ᐅ What cleaning products are recommended for final construction cleaning, including windows and tiles?
Created on: 18 Sep 2020 16:01
K
kati1337
Hello everyone!
We are three days away from the final inspection, and my mind is a bit chaotic.
The house is almost finished; next week, the HVAC system, vinyl flooring, doors, and final sealing work will be installed. Just a few tile edges left in the hallway. That’s about it.
Right now, I’m trying to get organized mentally. There are a few defects—nothing major—I’ve written down everything I’ve noticed so far.
Now I’m wondering if I’m allowed to start cleaning already. I think my site manager probably has no issue with that—he didn’t mind us starting some of our own work (painting, washbasins) before handover, so why would he have a problem with a bit of cleaning?
I once read somewhere online that you shouldn’t use a cloth to clean the windows the first time because of the risk of scratches. But I can’t find that advice anymore. Can someone provide more details on this?
What should I bring with me or possibly buy?
Do I need a cement residue remover, or can I clean the tiles just fine with an all-purpose cleaner?
Tomorrow, I plan to bring the pressure washer to remove the worst dirt from the floors now that most of the tradespeople are done.
Unfortunately, they still keep coming back for small things. A toilet paper holder couldn’t be fixed because the apprentice threw away a part of the bracket, so now they have to come back specifically for that. It wouldn’t bother me so much, but they always come in with their big, dirty boots, tracking tons of sand and soil into the house.
The windows are mostly just dirty. In some places, they have some plaster or paint on them. The paint used by the painter is water-based and comes off easily with warm water. I haven’t dared to try cleaning the dry plaster yet. I read that dry plaster can be removed with a ceramic hob scraper. Can that damage the windows?
I’ve also been thinking about buying another roll of painter’s underlay (that black material that looks like patchwork carpet) and taping it over the vinyl floor walkways with painter’s tape until the move is done. Is that paranoid? Will the floor be able to handle everyday use, or is it best to do this?
Sorry if this post sounds a bit jumbled. I’m quite nervous about the final inspection.
Especially since some things are already “finished,” but as long as tradespeople are still coming and going, things can get damaged. I’ve already found one or two marks on the freshly painted wallpaper. :/ My painter said he will come back and do touch-ups once the last tradesperson has left the house.
We are three days away from the final inspection, and my mind is a bit chaotic.
The house is almost finished; next week, the HVAC system, vinyl flooring, doors, and final sealing work will be installed. Just a few tile edges left in the hallway. That’s about it.
Right now, I’m trying to get organized mentally. There are a few defects—nothing major—I’ve written down everything I’ve noticed so far.
Now I’m wondering if I’m allowed to start cleaning already. I think my site manager probably has no issue with that—he didn’t mind us starting some of our own work (painting, washbasins) before handover, so why would he have a problem with a bit of cleaning?
I once read somewhere online that you shouldn’t use a cloth to clean the windows the first time because of the risk of scratches. But I can’t find that advice anymore. Can someone provide more details on this?
What should I bring with me or possibly buy?
Do I need a cement residue remover, or can I clean the tiles just fine with an all-purpose cleaner?
Tomorrow, I plan to bring the pressure washer to remove the worst dirt from the floors now that most of the tradespeople are done.
Unfortunately, they still keep coming back for small things. A toilet paper holder couldn’t be fixed because the apprentice threw away a part of the bracket, so now they have to come back specifically for that. It wouldn’t bother me so much, but they always come in with their big, dirty boots, tracking tons of sand and soil into the house.
The windows are mostly just dirty. In some places, they have some plaster or paint on them. The paint used by the painter is water-based and comes off easily with warm water. I haven’t dared to try cleaning the dry plaster yet. I read that dry plaster can be removed with a ceramic hob scraper. Can that damage the windows?
I’ve also been thinking about buying another roll of painter’s underlay (that black material that looks like patchwork carpet) and taping it over the vinyl floor walkways with painter’s tape until the move is done. Is that paranoid? Will the floor be able to handle everyday use, or is it best to do this?
Sorry if this post sounds a bit jumbled. I’m quite nervous about the final inspection.
