Understanding Post-Construction Cleaning Costs in Singapore

Professional post-renovation cleaning in Singapore starts from $248 with MCAAS Solutions, and the final price depends on a handful of factors you can actually check yourself: the size of your unit, how heavy the renovation was, how much dust the crew left behind, and whether you need specialist add-ons like acid washing or upholstery cleaning. This guide breaks down each of those price drivers, shows you what a legitimate quote must include, and flags the warning signs of offers that look cheap on paper but cost more by the time the job is done. For the full scope of what the service covers, see our post-renovation cleaning service page.

Who this guide is for

• Homeowners budgeting for cleaning at the tail end of an HDB, condo or landed renovation
• Anyone comparing quotes from several cleaning companies and unsure why the numbers differ
• People deciding whether the price of professional cleaning beats a weekend of DIY scrubbing

If you want a step-by-step of the cleaning work itself rather than the pricing, that lives in our other guides — this article stays focused on cost.

The starting point: from $248

MCAAS Solutions prices post-renovation cleaning from $248, with the final figure scaling primarily by floor area. Pricing is transparent: the quote you receive is the price you pay, with no hidden fees and no contracts to sign. Upholstery and mattress cleaning, if you add them on, start from $98.

Because every renovation leaves a different mess, the honest answer to “what will mine cost?” is a quick quote rather than a generic table. Send your floor area and a few photos over WhatsApp and you will usually have a firm price within about two minutes — faster than reading the rest of this article.

What actually drives the price

1. Unit size and layout

Floor area is the biggest single factor, which is why quotes are tiered by square footage or flat type. But layout matters too. A 1,100 sqft maisonette takes longer than the same area on one level — stairs, balustrades and double-height ledges all add wiping time. Full-height wardrobes and feature walls add vertical surface area a floor-plan number does not capture, and every carpentry interior (drawers, shelves, wardrobe tops) must be vacuumed and wiped before you load your belongings in.

2. Scale of the renovation

A hacking-and-rebuild job produces a completely different mess from a repaint and new carpentry:

• Light works (painting, new wardrobes, replaced fixtures): mostly fine dust and paint splatter. The lower end of the price range.
• Wet works (hacked tiles, new flooring, bathroom overhauls): cement dust, grout haze on new tiles, silica-laden debris that has drifted into every room — including ones that were not renovated. This is heavier, slower work.
• Full reconfiguration (walls hacked, ceilings redone, full rewiring): dust inside light fittings, aircon returns, door tracks and every cabinet, because the works ran for weeks and the dust had time to travel and settle in layers.

When you request a quote, say what was actually done — “hacked two bathrooms and re-tiled the kitchen” gives a far more accurate price than “4-room renovation”.

3. Dust level and site condition

Two identical flats with identical renovations can still price differently based on what the contractor left behind. If the renovation crew did a rough debris clearance, the cleaning team starts at fine-dust removal. If there are still offcuts, packaging, silicone smears on glass and adhesive residue on floors, that is extra labour. Ask your contractor what their handover includes — bulk debris removal is normally the contractor’s job, and paying a cleaning company to bag construction waste is an expensive way to cover someone else’s scope.

4. Add-ons and specialist treatments

Some jobs need more than standard post-renovation cleaning, and these are priced separately:

• Acid washing for cement screed marks and stubborn grout haze on suitable tiles. This is genuinely specialist work — the wrong acid concentration etches tiles permanently, and the process needs proper ventilation and neutralising. See our guide to acid washing tiles before assuming you need it; many floors only need deep scrubbing.
• Upholstery, mattress and carpet cleaning (from $98) — worth adding if soft furnishings sat in the unit during works, because fabric holds fine renovation dust that surface vacuuming will not fully extract.
• Disinfection and antimicrobial coating on high-contact areas, which MCAAS applies using PHMB and QAC-based disinfectants — a sensible add-on if you are moving in with young children or anyone with dust-sensitive airways.

5. Urgency and access

Short-notice slots are harder to secure than work planned a week or two ahead, and practical details — lift access for equipment, whether other trades are still on site — affect how long the job takes. Booking as soon as your contractor confirms the completion date keeps this factor from costing you anything.

