Supplying our window cleaning contractors with their Window Cleaning Tools is one of our main focuses at Detroit Sponge. We also take great pride in providing useful information in all facets within the window cleaning industry, and one of those areas is estimating a post construction cleanup. It can be very challenging in deciding the right price to charge along with how to safely remove all that stubborn debris from the glass. While we can’t tell you exactly what to charge, however, we can advise as to what to look for during the estimation step as well as how to handle the communication with the builder. Which in turn should allow you to quote your job with a relative amount of confidence. As you continue to read on, we will give a detailed layout of what to consider and look for before you give your next estimate.

Most experienced window cleaning technicians have a baseline they expect to make per hour on each and every job. No matter what that number is for you, that school of thought shouldn’t change much when estimating a construction cleanup.

What tends to play a key role in estimating a post construction cleanup is what will you be removing from the glass. Whether it’s paint, tape, stickers, deck sealant, silicone, mortar/cement, plaster or drywall mud, all will require labor intensive work along with window cleaning precision to properly, and safely clean the windows. While it will be likely that you will need to use a scraper at some point, we do encourage the use of chemicals where applicable to help reduce the use of scrapers.

Something to consider is having a written “Scratch Waiver” for the responsible party to read and sign. This will give the builder/contractor a clear layout of what steps you may need to take to remove all the stubborn debris, therefore greatly reducing your liability for the work performed.

During the construction process there are multiple contractors that rotate on and off the jobsite who will come in contact with the windows who work with a multitude of building materials that will inevitably get on the glass. Which is why we highly recommend when quoting the job to be sure to take a long and calculated look at what you will be removing from the window surfaces. Once you are able to determine what you are up against, you will then begin to analyze what steps you will need to take to effectively clean all the windows and in turn develop a rough idea as to how long that may take. We do encourage the use of chemicals where applicable to help reduce the use of scrapers.

Some builders and or window manufacturers will use a plastic safety film that’s been applied to the glass. The idea behind this concept is to greatly reduce the amount of debris from getting trapped on the glass during the construction process. While this step can be very helpful, it can also be extremely difficult if it’s been left on the glass for too long. Over time the sun will breakdown the protective film and essentially bake it on to the glass making it extremely difficult to remove. If that’s the case, this will definitely take more time to complete the job and needs to be factored in your estimate. For this you may want to consider using Titan’s “OilFlo” which is very useful for the removal of adhesives, paint, sealants, asphalt, wax, grease, etc. We definitely recommend using this product in well ventilated areas as it has a pungent odor.

If you come across a construction site upon bidding and see lots of cement on the glass, be sure to bring this to the attention of the builder/contractor. Removing cement will often cause scratches during the removal process. Using Titan’s “Cement Off” can loosen the cement from the glass surface reducing the intensity and pressure you would normally need to use while operating a scraper.

Bottom line when considering to work with builders is complete transparency on your part. Make sure you are absolutely clear as to what steps need to be taken in order to remove all debris from the windows and what the potential risks are in doing so. This is where a “Scratch Waiver” or any type of documentation that they can read, have a clear understanding and sign off on acknowledging the risks involved can be extremely beneficial. We hope this has been helpful to those of who have interest in post construction cleanups, but please do not hesitate to reach out to any one of our knowledgeable team members to assist you along the way. Please call us at 1-800-535-6394, Detroit Sponge wants to help with any questions about post construction window cleaning and the best chemicals for the job.

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