Especially since some things are already “finished,” but as long as tradespeople are still coming and going, things can get damaged. I’ve already found one or two marks on the freshly painted wallpaper. :/ My painter said he will come back and do touch-ups once the last tradesperson has left the house.
Ben-man schrieb:
How did it go?Not finished yet, it will be ready on Wednesday. I think I meant 3 business days.I have now hired someone for the final cleaning of the construction site. The tip from this forum to search on MyHammer was very helpful; I hope they live up to their promises.
The handover is tomorrow. I have left the windows as they were. I’m curious to see how it will go. Not everything is really finished yet. We still don’t have the photovoltaic system installed (installation starts tomorrow but it won’t be operational until Friday). The final assembly and instruction for the ventilation system was supposed to take place today, but the technician didn’t show up.
Our history with the company so far:
- The technician was here some time ago and complained that the heating pipe was in the way and refused to bend it because he was afraid of damaging something. He noted this in the file but didn’t take any further action.
- We get an appointment for the instruction and final assembly of the ventilation system.
- A customer service representative and I are on site. The employee notices that the pipe installation should have already been completed at this point and calls his headquarters. He finds out what his predecessor noted in the file.
- He schedules a new appointment with me for final assembly and instruction (today).
- He installs the ventilation grilles and apparently hits my car while leaving (giving the benefit of the doubt, probably without realizing it).
- Today: Nobody shows up for the appointment.
- I don’t have their phone number, so I call my construction manager.
- My construction manager calls the technicians and, after half an hour, finds out that the technician has called in sick. This was apparently communicated by email to my construction manager (who hasn’t been back in the office since) but no one thought it necessary to call him or me.
I briefly considered postponing the handover, but what good would that do? I would have to cancel the inspector at short notice, and, most importantly, I can no longer postpone the delivery of my kitchen (the day after tomorrow). That would only mean the kitchen gets installed while every construction worker still has a key to the house. Not a good feeling.
My washbasins are installed, the wallpaper is up and painted, and with every construction worker coming in and out, something that looked finished and good ends up looking bad again afterwards. Foam on the wallpaper, some kind of plaster or adhesive residue left in the natural stone sink without even rinsing with water, and so on.
I would really like for the work to be finished and for the workers to stop coming in and out so the painter can make corrections one last time and then we can have some peace. But what can I do?
The handover is tomorrow. I have left the windows as they were. I’m curious to see how it will go. Not everything is really finished yet. We still don’t have the photovoltaic system installed (installation starts tomorrow but it won’t be operational until Friday). The final assembly and instruction for the ventilation system was supposed to take place today, but the technician didn’t show up.
Our history with the company so far:
- The technician was here some time ago and complained that the heating pipe was in the way and refused to bend it because he was afraid of damaging something. He noted this in the file but didn’t take any further action.
- We get an appointment for the instruction and final assembly of the ventilation system.
- A customer service representative and I are on site. The employee notices that the pipe installation should have already been completed at this point and calls his headquarters. He finds out what his predecessor noted in the file.
- He schedules a new appointment with me for final assembly and instruction (today).
- He installs the ventilation grilles and apparently hits my car while leaving (giving the benefit of the doubt, probably without realizing it).
- Today: Nobody shows up for the appointment.
- I don’t have their phone number, so I call my construction manager.
- My construction manager calls the technicians and, after half an hour, finds out that the technician has called in sick. This was apparently communicated by email to my construction manager (who hasn’t been back in the office since) but no one thought it necessary to call him or me.
I briefly considered postponing the handover, but what good would that do? I would have to cancel the inspector at short notice, and, most importantly, I can no longer postpone the delivery of my kitchen (the day after tomorrow). That would only mean the kitchen gets installed while every construction worker still has a key to the house. Not a good feeling.
My washbasins are installed, the wallpaper is up and painted, and with every construction worker coming in and out, something that looked finished and good ends up looking bad again afterwards. Foam on the wallpaper, some kind of plaster or adhesive residue left in the natural stone sink without even rinsing with water, and so on.
I would really like for the work to be finished and for the workers to stop coming in and out so the painter can make corrections one last time and then we can have some peace. But what can I do?
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