What a legitimate quote should include

Before you accept any quote — from MCAAS or anyone else — check that it spells out:

1. A fixed price for a defined scope, not an hourly rate with a vague estimate of hours. Hourly quotes for post-renovation work routinely balloon once the team sees the actual dust level. 2. The scope itself in writing: all rooms, interiors of built-in carpentry, windows and grilles, doors and frames, light fittings, skirting, floors vacuumed and mopped, kitchen and bathrooms deep cleaned. 3. Equipment and supplies included. A professional team should arrive with everything — vacuums with fine-dust filtration, ladders, chemicals. If you are expected to provide anything, that is not a professional post-renovation service. 4. Credentials. In Singapore, cleaning businesses must be NEA licensed. MCAAS Solutions is NEA licensed and WSQ course certified — ask any company you are comparing for the same. 5. A completion standard. MCAAS ends every job with a final inspection before the team leaves, so issues are caught while the crew is still on site rather than after you have signed off.

Red flags of too-cheap offers

A price that undercuts everyone else usually recovers its margin somewhere. Watch for:

• Bait pricing: a low headline figure that excludes windows, carpentry interiors or bathrooms, with each “extra” quoted on the day once the team is standing in your unit.
• General cleaning sold as post-renovation cleaning. A regular weekly-cleaning crew with household vacuums will redistribute fine cement dust rather than remove it, and you will find grey film resettling on surfaces days later.
• No licence, no track record. An unlicensed operator has no accountability if your new surfaces are damaged — and freshly laid tiles, new laminate and just-installed carpentry are exactly what is at risk from wrong chemicals or rough handling.
• “Free acid wash” thrown in. Acid washing is a controlled process, not a freebie. Done carelessly, it permanently damages tiles and produces hazardous fumes.
• No written scope. If it is not on paper, it is not included.

A useful cross-check: MCAAS holds a 4.9/5 Google rating across 370+ reviews. Whatever company you choose, recent reviews that specifically mention post-renovation jobs are worth more than a low headline price.

When DIY is enough vs when to hire professionals

DIY is reasonable when the works were genuinely minor — one repainted room, a single replaced fixture — and the dust is confined to that space. A vacuum with a fine-dust filter, damp microfibre cloths and patience will get you there for the cost of supplies.

Hire professionals when wet works were involved, dust has spread through the whole unit, aircon was running during the works (it will have recirculated fine dust through every room), or your move-in date leaves no margin for a second attempt. Fine renovation dust settles in cycles — you wipe, it looks clean, and a new grey layer appears the next morning as suspended particles come down. Professional teams work top-down in one systematic pass with equipment built for it, which is why the result holds.

Weigh the from-$248 price against the realistic DIY alternative: several full days of labour, buying or renting proper equipment, and the real risk of scratching new floors or streaking new glass with the wrong products. For a fuller comparison, see DIY vs hiring professional post-construction cleaners.

Get an exact price in about two minutes

Skip the guesswork: message MCAAS Solutions on WhatsApp at +65 8834 2867 with your unit size, what was renovated and your preferred date. Quotes usually come back within two minutes, priced from $248 with no hidden fees and no contracts. Once you book, the team arrives on time with all equipment and supplies, cleans top to bottom, and runs a final inspection with you before leaving. You can also call during office hours (Mon–Sat, 8am–5pm) or email cs@mcaassolutions.com.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does post-renovation cleaning cost in Singapore?

MCAAS Solutions prices post-renovation cleaning from $248, scaling with floor area and the scale of the renovation. Add-ons such as upholstery or mattress cleaning start from $98. For an exact figure, WhatsApp +65 8834 2867 with your unit size and renovation details — quotes usually arrive within about two minutes.

Why do quotes vary so much between companies for the same flat?

Usually because the scopes differ. One quote may include carpentry interiors, windows, grilles and light fittings; another may cover only floors and surfaces and charge the rest as on-the-day extras. Always compare the written scope line by line, not just the headline number.

Do I need to provide any equipment or cleaning products?

No. MCAAS teams arrive with all equipment and supplies, including fine-dust vacuums and PHMB and QAC-based disinfectants. If a company asks you to supply anything, treat that as a red flag for post-renovation work.

Is acid washing included in the standard price?

No — acid washing is a specialist treatment quoted separately, and only where it is actually suitable. Many floors need deep scrubbing rather than acid, so a proper assessment comes first. Be wary of companies that bundle a “free acid wash” without inspecting your tiles.

When should I book the cleaning?

As soon as your contractor confirms the handover date. Cleaning should happen after all trades have finished and bulk debris is cleared, but before your furniture and belongings move in. Booking early secures your preferred slot and avoids any squeeze before your move-in date.