Pre-Occupancy Touch-Up Cleaning Before the Walkthrough
A pre-occupancy touch-up is a short, focused clean done right before the owner, tenant or buyer walks through the space. It removes fingerprints, fresh dust, footprints and small marks that appeared after the final clean, so the first impression is what the drawings promised.
Describe the job and add your city. Free to request, no obligation.
Space changes quickly in the last days of a project. Electricians commission equipment, painters touch up corners, deliveries come through the lobby and everyone walks the floor. A touch-up is timed after those last activities, as close to handover as the schedule allows.
It is a smaller job than the final clean, and it should not be asked to replace it. If the final clean was skipped or done too early, the touch-up grows into a second final clean and the walkthrough date is at risk.
What the work includes
- Wiping fingerprints from glass, stainless steel, mirrors and door hardware
- Dusting horizontal surfaces, windowsills and the tops of fixtures
- Spot cleaning scuffs and marks on walls, doors and trim where safe
- Vacuuming or sweeping and spot mopping floors, including entry mats
- Checking bathrooms and kitchens for restocking items such as fresh bins and clean fixtures
- Removing last-minute debris, packaging and stray tools left in the space
- Cleaning elevator cabs, lobbies and entrances that took delivery traffic
- Photographing the finished state for your records
Signs a touch-up is needed
The final clean was done days or weeks ago and trades have been in since
Fingerprints and smudges are visible on glass and stainless steel
Dust has settled on shelves, sills and the tops of equipment
Delivery traffic left marks on floors and in the lobby
An owner, tenant or buyer walkthrough is coming within a day or two
The space will be photographed, staged or opened to the public
How the work goes, step by step
Share the walkthrough date
Tell us when the walkthrough happens and what is still going on in the space.
Plan the timing
The touch-up is placed after the last trades and before the walkthrough.
Scope agreed
A short checklist covers glass, hardware, floors, restrooms and common areas.
The visit
A small crew goes through the space and finishes the details.
Photos and note
You get photos of the finished space and a note on anything outstanding.
What changes the price
- Area to cover
- A touch-up is priced on the footprint, though less per square foot than a final clean.
- Time since the final clean
- The longer the gap and the more trades in between, the more there is to fix.
- Hard surfaces and glass
- Lots of glass and stainless steel means more fingerprints to remove.
- Traffic and deliveries
- A busy lobby or loading area gets marked up in the last days.
- Timing constraints
- A same-day or evening visit, for a walkthrough early next morning, affects the price.
What a good quote spells out
- The timing, in relation to the walkthrough and the last trades
- A short scope listing what is and is not included
- Whether the price is a flat fee or by the hour
- How the crew handles last-minute requests from your superintendent
- What happens if trades return after the touch-up and mark the space again
Phase 3 — Occupancy Touch-Up: questions people ask
What is the difference between a final clean and a touch-up?
The final clean is a full, detailed clean of the whole space. The touch-up is a short pass just before handover that removes marks and dust left after the final clean.
How long before the walkthrough should the touch-up happen?
As close as the schedule allows, ideally the day before or the morning of. The later it is, the fewer trades will mark the space again.
Does every project need a touch-up?
Not always. On projects with a long gap between the final clean and handover, it is usually worth it. If the space is finished and closed, a touch-up may be small or unnecessary.
Can the touch-up be booked without the earlier phases?
Yes, if the space has been cleaned by someone else. The quote will say if the space needs more than a touch-up.
Other Novaclair services
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