North Atlanta is one of the fastest-growing real estate markets in Georgia. From Alpharetta's master-planned communities near GA-400 to new construction in Cumming, Milton, and Suwanee, builders are busy. The pace of new construction in Forsyth County and across North Atlanta has been steady for several years.
After the contractors hand over the keys, the property looks finished. Cabinets are in, tile is laid, appliances are installed. But "finished" and "clean" are two very different things. Drywall dust has settled inside every vent. Grout haze is sitting on every tile floor. Paint overspray is on fixtures. Adhesive residue is under protective film. The construction crew's broom-out is the beginning of the cleaning process, not the end.
This guide covers what real post-construction cleaning involves in North Atlanta, how it's priced per square foot, what the three phases of cleanup look like, and what to ask before you hire anyone for this kind of specialized work.
What this post covers:
- Why construction "clean" is not move-in clean
- The three phases of post-construction cleaning and when each applies
- A detailed breakdown of what the final clean actually covers, room by room
- Real pricing ranges for North Atlanta jobs
- What to ask when hiring, and the red flags to watch for
Why construction "clean" is not move-in clean
Builders typically do a broom-clean before the final handoff. That means bulk debris is removed: drywall scraps, cut lumber, packaging material, general trash. Major surfaces get a quick wipe. To the untrained eye, it looks acceptable. To anyone who has done post-construction work for years, it's the starting line.
Here's what remains after a standard broom-out:
- Drywall dust inside HVAC vents and returns, which circulates through the home the moment the system kicks on
- Grout haze on every tile floor and backsplash, a thin film that dulls the finish and won't come off with a regular mop
- Paint overspray on cabinet hardware, light fixtures, outlet covers, and door hinges
- Adhesive residue on hardwood floors, tile, and windows from protective film
- Caulk smears on tile surrounds and tub edges
- Debris in every window track, sometimes including saw dust and insulation fragments
- Installation dust inside every cabinet and drawer, even the ones that were never opened during construction
- Scratched protective film still adhered to appliances and surfaces
Here's a simple test: run a white cloth across any surface in a freshly "broom-cleaned" home. It comes back gray-brown. Every time.
There's also a timing issue. Drywall dust continues to settle after installation, especially in homes with forced air systems. If furniture and belongings move in while dust is still actively settling, it embeds into carpet fibers, settles under furniture legs, and coats every horizontal surface. The right sequence is: professional post-construction clean first, then move-in.
The three phases of post-construction cleaning
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Most people think post-construction cleaning is a single event. It can be, but larger projects often benefit from a staged approach. Here's how the three phases break down.
Rough-Out Clean
Done during construction, typically after drywall is up and mudded but before flooring and cabinetry go in. Construction debris is cleared by the GC before the cleaning crew starts. We come in after the sweep to remove drywall dust, surface residue, and construction grime from all accessible surfaces. This is usually coordinated directly with the general contractor.
It's less detailed than a final clean because finish surfaces aren't in yet. Many GCs handle the initial debris sweep in-house; others bring in a cleaning crew for the dust and surface work.
Quoted per job (varies by scope; smaller than a final clean)Final Clean
This is the one most homeowners and buyers book. It happens at or just after project completion, once all trades are done and the space is ready for occupancy. The final clean is the full post-construction scope: every surface in every room, appliance interiors, fixture polishing, tile haze removal, window track cleanup, and vent cleaning.
On a 2,000 to 3,000 sqft home, expect a two-person crew for a full day. On a larger custom build in Milton or a major Alpharetta renovation, it can run two days. The condition the crew left things in matters significantly. A careful crew is much faster to work after than a messy one.
Typical price: $0.30 to $0.50 per sq ftTouch-Up Clean
An optional final sweep after the GC has completed the punch list. Punch list work often creates new mess: caulk touch-ups, paint corrections, hardware swaps. The touch-up clean is a shorter scope pass across every surface, a mop of all hard floors, and a polish of all fixtures before the owner takes possession.
Most clients don't book this separately. When they do, it's typically included as part of a final clean package booked in advance. If you know punch list work is planned after your final clean date, mention it upfront and we can structure the quote accordingly.
Often included in a final clean package; ask when bookingWhat final post-construction cleaning actually covers
The final clean is the most detailed work we do. Here's the room-by-room breakdown of what's included in a standard final post-construction clean in North Atlanta suburbs.
Kitchen: Cabinet interiors (every shelf, every drawer), exterior cabinet faces and hardware, appliance interiors if installed (oven, refrigerator), hood filter, backsplash grout, countertops, sink and faucet polished. If there's a garbage disposal installed, the splash guard gets cleaned too.
Bathrooms: Full tile grout scrubbing (this is the most time-intensive part of any post-construction clean), toilet bowl and exterior, all fixtures polished, shower glass cleaned and dried streak-free, mirror, vanity and hardware, and floor. Caulk smears around the tub surround are addressed here as well.
All rooms: HVAC vent covers and return grilles are removed, wiped down, and replaced. Light fixtures are cleaned, not just dusted. Window sills and tracks are cleaned of all debris, including saw dust and insulation fragments. Door frames, tops of doors, and baseboards are hand-wiped. Ceiling fans are cleaned before any floor work begins so debris falls down, not onto clean floors.
