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Clean after building work

Bebobom

New member
Messages
14
Location
Surrey
Wondering what people opinions of cleaning in and outside windows after building work has been finished on a house.

We cleaned a house today, took 8 man hrs and the mess left on the windows from tradesman was everywhere! Mastic, gloss, paint, stickers you name it, it was on the windows.

We definitely underquoted it but that's a lesson learnt. 

What do you do in this situation? 

Is it a window cleaners job to remove all this, felt the customer was expecting every little speck to be removed which would of took days!

 
Last edited by a moderator:
Wondering what people opinions of cleaning in and outside windows after building work has been finished on a house.

We cleaned a house today, took 8 man hrs and the mess left on the windows from tradesman was everywhere! Mastic, gloss, paint, stickers you name it, it was on the windows.

We definitely underquoted it but that's a lesson learnt. 

What do you do in this situation? 

Is it a window cleaners job to remove all this, felt the customer was expecting every little speck to be removed which would of took days!
That is called a builders clean and I no longer do them.

They can be a right ball ache.

Did a load for a building firm years ago and charged an hourly rate rather than price per job.

Did ok but it is hard work for the money.

 
Wondering what people opinions of cleaning in and outside windows after building work has been finished on a house.

We cleaned a house today, took 8 man hrs and the mess left on the windows from tradesman was everywhere! Mastic, gloss, paint, stickers you name it, it was on the windows.

We definitely underquoted it but that's a lesson learnt. 

What do you do in this situation? 

Is it a window cleaners job to remove all this, felt the customer was expecting every little speck to be removed which would of took days!
We don’t do builders cleans for this reason just not worth the hassle, have done in the past  and every time said never again and now we don’t do them under any circumstances .  

 
Last edited by a moderator:
Wondering what people opinions of cleaning in and outside windows after building work has been finished on a house.

We cleaned a house today, took 8 man hrs and the mess left on the windows from tradesman was everywhere! Mastic, gloss, paint, stickers you name it, it was on the windows.

We definitely underquoted it but that's a lesson learnt. 

What do you do in this situation? 

Is it a window cleaners job to remove all this, felt the customer was expecting every little speck to be removed which would of took days!
many threads on builders cleans.

If you are new inexperienced and haven't put your toe in this work before best to walk away 

 
Builders clean are a nightmare. Done one on Monday, thankfully builders were tidy, but did tell customer of a couple of scratches on window, not by us n that of their new velux fascia was bent. 

 
If you are to do them go see the Property yourself before you quote  , Dont go on Pictures from the Owners or the Developer . They are ok as you can over Charge but be careful with any scratches or Damage you see take pictures and Show them . As the Window Cleaning is the last thing they get done , So you touched it last must of been you Excuse . 

 
This kinda work can be very profitable if you are experienced and have the knowledge on how to clean the debris other trades have left for you ?.

This kinda work you need to have an eye for detail.

Document everything with pics.

Scratch waivers signed.

Alot for proper time slot for the work so your not rushed or pressured for time. 

There tons of info on this forum on how and what to use to remove things from glass and frames and window tracts.

I know many companys and solo people that just specialize in this part of our industry and they are successful. 

It's not easy work by any means.

Hope this helps. 

 
This kinda work can be very profitable if you are experienced and have the knowledge on how to clean the debris other trades have left for you ?.

This kinda work you need to have an eye for detail.

Document everything with pics.

Scratch waivers signed.

Alot for proper time slot for the work so your not rushed or pressured for time. 

There tons of info on this forum on how and what to use to remove things from glass and frames and window tracts.

I know many companys and solo people that just specialize in this part of our industry and they are successful. 

It's not easy work by any means.

Hope this helps. 
The problem is that here in th uk we don't usually have time for jobs like that as you can't charge what you think it's worth and even if you do it eats into your regular monthly or 6 weekly round and puts you behind so doesn't benefit in the long run.

As I understand it you guys don't do regular domestic cleans like we do.

Personally I could do without the extra hassle and getting behind on my work.

 
The problem is that here in th uk we don't usually have time for jobs like that as you can't charge what you think it's worth and even if you do it eats into your regular monthly or 6 weekly round and puts you behind so doesn't benefit in the long run.

As I understand it you guys don't do regular domestic cleans like we do.

Personally I could do without the extra hassle and getting behind on my work.
I understand what your saying with full round like you guys and I do it's hard to get CCU worked into the schedule.

Most solo guys and companys here dont do maintenance rounds for sure , i dont know a single operation here in my state besides me that does Domestic rounds. I prefer constant and simple income ?

I've been doing monthly storefront and commercial work for years (4wkly)

I decide to do domestic rounds a few years ago, it was an up hill battle at first, but the flow is constant now. The difficult  part was getting customers here to get out of the mind set of once or 2x a year service, but once people started figuring out its way better to have clean windows year round and automatic pay so they never need to think about window maintenance again it's been a simple process. ?

 
Have only done one, on a large modern private new build...and luckily spotted some scratches on several windows whilst walking round to quote with the owner. And one was a bad un on a large window. If the owner was not there when I spotted it and later tried to blame me for it, the hassle and maybe expense would not be a happy experience. As it was the Glazing firm sorted it (course they would probably of seen it when initially installing, but said nothing I suspect). Have stayed away from builders cleans since.

 
Everyone should do a Builders Clean once in their career, just a single house, and memorize every soul destroying minute of it, burn it into your brain, then you'll never be tempted to repeat the horrible experience.
I'd rather watch card making supplies on shopping channels than ever do a builders clean again. 

 
Still it baffles me how new windows can be left in such a sorry state.

As a customer I'd be disgusted 
In my opinion it's simply that each trade only cares about doing their job and getting paid. As far as they are concerned any clear up isn't their problem so they have no interest in keeping things clean. If they had to do the builders clean then they would change their working practises!!!

 
In my opinion it's simply that each trade only cares about doing their job and getting paid. As far as they are concerned any clear up isn't their problem so they have no interest in keeping things clean. If they had to do the builders clean then they would change their working practises!!!
100% right! I believe there are two main reasons :

1/ Lack of pride and integrity. Whatever work I've done in the past I always aimed to walk away having left the job as good as I reasonably could for the client and as tidy and ready for the next man as sensibly possible. Utility (road work) would be left tidy and safe. Lorries when I was in that line of work would have had lights, tyres and fluids checked and fuel tank topped up. I'd imagine most of us here are the same.

2/ Because they are let get away with it. The attitude I quite often came across in my other jobs was "It's near enough. We'll be long gone by the time that's spotted."

Do it once, do it neat, do it quickly if you're able... But above all do it right, if you can. It won't always go right. That's life. It's how we deal with problems that matters.

 
One of my first jobs was after builders clean, big 5 bed house with extensions / skylights etc. Quoted for a days work and did 2nd day FOC ? Since then always quoted double and was still getting them. Now, price times 4 and wfp / trad only, no screapers use, builders can come back and remove whats left... luckilly don't need that kind of work anymore ?

 
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