TLDR: Before signing any builders cleaning contractor, ask these 10 questions: public liability coverage, workers compensation, directly employed vs subcontracted, certifications, finish-specific training, scope list, defect walk-through, touch-up window, hourly rate for variations, and references for recent custom or commercial work. A contractor who can answer all 10 confidently is worth signing. One who hedges on three or more is the wrong choice.
Why these 10 questions matter
A builders cleaner walks on site with chemicals, equipment, and a brief to clean tens of thousands of dollars of finishes. If they’re poorly trained, uninsured, or under-resourced, the cost falls on the builder.
The cheapest quote is rarely the best choice. The right quote is the one where every answer below stacks up. This article gives you the 10 questions, the right answers, and the red flags to watch for.
The 10 questions 
1. What public liability insurance do you carry?
Right answer: $20 million minimum.
A damaged stone benchtop costs $15,000 to $30,000 to replace. A damaged polished concrete floor costs $20,000 to $50,000. Custom joinery costs more. Minimum-tier PL is inadequate for premium residential or any commercial work.
Red flag: Minimum coverage. Or worse, “we have insurance” without specifying the amount.
Build Clean: $20 million on every job, certificate of currency available on request.
2. Do you carry workers compensation for every operator?
Right answer: Yes, every directly employed operator covered.
If a cleaner is injured on site without workers comp, the builder can be legally and financially exposed. Common gap: contractors who use “subcontractors” who don’t carry workers comp themselves.
Red flag: “My workers are subbies” or “they have their own insurance” without verification.
Build Clean: All directly employed operators covered. No subcontractors on site.
3. Are the operators on my job directly employed by your company?
Right answer: Yes.
Directly employed means consistent training, consistent quality, and one chain of accountability. Subcontracted means variable training, variable quality, and broken accountability when something goes wrong.
Red flag: Hedging answers like “they work exclusively for us” or “they’re our preferred contractors” usually means subcontractors.
Build Clean: 150+ directly employed cleaners across SA, VIC, NSW, and QLD. No subcontractors.
4. What certifications does each operator carry?
Right answer: White Card, EWP, Working at Heights, police clearance on every operator.
Without these, the builder is legally exposed. Multi-storey work without EWP and Working at Heights is illegal. Site work without White Card is illegal.
Red flag: “Most of our team have White Cards” or vague answers about EWP and Working at Heights.
Build Clean: All four certifications issued and tracked on every operator before site access.
5. What’s your training on finish-specific cleaning?
Right answer: Operators trained on natural stone, polished concrete, anodised aluminium, brass, high-gloss timber, and other premium finishes before working on a custom home.
The wrong chemical on the wrong finish causes permanent damage. Training is the difference between a clean handover and a damaged surface.
Red flag: “Our team has experience” without specifics. Or “we use the same product on everything”.
Build Clean: Operators trained on chemical compatibility and finish-specific methods before working on a custom home.
6. Can I see your scope list?
Right answer: A documented scope of works covering every item in the standard handover clean.
The scope list should include: dust extraction (with HEPA), wall wiping, detail surfaces, internal and external window cleaning, wet area cleaning, kitchen detail, inside cabinetry, hard floor cleaning, carpet vacuum, switches and vents, hardware polish, final walk-through.
Red flag: No scope list. Or a scope that quietly excludes external window cleaning, inside cabinetry, or detail work.
Build Clean: Comprehensive scope of works provided with every quote.
7. Do you provide a defect walk-through at
7. Do you provide a the end of the clean?
Right answer: Yes, the crew leader walks the site with the site supervisor at the end of the job. Defects identified and assigned to responsible trades.
This is the difference between a handover that lands clean and a handover with a snag list. The cleaner is the last set of professional eyes on the site before the client.
Red flag: “The crew leaves when the job is done” or no mention of a walk-through.
Build Clean: Documented walk-through with the site supervisor on every job.
8. What’s your touch-up policy?
Right answer: The standard package is a single clean. Additional re-cleans (eg after trades return for defect rectification) are clearly priced and quoted on request. Hourly rates and after-hours surcharges are transparent.
This protects the builder by making the scope and cost predictable. Reputable operators are clear that re-cleans are extras and quote them up front.
Red flag: Vague policy on re-cleans. No clear hourly rate for additional visits. Operators that promise unlimited free returns are often hiding the cost in inflated per-m² rates.
Build Clean: Single builders clean is the standard package. Additional re-cleans quoted on request. Hourly rates align with the industry $70 to $90 per hour range during standard hours, with after-hours, weekend, and public holiday rates priced higher.
9. What’s your hourly rate for variations?
Right answer: A clear hourly rate ($75 to $85 in the 2026 market) for scope additions and variations.
The per-m² rate covers the standard scope. Variations need a separate rate. A contractor who can’t quote an hourly rate is hiding something.
Red flag: No clear hourly rate. Or a rate that varies job by job without explanation.
Build Clean: Hourly rate within the industry $70 to $90 per hour range.
10. Can you name five recent custom or commercial projects?
Right answer: Five specific projects with builder names, suburbs, and what was cleaned.
A contractor who has done premium work can answer in 30 seconds. A contractor who hasn’t can’t.
Red flag: Vague answers. “Lots of projects”. “Mostly residential” without specifics.
Build Clean: Project portfolio of 34+ completed projects available at buildclean.com.au/projects/, including work with Hutchinson, McNab, Badge Construction, Kennett Builders, Mossop, Hansen Yuncken, Graya, Finesse Built, Craig Linke, and many more.
What a complete answer looks like
A premium builders cleaner should answer all 10 questions confidently and consistently. The pattern of answers tells you whether you’re talking to a professional operator or someone hiding behind cheap pricing.
Build Clean’s standard pre-engagement summary:
- $20 million public liability on every job
- Full workers compensation on 150+ directly employed operators
- No subcontractors
- White Card, EWP, Working at Heights, police clearance on every operator
- Finish-specific training across natural stone, polished concrete, anodised aluminium, brass, high-gloss timber
- Documented scope of works with every quote
- Final defect walk-through with the site supervisor
- Additional re-cleans available on request, quoted transparently
- Hourly rate for variations within the industry $70 to $90 per hour range
- 10,000+ projects across SA, VIC, NSW, QLD since 2018
Red flags that should end the conversation
Red flags that should end the conversationThree red flags that should make any builder walk away:
Cash-only pricing. Almost always indicates an operator without insurance, super, tax compliance, or workers comp. The legal and financial exposure to the builder is significant.
No certificate of currency available. A real operator can provide the certificate within an hour. A fake or non-existent policy can’t.
No reference projects. An operator who can’t name recent projects probably hasn’t done them, or has but the builders won’t refer them.
Frequently asked questions
Can I ask for all this in writing? Yes. A professional builders cleaner can answer all 10 questions in writing within 24 hours of the request. The written answers go on file with the project.
What if a contractor refuses to answer some questions? That’s the answer. A contractor who hedges or refuses is hiding something. Move on.
Is it worth paying more for the right answers? Almost always yes. The cost of one damaged finish, one workers comp exposure, or one failed handover dwarfs the saving from choosing a cheap operator.
Can I get a side-by-side comparison from Build Clean? Yes. Build Clean can provide a comparison sheet showing how we answer all 10 questions versus what a cheap operator typically delivers.
What if the contractor says “we’re cheaper because we don’t need all that”? They do need all that. Australian construction law requires the insurance, certifications, and workers comp. A contractor without them is operating illegally and exposing the builder.
Should I ask for the certificate of currency at quote stage or contract stage? At quote stage. A contractor who can’t provide it at quote stage isn’t a serious operator.