Post-construction cleaning checklist
A room-by-room checklist to inspect a construction clean against, so a handover either passes or gives you a specific list of what to fix.
A handover inspection that produces the note "not clean enough" helps nobody. This checklist exists so an inspection produces a specific, closeable list instead.
Walk it in daylight. Construction residue on glass and polished surfaces is close to invisible under site lighting and obvious under sun.
Throughout the building
- Glass: no film residue, no adhesive, no paint specks, frames and tracks clear of debris.
- Horizontal ledges: door tops, skirtings, window sills, exposed pipework, all dust free.
- Floors: correct finish for the material, no grout haze, no adhesive, no scuffing from the clean itself.
- Switch plates, sockets, door furniture and handrails wiped and free of paint overspray.
- Vents and diffusers free of construction dust, both the visible face and the blade edges.
- Light fittings clean and free of dead insects and dust.
- No stickers or manufacturer labels remaining on any fixture, appliance or pane.
Kitchens and bathrooms
- Appliance interiors clean and packaging fully removed, including transit bolts and foam.
- Cabinetry clean inside, including drawer runners, shelf edges and the tops of wall units.
- Sanitaryware free of grout haze, sealant smears and protective coatings.
- Tapware and shower screens free of water marks and mineral residue.
- Extract fans clean and running.
Before you sign off
- Confirm whether a touch-up clean is still to come, and if so do not measure against a final standard yet.
- Photograph anything you are rejecting, with the location noted.
- Give a written list with a date rather than a verbal comment.
- Check whether re-cleans are included in the contract before you request one.
If you are still comparing contractors, our cost guide covers what each phase costs and which extras are billed separately.