After-builders cleaning removes the fine dust, residue and debris left behind once construction or a refurbishment finishes. Optus Glean UK delivers post-construction cleans nationwide - from initial rough clean to final sparkle - readying offices, fit-outs and units for handover, using COSHH-assessed products and DBS-checked, PAYE-employed operatives on a documented scope.
What after-builders cleaning involves
Construction leaves behind a fine dust that settles into every surface, plus paint spots, adhesive residue, plaster splashes, stickers and packaging. An after-builders clean removes all of it: full dust-down of every surface and ledge, cleaning of frames, doors, sockets and switches, internal glass and mirrors, kitchens and washrooms, and a thorough floor clean. It is usually staged - a rough clean once trades are largely done, then a detailed final clean, then a sparkle before handover.
After-builders cleaning is the specialist end of our deep cleaning work and pairs naturally with window cleaning and hard-floor treatment once a floor finish is laid. For commercial fit-outs it links to our office fit-out cleaning and the construction sector pages.
How much does after-builders cleaning cost?
After-builders cleaning is priced by property size or by the hour. UK guide rates are around £20-£35 per hour per cleaner (£25-£40 in London), while a small studio or one-bed runs about £130-£220 and a four-to-five-bed-plus £270-£450, with London 20-30% higher; commercial post-construction is sometimes quoted per square foot. The wage floor applies (National Living Wage £12.71 an hour from April 2026), and cleaning is standard-rated for VAT at 20%. See the after-builders cleaning cost guide or the cost calculator.
The three stages of a post-construction clean
Done properly, an after-builders clean is staged: a rough clean to clear debris and gross dust once the heavy work is finished; a detailed clean of every surface, fitting and fixture once trades are off site; and a sparkle clean immediately before handover for a show-ready finish. The end-of-build sparkle is the most exacting stage - guide rates run higher than a routine clean - and where a floor has just been laid we follow with strip, seal and buff via hard-floor cleaning.
Dust, chemicals and site safety
Construction dust is a respiratory hazard and residues can be corrosive, so every product is COSHH-assessed, operatives use appropriate PPE, and any high-level work follows the Work at Height hierarchy. On live sites we work to the principal contractor's site rules and our own method statements and risk assessments.
Directly-employed teams, one national contract
Fit-out programmes rarely sit in one town, and handover dates do not move. Optus Glean UK is the national alternative: one contract, one standard, and the same PAYE-employed, DBS-checked (Disclosure Scotland / AccessNI in Scotland and Northern Ireland) teams delivering sparkle cleans to deadline across every site.
Indicative after-builders cleaning costs (UK, guide only)
| Basis | Typical price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Hourly (UK) | £20 - £35 / hour | Per cleaner; £25-£40 in London |
| Small studio / 1-bed | £130 - £220 | £160-£260+ in London |
| 2-3 bed | £180 - £320 | £220-£390 in London |
| 4-5+ bed | £270 - £450 | £300-£650+ in London |
| Commercial (per sq ft) | ~£5.15 - £9.50 / sq ft | Post-construction, scope dependent |