Handover is when a newly built home stops being a site and becomes somebody’s home. The clean is only one part of getting there, but it is the part the owner notices first. This checklist is for builders and site managers preparing a handover, and for owners who want to know what a handover-ready home looks like.
It covers three things: what to sort out before the final clean, what to check room by room afterwards, and what belongs with the trades rather than the cleaners. For what the clean itself covers, see what a builders final clean includes.
Before the final clean
A final clean only works if the site is ready for it. Most delays come from the items on this list rather than from the cleaning itself.
- The last trade has a firm finish date. Book the clean for after it, not on the same day.
- Defects work is done, or booked before the clean where you can manage it. Anything done afterwards will need a touch-up.
- Rubbish, offcuts, packaging and skips are gone. Building waste removal is not part of builders cleaning.
- Floor protection: agree who lifts it, takes it away and when, so floors can be cleaned once it is off.
- Power and water are on, so floors can be mopped and fittings cleaned.
- Access is arranged: keys or a lock box, site induction requirements, and parking or a loading area for the team.
- Inspection and handover dates are set, with a gap after the final clean for a touch-up if one is needed.
- For several units, there is a list showing the order they will be ready.
After the clean: a room-by-room check
Walk through in good daylight. Light falling across a surface shows dust and smears that overhead lights can hide. Open cupboards and drawers rather than judging from the doors.
Kitchen
- Cupboards and drawers free of dust inside and out, including shelves
- Benchtops, splashback and appliance fronts free of dust and smears
- Sink and tapware clean
- Stickers and protective film removed, unless you have asked for certain labels to be left on for the owner
Bathrooms, ensuites and laundry
- Shower screens, tiles and tapware free of dust and light residue
- Vanities, basins, mirrors and toilets clean
- Laundry tub, taps and cupboards clean
- Exhaust fan covers within reach free of dust
Bedrooms and living areas
- Skirting boards, doors and door frames dusted
- Light switches, power points and fittings within reach wiped
- Built-in wardrobes and shelves clear of dust
- Windows, frames and tracks within reach clean, including sliding door tracks where grit collects
Floors
- Hard floors vacuumed and mopped, including edges and corners
- Carpets vacuumed; if trades have marked new carpet, carpet steam cleaning can be added as an extra
- No fresh footprints from anyone who came through after the clean
Outside, if it is part of the handover
- Driveway, paths and entry free of loose dirt and grit
- Pressure washing booked if the driveway and paths need more than a sweep; it is an extra on a builders clean, and our guide on what to know before booking driveway pressure washing explains what it suits
Things that are not cleaning
Some items turn up at the walk-through looking like cleaning problems when they are not:
- Scratches, chips, cracks and other damage. These are defects for the relevant trade.
- Paint, render or cement beyond light residue, including heavy splashes on floors, glass or paths. Removing them risks damaging the surface and belongs with the trade that applied them.
- Rubbish and building waste left on site.
- Anything needing work at heights, such as high windows, voids or glazing that need scaffolds, harnesses or elevated platforms.
Sorting these into the defects list rather than the cleaning list gets them to the right people, and avoids paying for a re-clean that cannot fix the problem.
Keeping it clean until handover
- Limit who goes through after the final clean, and ask anyone who must return to protect the floors in the areas they work in.
- Keep doors and windows closed on windy days if there is dusty work nearby.
- Book a touch-up if a trade has been back. It is much smaller than a second final clean.
- If several people are doing the walk-through, keep one shared list so cleaning items and defects are not mixed up.
Booking the handover clean
Our builders cleaning is timed around your trades and handover dates and quoted per stage or per unit after we see the plans or the site. If the home still has trades to come, a rough clean first may help: rough cleaning vs final builders cleaning explains the difference. Send the site address, the number of homes or units, the stages and the handover date through the builders quote request, along with any induction requirements.
Talk to us about your site
See exactly what our builders and post-construction cleaning includes, or go straight to the next step.
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