If you’re a general contractor or design firm, the last thing you want to worry about is post-construction cleanup. But often what’s an afterthought becomes an issue if you choose a cleaning service that relies on temporary help.
Here’s how it often goes down:
- You (a general contractor) reach out to a cleaning service for post-construction cleanup services.
- The company assures you they can get the job done. You have no reason to doubt them.
- The company, lacking resources, hires temporary help at low wages.
- The workers often are untrained and not invested in their work.
- Many times, the cleanup isn’t completed on time. And, it’s shoddy work at best.
It’s important you ask professional cleaning companies you’re considering if they use temporary help and how they manage clean-up jobs.
Below are four reasons it’s best to go with professional cleaners:
Turnover
Turnover is a significant problem with temporary help. They generally aren’t as concerned with results, because they’re often paid below industry standards and aren’t invested in their careers.
Temporary help also is difficult to coordinate for project managers. On any given day, workers may not show up for the job, creating delays and other issues.
We may be biased, but this is one reason all our cleaners are employed, paid reasonably and given the opportunity to grow within the company. As a result, we have one of the lowest turnover rates in the business, which ultimately benefits our clients.
OK, with the shameless plug behind us, let’s move on …
Training
Temporary workers receive no formal training. While construction cleanup may seem simple, the difference between a botched and beautiful job is the quality of the workers and their training.
For instance, our cleaners are trained on how to work through a construction site effectively, hitting details others may miss, such as dust in the grout work or residue on the trim. These details matter and your clients notice.
Efficiency
If you’re untrained and don’t care about your work, it’s likely the job won’t get done quickly. Of course, this isn’t a blanket statement but having managed these types of teams in a former life, I can tell you it’s very real and often the norm.
KleenMark will shift well-trained night cleaners onto a construction cleanup. This gives them additional hours and also lets us put our best people on the job. The result is a finished job that comes in on deadline. Regardless of the service you use, we recommend you ask about what type of experience their team has with construction cleanup.
Professional teams also know when to bring in heavy-duty equipment to speed up a job, and can rapidly deploy floor scrubbers and other specialty machines as needed.
Post-Construction Cleanup Expertise
Arguably, this is the most important aspect lost when you choose a company that relies on temporary workers. Along with trained, professional cleaners, it’s ideal if your cleaning crew has a manager well-versed in construction cleanup.
Here’s why:
A specialty services project manager – like the one at KleenMark – knows how to communicate with general contractors and tradespeople working on site. They understand the workflow and know the right questions to ask to ensure the cleanup goes as planned.
For instance, they know if the HVAC hasn’t been commissioned prior to cleaning, then it’s going to blow debris and dust all over surfaces – rendering any prior cleaning useless. Or, if inspection hasn’t been completed before the cleanup, you’re going to have watermarks on sinks.
So, before you hire your next cleanup crew, make sure to consider whether they rely on professional cleaners or call in temporary help. You may need to ask, as it’s not something companies generally reveal to clients.
If you have questions how we manage post-construction cleanups, send us a note or call any time. Also, be sure to check out 4 Ways to ID a Great Post-construction Cleanup Service for a high-level overview of what else you should look for.
About the Author
Jeremy Angle leads our team in Southeast Wisconsin. As general manager of our Milwaukee branch, he works with some of our largest clients to ensure they have the right cleaning program in place.