Post-Construction Cleaning Checklist for Connecticut Renovations (Hartford & Manchester)
Marcos Ortiz
Cleaning Expert
Quick answer
A post-construction cleaning checklist covers drywall dust on walls, trim and baseboards, windows and glass, light fixtures and vents, the kitchen, bathrooms, floors, and debris hauling, then a final walk-through. Our instant quote prices it at $0.375 per square foot before Connecticut's 6.35% sales tax. Inside cabinets and appliances are add-ons.
This is the checklist we work from on post-construction cleaning in Hartford and Manchester. It is written for homeowners at the end of a renovation, and for the general contractors (GCs) and property managers who hand the space over.
Rough clean, final clean and touch-up clean
Builders and cleaners split construction cleaning into three phases. You will hear these terms on most jobs.
- Rough clean: happens while work is still going. Crews pick up scrap, sweep, and clear out bulk debris so the finish trades have room to work.
- Final clean: happens after the trades are done and before anyone moves in. Every surface gets cleaned, from the top of the room down to the floor.
- Touch-up clean: the last pass before move-in or handover. It catches dust that settled after the final clean and marks left by punch-list work.
Here is how our own process works. These are the four steps on our service page:
- Walk & Assess: We inspect every area: floors, surfaces, walls, fixtures. We identify debris, dust, and cleanup priorities.
- Plan & Schedule: We confirm timeline, scope, and team size. You get a clear start date and estimated completion.
- Execute Deep Clean: Dust removal, window washing, floor cleaning, trash hauling. We use commercial-grade equipment.
- Final Walk-Through: You verify the result. We touch up any spots and hand over a clean, ready-to-occupy building.
Steps 3 and 4 are the final clean and the touch-up. If your project also needs a rough clean while work is still going, tell us when we walk the site. Scope and timing get set in step 2.
Post-construction cleaning checklist by area
The middle column is what we clean. The last column is what the homeowner or GC should finish before we arrive, so we clean once and not twice.
| Area | What gets cleaned | Before we arrive (homeowner/GC) |
|---|---|---|
| Walls and trim | Drywall dust off walls, trim and baseboards | Finish painting and caulking. Pull the painter's tape |
| Windows and glass | Window and glass cleaning, window sills, paint overspray and window grime | Finish window work. Tell us about any labels or film you want left on |
| Light fixtures and vents | Dust off light fixtures and vents | Put fixtures and vent covers in place |
| Kitchen | Surfaces, fixtures and appliance exteriors. Inside the fridge, oven and cabinets are add-ons | Set the appliances in place. Take tools and hardware out of the cabinets |
| Bathrooms | Fixtures, surfaces and grout lines | Finish grout and caulk and let them set |
| Floors | Floor prep and polish, drywall dust in the corners | Take up floor protection and tape |
| Debris | Construction debris and trash hauled out | Move out leftover materials you want to keep |
| Final check | A final walk-through with you. We touch up any spots | Be there, or send the person who signs off on the job |
Dust keeps falling for a while after the loud work stops. If the drywall crew or the painter still has a day left, book us for after they finish.
Inside cabinets and appliances are add-ons
Our post-construction price covers the checklist above. Cleaning inside cabinets and appliances costs extra. In the instant quote, the one-time add-ons are:
- Inside the fridge: $35
- Inside the oven: $35
- Inside cabinets: $35
If you have new cabinets full of sawdust, or you want the inside of a new fridge wiped before food goes in, add them when you price your clean.
Older Connecticut homes and lead dust
A lot of Greater Hartford housing is old. Our Hartford page talks about the triple-deckers in Frog Hollow and the Victorian-era homes in the West End. If your home was built before 1978, lead paint is something to think about before the renovation starts, not after.
Here is what the official sources say:
- Lead paint in older homes: Lead paint was banned for use in home paint in 1978, so homes built before then may have it. Renovation, repair and painting can create hazardous lead dust when surfaces with lead paint are disturbed. (Connecticut Department of Public Health)
- Who has to be certified: EPA's Renovation, Repair and Painting (RRP) Rule requires anyone paid to do work that disturbs painted surfaces in homes, child care facilities and preschools built before 1978 to be certified. Their workers must be trained in lead-safe work practices. (EPA)
- What that means for you: The Department of Public Health puts it plainly: the RRP Rule requires homeowners to hire an EPA RRP-certified firm to complete renovations and repairs on pre-1978 housing. Connecticut is not authorized to run its own RRP program, so EPA runs it here.
