What’s Included in a Professional Builders Clean? Full Scope Checklist

TLDR: A professional builders clean includes cleaning of fixed joinery, benchtops, fixtures, doors, tiled walls, stainless features, skirtings, sanitaryware, switches, lighting, shower screens, mirrors, floor surfaces, internal and external windows and frames, balustrades, balcony and alfresco surfaces, and garage floors. It does not include specialised floor treatments, internal cleaning of white goods, façade work, or additional re-cleans. A full scope at Build Clean is priced at $8 to $12 per square metre and is backed by $20 million in public liability insurance.

The full builders clean scope checklist

A professional builders clean is a defined service with a defined scope. Below is the standard Build Clean scope every handover follows. Builders can use this as a brief when comparing quotes.

Inclusions: a single builders clean covers

Joinery, fittings, and fixtures – Fixed joinery, benchtops, fittings, and fixtures – Doors, handles, and fixtures – Tiled walls, splashbacks, and feature panels – Stainless features – Skirtings

Wet areas – Toilets, bathtubs, sinks, basins, taps, fittings, and fixtures – Shower screens and mirrors

Electrical and lighting – Power points, switches, and buttons – Fans and lighting (if easily accessible)

Floors – Floor surfaces (note: specialised floor treatments such as machine scrubbing, polishing, sealing, epoxy grout removal, and steam cleaning are not included as standard)

Debris – Removal of typical builders debris and stickers – (Note: excessive build-up or heavily fixed residues like paint, silicone, grout, concrete, or adhesives may require additional time or be quoted separately)

Glazing – Windows, skylights, door glazing including frames, tracks, doors, and fixtures (internal and external) – High access glazing where safe and practical to access (unsafe or restricted areas may require alternative methods or additional cost)

External and ancillary – Balustrades including spigots and fixtures – Balcony and terrace floor surfaces – Alfresco and front porch floor surfaces – Garage floor and roller door surfaces (general dust removal)

Note: areas need to be reasonably clear and accessible at time of clean. Heavily obstructed areas may be excluded or require additional time.

What’s not in the standard single clean package (and how we tailor it)

The standard single builders clean above covers the typical handover scope. The items below are not included in the standard package, but Build Clean offers all of them as tailored extras or separate quoted services. Builders can mix and match to suit the project:

• Additional re-cleans and touch-ups after trades return. Quoted on request.
• Excessive build-up or heavily fixed residues (paint, silicone, grout, concrete, adhesives) where the volume exceeds typical handover residue. Quoted separately based on the work involved.
• Residues from expired or neglected protection that have fixed onto surfaces. Removable with the right approach, quoted on request.
• Façade, external walls, roofs, solar panels, and gutters. Soft wash surface cleaning available as an extra. Heavy embedded staining (paint, markings, adhesives, concrete slurry, coatings, sealers, water staining, efflorescence, oxidation, rust marks) can be quoted as specialty work.
• Internal precast walls, columns, and similar structures. Available as an extra, with embedded staining quoted as specialty work.
• Painted walls and ceilings. Small marks can be cleaned within standard scope. Full surface dusting that requires re-painting is a separate scope item.
• High level dust and debris in communication and plant rooms. Available as an extra.
• Data racks, cable trays, and internals of data and comms cabinets. Available as specialty work.
• Ceilings, exhaust vents, t-bar joints, and exposed ductwork. Available as an extra (vent and duct cleaning is specialist work and we can either quote it or refer to a specialist HVAC cleaning contractor).
• Removal of protective coverings from floors, frames, stainless steel, joinery, FF&E. Available as an extra.
• FF&E (furniture, fixtures, and equipment) cleaning. Available as an extra.
• EWP, abseiling, and scaffolding work for hard-to-access glazing or facade work. Available as an extra.
• Specialised floor treatments such as machine scrubbing, finishing, pressure washing, epoxy grout removal, and steam cleaning. Available as extras with tailored pricing.
• Landscaped elements (driveways, paths, paving, fences, letterboxes, lights, garden beds). Soft wash cleaning available as an extra. Embedded staining (concrete slurry, plaster, paint, adhesives, coatings, sealers, tyre marks) quoted as specialty work.
• White goods internal cleaning (ovens, dishwashers, fridges, microwaves). Available as an extra. Standard scope includes light external wipe only.
• Site water and power provision for builds without live services. Available as an extra.
• Machined sweeps of carparks, asphalt, and hardstand floors. Available as an extra.