Floors: All debris is vacuumed first. Hard floors are mopped with appropriate cleaners for the floor type. Tape residue and adhesive patches are removed. Grout haze on tile floors is treated separately with a grout haze remover where needed, which is almost always on new tile installations.
Windows: Interior window surfaces are wiped down, tracks are cleared, and any protective film that the client wants removed is peeled and discarded. We do not remove protective film from stainless steel appliances by default. That's an owner's choice, and we leave it until we're told to remove it.
One thing we don't include by default: carpet cleaning. We vacuum carpet thoroughly, but deep steam cleaning is a separate service. Our recommendation is to schedule carpet cleaning the day before we arrive, so clean carpet is waiting when we finish the rest of the space. That sequencing gives you the cleanest possible result.
Post-construction pricing in North Atlanta
These are the actual price ranges we quote for post-construction work in Alpharetta, Cumming, Milton, and the surrounding North Atlanta area. Every job is quoted by square footage or photo review. We don't quote blind, and we don't give flat rates without knowing the scope.
| Job Type | Size | Estimated Price |
|---|---|---|
| Final clean (renovation) | 1,500 sq ft | $450 to $750 ($0.30-$0.50/sq ft) |
| Final clean (new build) | 2,500 sq ft | $1,000 to $1,250 |
| Final clean (large home) | 3,500 sq ft | $1,400 to $1,750 |
| Typical project range | 1,500 to 5,000 sq ft | $525 to $1,850 |
| Custom estate / 5,000+ sq ft | Over 5,000 sq ft | Custom quote |
| Rough-out only | Per sq ft | Quoted per job |
A few factors move a quote toward the higher or lower end of these ranges. The condition of the space matters a lot. A careful crew that tarped everything and kept the job site tidy is significantly faster to clean after than one that didn't. Number of bathrooms, tile coverage, and whether grout haze treatment is needed all add time. So does the presence of high-end finishes like custom cabinetry with integrated lighting, specialty tile, or marble surfaces that require gentler products.
New builds in Alpharetta and Cumming tend to run higher than renovations on a per-square-foot basis, because the entire home is coming out of construction at once rather than one area at a time. A major kitchen renovation in a Johns Creek home is a different scope than a complete 4,000 sqft new build in Cumming or Milton. Both are post-construction, but they're different projects.
We see a consistent pattern with buyers who purchase new builds directly from builders in Forsyth County, particularly in communities along GA-400. They often book us the week of closing, after walking through the home and realizing the builder's "clean" isn't what they expected. If you're in that situation, reach out as early as possible. We book post-construction jobs with about one to two weeks of lead time.
Hiring for post-construction cleaning: what to ask
Post-construction cleaning is not the same as residential cleaning. It requires different products, different techniques, and a different approach to sequencing the work. Before you book anyone, ask these questions.
Do you specialize in post-construction, or is it a sideline? Drywall dust requires specific protocols. It's superfine, it re-suspends when disturbed, and standard residential cleaning equipment doesn't handle it well. A crew that does post-construction regularly has the right tools and knows the right order of operations. A crew that picks it up occasionally is learning on your job.
Do you quote per square foot or hourly? Per square foot means a predictable, agreed-upon price before work starts. Hourly means you're trusting someone else's time estimate, and surprises show up on the invoice. We quote per square foot. That's how it should be done.
Do they quote by square footage or photos? A responsible company gathers real information before committing to a price. Photos are an acceptable substitute for smaller jobs. A flat rate quote from a company that hasn't seen the space is a guess, and guesses tend to adjust upward when the crew arrives.
Are they insured? New construction means expensive finishes. A scratch on a custom cabinet, a crack in specialty tile, a dropped fixture: these things happen, and they're costly. Whoever you hire needs to be able to cover it. Ask for proof of insurance before they walk in the door.
Can they provide references from similar North Atlanta jobs? A company doing regular post-construction work in Alpharetta, Milton, and Cumming has a track record you can check. Ask for two or three recent project references and follow up on them.
Red flag: anyone who quotes a flat rate without seeing photos or the space. Post-construction jobs vary too much in scope and condition for anyone to give an honest number without that information. A low flat rate that turns into a surprise add-on once the crew is on site is worse than a higher honest quote from the start.
How to book post-construction cleaning in Alpharetta
Our process is straightforward. Call 678-578-4747 or email staci@alpharettacleaningco.com. Send a few photos of the space along with the approximate square footage. We'll come back with a range quote, and if the job warrants it, we'll confirm square footage and scope before locking in the price.
Most post-construction cleans in North Atlanta get scheduled with one to two weeks of lead time. If you're working toward a specific closing date or move-in date, let us know early. We can often accommodate tighter timelines, but lead time helps.
We serve Alpharetta, Milton, Cumming, Forsyth County, Johns Creek, Roswell, Suwanee, and Duluth. If your project is just outside those areas, call anyway. We've done work across a wide range of our service area communities.
"We bought a new build in Alpharetta and the GC left drywall dust everywhere. Alpharetta Cleaning Co. quoted per square foot and had the house genuinely move-in ready in one day. Best money we spent during the whole build." Brandon T., Alpharetta
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