- Landlords and property managers: The rule generally does not cover homeowners working on their own home. It does apply if you rent out all or part of the home. Property management companies that do work that disturbs paint in pre-1978 residential buildings must become lead-safe certified firms. (EPA)
- Cleanup is part of the renovation: Under the federal work practice standards, the renovation firm must clean the work area until no dust, debris or residue remains. A certified renovator then has to check that cleaning, unless the contract calls for dust clearance testing instead. (40 CFR 745.85)
Post-construction cleaning is not lead abatement, and it is not the RRP cleanup. That cleanup belongs to the certified firm that did the work. On a pre-1978 home, ask your contractor to finish the RRP cleanup and cleaning check before we come in for the final clean.
Sources: Connecticut Department of Public Health, Lead Information for Homeowners, Connecticut Department of Public Health, EPA Lead Renovation, Repair and Painting Program, EPA, Lead Renovation, Repair and Painting Program and 40 CFR 745.85, Work practice standards.
This is general information, not legal advice.
What post-construction cleaning costs per square foot
| Square feet | Before tax | With 6.35% tax |
|---|---|---|
| 1,000 | $375.00 | $398.81 |
| 1,500 | $562.50 | $598.22 |
| 2,000 | $750.00 | $797.63 |
| 2,500 | $937.50 | $997.03 |
| 3,000 | $1,125.00 | $1,196.44 |
Our instant quote prices post-construction cleaning at $0.375 per square foot, or $375 per 1,000 square feet, before Connecticut's 6.35% sales tax. For example, a 2,000 sq ft home is $750 before tax. Tax adds $47.63, so the total is $797.63.
Prices are current as of September 2026 and may change without prior notice. Our instant quote always shows the current price for your project.
Add-ons like inside the fridge, oven or cabinets are extra, at $35 each. The price depends on square footage, not the town. We do post-construction cleanups across Greater Hartford, including Hartford, West Hartford and Glastonbury.
For general contractors and property managers
On the commercial side, we clean up after work in offices, retail spaces, apartment common areas and religious facilities. A commercial job starts with a walk of the site. Then we confirm the timeline, scope and team size, and you get a clear start date and estimated completion.
Delays in final cleanup push back move-in dates. Book the clean as soon as you know when the trades will be out, and plan the touch-up for the day before handover or inspection.
Once the post-construction cleanup is done, we can move the building onto a regular commercial cleaning schedule. You can see a post-renovation cleanup of a retail space on our projects page.
What a customer said
"Had J Ortiz cleaning services come for a post construction clean. They did a great job and I would recommend their services. The kitchen deep clean was exactly what I was looking for."
Laura B., Google review
Frequently asked questions
What should a post-construction cleaning checklist include?
Drywall dust off walls, trim and baseboards. Windows and glass, including paint overspray. Light fixtures and vents. Kitchen and bathroom surfaces and fixtures. Floor prep and polish, and hauling out construction debris and trash. It should end with a final walk-through where any missed spots get touched up.
How much does post-construction cleaning cost per square foot?
Our instant quote prices it at $0.375 per square foot before tax, which is $375 per 1,000 square feet. A 2,000 sq ft home is $750, or $797.63 with Connecticut's 6.35% sales tax.
Is cleaning inside cabinets and appliances included?
No. Inside the fridge, inside the oven and inside cabinets are add-ons at $35 each. You can add them in the instant quote.
What is the difference between a rough clean, a final clean and a touch-up clean?
A rough clean happens during construction and clears bulk debris so the trades can keep working. A final clean happens after the trades are done and covers every surface. A touch-up clean is the last pass before move-in or handover, for dust that settled and punch-list marks.
Is post-construction cleaning the same as lead cleanup?
No. In a home built before 1978, paid work that disturbs paint has to be done by an EPA-certified firm, and that firm is responsible for cleaning the work area afterward. Our clean comes after that and is not lead abatement.
Do you do post-construction cleaning in Hartford, CT?
Yes. Hartford is about 10 miles from our Manchester base, around 15 minutes. We remove dust and debris after renovations and office-to-apartment conversions, so units are ready for tenants.
Ready to book?
For homes, enter your square footage and add-ons and you'll see your price before tax.
For commercial projects, we walk the site first and then send your quote.
