The Importance of Post-Construction Cleanup Pt. 1

Building renovations and new builds are so exciting, not only for the owners but for the community they will be serving. Recently, many cities throughout New Jersey have been awarded funding to help revitalize their communities, including the city of Trenton.

In April of this year, the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs awarded  $11.4 million in funding to 18 community-based nonprofit organizations across the state through the Neighborhood Revitalization Tax Credit (NRTC) Program. The nonprofit organizations will use the funding to implement revitalization plans that address housing and economic development, as well as complementary activities such as social services, recreation activities, and open space improvements. (1)

Just last month Rep. Watson Coleman announced $3.9 Million in investments in Trenton infrastructure. New appropriations include funding for wharf flood resilience, safety improvements at the Trenton Transit Center, and improvements to Route 29. Of the grant money, $1.5 million will go into refurbishing old buildings and creating new ones. You can expect to see a variety of shops, family centers, and clinics. (2)

The Last Phase of Renovation

There is nothing quite like a freshly finished commercial space where everything is new, and all systems are working their best. However, once the construction is done, there is one more step of contract work that needs to be completed before the project is officially done, the post-construction cleanup phase.

Post-construction cleaning is the process of removing any remaining debris, dirt, dust, and garbage from the construction site. In this week’s blog post we are going to talk about the importance of post construction cleanup and the tasks to consider when understanding the overall scope of the project.

In part two, we will cover in detail the three phases of post-construction cleanup to help you tackle the job and have your new commercial space ready to welcome new tenants and customers.

What’s Left Behind

Most contractors do some basic cleanup at the end of construction, but detailed cleaning is not their job. These tasks can include removal of construction dust with HEPA filtration vacuums, cleaning dirty windows, thoroughly cleaning HVAC systems, removing stickers from doors and windows, and cleaning the floors of the finished site once they are done.

What remains after the construction crew has packed up can be a huge undertaking that requires attention to detail and more time than you may have available to do yourself.

Tasks to Tackle Before Opening the Doors

Below is a brief overview of tasks that are commonly needed after both new building construction and a building renovation:

Offices

  • Walls cleaned, free of blemishes and marks.
  • All surfaces dusted (desks, tables, furniture).
  • Carpets vacuumed and stains cleaned.
  • Door handles and light switch plates cleaned.
  • Furniture dusted and cleaned.
  • Office equipment dusted and cleaned.
  • Phones cleaned and sanitized.
  • Windows and windowsills cleaned.
  • Air filters checked.

Commercial Kitchens

  • Cleaning of all cabinets, inside and out.
  • Countertops dusted.
  • Sinks and backsplashes cleaned.
  • Windows cleaned.
  • Floors swept and mopped.
  • Appliances wiped and sanitized.

Bathrooms

  • Sinks and countertops cleaned and sanitized.
  • Toilets and stalls cleaned and sanitized.
  • Mirrors and hand dryers or towel dispensers cleaned.
  • Floors swept and mopped.
  • Baby changing station cleaned and sanitized.

Post-construction cleanup is a large undertaking and needs to be done one step at a time. Next week in part two, we will break down the tasks into three phases that will help make the project more manageable and ensure each area is handled properly.

To learn more about Commercial Cleaning’s post-construction cleanup services, contact us today.

Sources

 DCA Awards Funds for Neighborhood Revitalization Efforts in New Jersey (gov)

(2) Rep. Watson Coleman Announces $3.9 Million in Investments In Trenton Infrastructure (insidernj.com)