| By :
Alison Withers
Copyright (c) 2010 Alison Withers The construction industry has had a tough couple of years since the onset of the global economic crisis. But winning contracts has always been a highly competitive business cutting profit margins to the bone. You not only need to be sure your employees and sub-contractors are skilled enough to do the job to the standards you've promised to the client, you need to be sure you can deliver the job on time. Good project and site managers are obviously essential to keep on top of the job, ensuring supplies are adequate and there on time, making sure each step of the work schedule happens and in the right order with no delays, trouble-shooting the almost-inevitable hitches, ensuring Health and Safety rules are followed. Of course, you've promised to leave a clean and tidy completed project and these days most building workers know they have to clean up their bit of the job. But working under pressure even the most careful craftsman won't be able to avoid the occasional droopped nail, curl of shaving, sawdust and cement dust. Sweeping up still leaves dust hanging in the air for weeks after a job's done. It could make your construction company stand out and build you a reputation when bidding for new contracts if you invest in a thorough, specialist builders clean before hand-over. Especially for prestige projects it could be money well spent if the windows are free of the smallest paint splatter and the floors are smooth, free of plaster splashes and most importantly dust. What sorts of things should you expect when you're considering a post-build cleaning service? Before the job starts they should be willing to walk the site with you to identify any special features or materials and provide a risk assessment for the whole job. First and foremost you'll want to be convinced of their attention to detail. There should be no sign of dirt, bags of rubbish, packing materials, offcuts, nails, broken glass, scuffs, footprints, sticky patches, stains, smeared windows or mysterious pools of liquid when they've finished. Increasingly, the environment is playing a part in the building and commissioning of construction so if there are any materials that you haven't already sent for recycling or safe disposal you might want to check that the cleaning company also does so, especially if you have to provide evidence to the client or the planning authority that the process has been as environmentally friendly as possible. The cleaning company should have specialist equipment to extract as much dust as possible and leave surfaces sparkling. They should understand what can and can't be used on the materials you've used in the building, and if, it involves using chemicals, the COSSH regulations for handling hazardous substances. Building jobs do occasionally overrun through no-one's fault so ideally the cleaning company should be flexible, able to provide emergency cover or change their cleaning times at short notice. The company should also be an extra pair of "quality control" eyes, providing you with a list of anything they spot that is damaged, not quite finished off or in need of attention when their job's done. Handing over a sparkling clean, ready-to-occupy building to your client can benefit both you and the specialist after-build cleaner with an unbeatable reputation that helps you both successfully bit for future contracts.
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