Statewide
What post-construction cleaning costs in Wisconsin
Post-construction cleaning in Wisconsin is usually bid per square foot, and the honest range across all three phases is roughly $0.18 to $0.55 per sq ft. That spread is wide because a 6,000 sq ft office build-out with LVT and one restroom is a different job than a 60,000 sq ft clinic with polished concrete, casework in every room and 14 restrooms. Here is how the number is actually built.
7 min read · Updated August 2026
Typical Wisconsin ranges by phase
Most general contractors buy the phases separately, or buy final and touch-up and self-perform the rough. Quoting them separately is the only way to compare bids fairly.
- Rough clean — $0.04–$0.10 per sq ft, driven by debris volume more than area
- Final clean — $0.12–$0.35 per sq ft, the largest and most variable phase
- Touch-up / punch clean — $0.03–$0.10 per sq ft, or hourly on small areas
- Interior glass on a heavy-glass build — often quoted separately per pane or per opening
- Small tenant build-outs under about 3,000 sq ft — usually priced as a flat project fee, not per sq ft
What actually moves the price
Square footage sets the floor. Everything below sets the ceiling, and a bid that ignores them is a bid that will come back as a change order.
- Restroom and fixture count — the single densest labor per square foot in any building
- Casework and millwork volume — cabinets have interiors, and interiors take time
- Glass area — storefront, interior partitions and mullions carry real hours
- Floor type — polished concrete, terrazzo, VCT, LVT and carpet each need different equipment
- Site condition at handoff — a site left broom-clean by the trades bids lower than one that is not
- Schedule compression — night, weekend and hit-the-date crew loading costs more
- Occupied or phased work — mobilizing four times costs more than mobilizing once
How to compare three bids without guessing
The cheapest number on a post-construction bid is almost always the one with the smallest scope, not the best rate. Ask every bidder for the same four things and the comparison becomes obvious.
- Scope broken out by phase, with what is included in each
- Whether interior and exterior glass is in or out
- Whether debris haul-off is included or your dumpster is used
- Crew size and calendar days assumed, so you can see whether the date is realistic
Budget numbers you can use before drawings are final
If you are putting a line in an early budget and have nothing but a square footage, these planning numbers get most Wisconsin commercial projects close.
- Office / professional build-out — $0.22–$0.35 per sq ft, all phases
- Medical and dental — $0.30–$0.55 per sq ft, all phases
- Retail and restaurant — $0.25–$0.45 per sq ft, all phases
- Industrial and warehouse — $0.10–$0.22 per sq ft, all phases
- Multifamily — commonly priced per unit plus common areas rather than per sq ft
Frequently asked
Is post-construction cleaning priced per square foot or hourly?
Most commercial projects are bid per square foot or as a fixed project price. Hourly is common only on small punch and touch-up work where the scope cannot be defined in advance.
Does the price include debris removal?
It depends on the bid. We remove construction debris to the dumpster on site; hauling debris off site is quoted separately when the contractor wants it included.
Why is final clean so much more than rough clean?
Rough clean is volume work on unfinished surfaces. Final clean is detail work on finished surfaces where every ledge, frame, cabinet interior and pane of glass is inspected.
Can you hold a price if the schedule slips?
Yes, within reason. Our proposals hold the unit price; what changes with a major slide is crew availability, which is why we confirm crew size 72 hours out.
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