The point: Build Clean does all of this work. The standard package keeps quotes simple for typical handovers. Anything beyond is added as a tailored line item so the builder pays for what they need.

Common optional extras and indicative rates

Available alongside the standard builders clean or as standalone services:

• Periodical site amenities, maintenance, and cleaning services. Discounted packages apply.
• Labouring services. Discounted rates apply.
• High-pressure cleaning. From $94 per hour.
• Machined sweep and scrub floor services. From $94 per hour.
• Carpet steam cleaning, deodorising, and protection. From $2.50 per m² or $94 per hour if heavily soiled.
• Caulking services. Starting at $5.20 per lineal metre.
• EWP high access or confined spaces cleaning. $94 per hour.
• Abseiling services. Starting at $2,100 per day.
• Additional re-cleans. Quoted on request based on scope.
• Internal cleaning of white goods. Quoted on request.
• Anti-microbial wet area treatment. Quoted on request.
• Vent, exhaust, and HVAC duct cleaning. Quoted on request or referred to specialist HVAC contractors.

Why does the scope matter at handover?

Builder reputation lives or dies at handover. A client walking through a finished home judges the build by what they see. Plaster dust on a ceiling fan, silicone smear on a glass shower screen, paint splatter on hard floors, or carpet that hasn’t been properly vacuumed all tell the client the project was rushed.

The scope above exists because every item on it is something a client will notice within the first hour of walking through. Skipping any of the standard inclusions creates a defect, a complaint, or a delay. Spec your scope clearly before signing.

What does a Build Clean handover include beyond the scope items?

Three things Build Clean delivers as standard on every job:

Defect walk-through with the supervisor. The crew leader signs off the clean with the site supervisor at the end of the day. Anything the supervisor wants addressed gets sorted before the crew leaves where it is within scope.

$20 million public liability cover. Every job is backed by $20 million in public liability insurance. If something is damaged on site, the builder is not exposed.

Trained, directly employed, certified operators. Every Build Clean operator on every site holds White Card, EWP, and Working at Heights certifications and has been police-cleared. No subcontractors.

How much does a full-scope builders clean cost?

Build Clean charges $8 to $12 per square metre for the standard scope above. Project home builds sit at $8 to $9 per m². Custom homes with premium finishes sit at $10 to $12 per m². Industry hourly rates for variable scope and extras sit between $70 and $90 per hour during standard hours, with after-hours, weekend, and public holiday rates priced higher.

Commercial projects are priced per project because the scope varies too widely for a single per-m² rate.

Frequently asked questions

Is window cleaning always included? Yes. Internal and external window cleaning including frames, tracks, sills, and door glazing is standard in every Build Clean builders clean quote. High access glazing is included where safe and practical to access. Unsafe or restricted areas may require alternative methods (EWP, abseiling) at additional cost.

Are inside ovens and dishwashers cleaned? Internal cleaning of white goods (ovens, dishwashers, fridges, microwaves) is a separate service we offer alongside the standard clean. The standard scope includes a light external wipe. Internal appliance cleaning is added as a tailored extra when builders want it.

Are polished concrete or timber floors polished? Specialised floor treatments (polishing, machine scrubbing, sealing) are separate services we offer with tailored pricing. The standard scope cleans the floor surface. Polishing and finishing are added as line items when builders want the full treatment.

Is anti-microbial treatment included in wet areas? Anti-microbial treatment is offered as a separate service quoted alongside the standard clean. Particularly useful in humid climates and on healthcare or aged care projects.

Are re-cleans included? The standard builders clean is a single clean package. Re-cleans and additional cleaning visits can be arranged for an additional fee.

Is rubbish removal included? Removal of typical builders debris and stickers is included. Areas need to be reasonably clear and accessible at time of clean. Heavily obstructed areas or excessive debris may be excluded or require additional time.

How long does a full scope clean take? A 250m² project home typically takes a 2 to 3 person crew a full day. Larger custom homes can take 2 days. Commercial projects vary with scope and crew size.