Doing the after builders clean yourself
You can, but builders' dust is fine and gets into everything. Hire an industrial vacuum with an M-class filter rather than using a household one, work from the top down, dry before wet, and allow a couple of days for a house. A cleaning company brings the vacuums, blades and the right cleaner for each surface.
The kit, the order and the mistakes that cost more than a cleaning company.
Free and no obligation. Your plan goes to one company, not a list.
- M-classvacuum to hire
- 2 daysfor a house, roughly
- Top downthe order of work
- €350–€700to hire it done, three-bed house
What you'll need
- An industrial vacuum with an M-class filter, hired, and spare bags.
- A lot of microfibre cloths, and two buckets.
- A glass scraper with new blades, and a plastic scraper for everything else.
- A pH-neutral cleaner, and a grout haze remover that suits your tiles.
- Dust masks, gloves, a step ladder and an extension pole.
The order
- Clear out rubble, offcuts and packaging.
- Vacuum from the top: ceilings, light fittings, tops of doors, walls, then down.
- Splashes off: paint and plaster from glass, tiles and fittings, grout haze from the tiles.
- Film and labels off frames, appliances and glass.
- Damp-wipe everything, rinsing the cloths often.
- Floors last, vacuumed and washed to suit the finish.
Plan your after builders clean
A few quick taps: the clean your job needs, what it costs and how long it takes. Contact details come last, and only if you want a fixed price.
One builders clean of a three-bed house, after a new build: €350 to €700.
How the estimate is worked out
The ranges are what Irish cleaning companies charge for the same clean: the lowest to the highest figure for a home of that size, or per m² for a commercial unit. A smaller home's three-stage clean is its builders clean plus a sparkle clean. Use it to plan with: the company fixes the price after seeing the job or photos of it.
When it pays to hire
On a new build with a lot of glazing, natural stone floors, a tight move-in date or a commercial unit, a company's tools and team usually cost less than the hire, the days and the mistakes. A scratched pane or an etched limestone floor costs more than the clean.
Questions before you book
Can I do an after builders clean myself?
You can, but builders' dust is fine and gets into everything. Hire an industrial vacuum with an M-class filter rather than using a household one, work from the top down, dry before wet, and allow a couple of days for a house. A cleaning company brings the vacuums, blades and the right cleaner for each surface.
What vacuum do I need for builders' dust?
An industrial vacuum with an M-class filter. A household vacuum clogs and blows the finest dust back into the room.
How long does it take to clean a house after builders yourself?
Allow a couple of days for a house. A team of cleaners does it in one.
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Get the dust out before you move in
Pick the job, the home and the clean to see the price and how long it takes. When you want a fixed price, your plan goes to a single vetted cleaning company for your area.