC vent and return cleaning, attic-access detail, inside-cabinet wipe-down. HEPA-filtered vacuums on dust-heavy work.
How long does a post-construction cleanup take?
Depends on square footage and stage. Rough on 3,000 sq ft custom home: 4-6 hours with 2-3 person crew. Final on the same: 8-12 hours. Touch-up: 2-3 hours. Stage-by-stage estimate provided with the quote.
Do you handle paint splatter and sticker residue on windows?
Yes. Razor scrapers with proper technique, commercial adhesive removers, streak-free glass cleaner. Standard final-clean items.
Are you insured for working on construction sites?
Yes — general liability through Selective Insurance of South Carolina (A-rated by A.M. Best). Certificate of Insurance available on request and can be issued naming your company as additional insured for the project.
Service areas
We run post-construction cleanup across the entire CSRA market:
The dust on top of the cabinets is what separates the GC's punch-list callback from a clean handover.
If you're a contractor closing out a project or a homeowner finishing a renovation in Augusta or anywhere in CSRA: request a free walkthrough or call 706-750-0674. We'll come on-site, walk the project, and have a stage-by-stage scope and price within 24 hours.