Questions Before You Arrange a Clean

Start with the condition

Which service matches the work left behind?

A property after plastering needs a different brief from an office needing routine upkeep. Describe the source of the dirt and the surfaces affected before choosing a service name. The after builders cleaning specification explains the detailed clean following renovation. Office cleaning addresses a separate ongoing workplace requirement.

Window work, exterior washing, moving belongings and collecting building waste are separate services. Discuss them individually rather than assuming a general clean includes every task. If the material is unknown or potentially hazardous, identify that uncertainty before arranging ordinary cleaning.

The basis of the price

What should a quotation make clear?

Give the postcode, approximate property size, the work completed and the current condition. Explain stairs, parking, restricted access and whether furniture remains. Photographs help show residue, but they do not replace a fuller assessment where the work is extensive or uncertain.

Confirm the agreed areas, team or time allowance, minimum booking, VAT treatment and additional charges. The published starting prices are a guide to discussing a quotation, not a universal total. Ask how the hourly basis applies and whether any collection or specialist work has been priced separately.

If builders return or the scope changes before the appointment, raise that early. An estimate for an empty flat should not be assumed to cover extra rooms, new deposits or an occupied property without review.

Practical arrangements

What access and facilities need to be ready?

Agree who provides keys, receives the team and is available if a question arises. Tell the cleaner about concierge procedures, entry codes, lifts, loading bays and timed restrictions. Give precise instructions through the agreed booking channel rather than leaving valuables or keys unsecured.

Explain working water and electricity, safe routes and any rooms that must remain closed. Do not leave sharp waste, trailing site equipment or unfinished electrical work in the cleaning area. The preparation guide gives a fuller handover checklist.

Keep responsibilities distinct

Can cleaning correct every mark or unfinished detail?

Cleaning is not a repair or restoration service. A scratch, failed coating, cracked tile or patchy sealant may remain after loose dirt has been removed. Paint, cement and adhesive residues need assessment against the underlying material before a suitable treatment can be agreed.

Keep new-surface care instructions available and ask installers to confirm curing times. Do not request stronger chemicals or scraping simply because a mark has not moved. Glazing requirements deserve particular attention where coatings, difficult access or construction residue are involved.

A separate collection

Does a cleaning booking include rubble removal?

Do not assume that it does. Arrange waste collection separately, describing the material, approximate quantity and route for loading. The acceptance of any unusual, sharp or potentially hazardous item must be confirmed before collection.

Keep spare tiles, paint, manuals and materials the builder needs separate from rubbish. A clear distinction prevents useful items being mistaken for waste and leaves accessible surfaces ready for the final clean.

Before confirming a date

When is the property ready for the final visit?

Finish sanding, cutting and other dust-producing work first. Check the readiness of paint, grout and sealants with the installer. If snagging continues, explain the remaining tasks and agree whether the final visit should move or whether a separate return will be needed.

There is no useful universal duration for every renovation. Floor area, residue, access, contents and the agreed checklist affect the allowance. Call 020 3404 5120 with those details and confirm availability for your postcode before relying on a particular appointment.