Our builder kept the house pretty clean. He covered our wood floors with cardboard and also put cardboard on the bedroom carpets if they had to be in there. It is finished now, a few days ago and they even swept out the garage. They also did not get any paint etc on anything. I would be very upset if I had the issues you mentioned. That should not be happening.

The very last thing our builder does is carpet.

The site was a trash pit last week and I complained.

We are in the framing stage right now. You can't walk 20 feet without running into a trash can so it makes it easy for the guys to keep the site in better shape. It's certainly not perfect but they are working 12 hour days and I'd rather have them framing then picking up energy drink cans and sawdust every day.

I walked the site over the weekend and cleaned up for them as well... I enjoy being out there and have no problem pitching in. Before long, DW will be harping on me to clean up the same house so I will enjoy it while it's voluntary.

Ours was pretty gross during framing. They kind of went through and cleaned up the house, but there was a massive amount of trash outside, blowing into our pastures. We tried to pick most of it up, but unfortunately Hubby doesn't have time with his work schedule these last few weeks and I can't have our ten month old out in 100+ heat index for long. Hubby talked to builder about it and asked that they please start picking up at least at the end of each day. 1% of our budget goes to clean up, so if he wants to refund us that we're open to it. ;)

each sub cleaned up after themselves except for the concrete guy and we had lumps of concrete everywhere at times it was exceptionally clean -before painting and flooring in particular builder was required to have a dumpster onside-per subdivision regulations the most annoying mess was food wrappers from the contractors

Isn't it amazing how they cant seem to out a single food wrapper or water bottle in the trash? I pick up constsntly when I am there. They will be doing work when we move in too because of our scheduling and I'm not going to be so tolerant of the mess once it becomes our home. It's almost over but Ibfeel like I'm picking upnafter kids again. We are the GCs so I guess it's to be expected.

Spotless..... I personally swept and shop vac every square inch at least once or twice a week during build. I did not want saw dust in walls, or drink cups. I was the GC though.

I always keep my site clean- in fact, the inspectors have commented on it! The few subs I used were messy during their process, but cleaned up well (that's how they got their money). I can't stand piles of stuff all over that don't have a purpose. I did have a problem with the framing crew that built the barn. Despite showing them the trash cans and toilet, they refused to use either (UGH!). They threw their food wrappers on the pile of lumber scraps, and I had mice move in before I could get rid of it.

Our crew's general rule is the last person to leave is responsible for seeing to whatever tidying is appropriate for the stage the project is in. If in framing, all waste is separated from useful scraps, the former is thrown into the waste pile outside (unless there is a dumpster) the scraps are sorted and stacked neatly. Material piles are straightened and covered. Floors swept. Food waste is not tolerated. Wind-blown trash also must be picked up daily. All cleaning and site safety issues have to be enforced from the top down, because every tradesman likes to shortcut these steps, so they can get home (or to the next job) a few minutes sooner.

If the house is nearly finished, or a remodel in an existing house, literally days can be spent in protecting surfaces and cleaning as we go, sometimes the shop vac never gets a chance to cool off.

Casey

Funny this topic turned up. We dropped by tonight, and found the workers must have been celebrating TGIF. I'm not really happy, but want to pick my battles. They've been getting the foundation done at a good pace.

Golfergirl- nothing against drinkers here but the rest of the country has to wait until they get off work. Shouldn't they? I would pitch a fit if that was my house. Just sayin....

Well this is what I saw today

note the trash at the bottom of the picture. Oh and the "pin up girl" tacked to the piling (she's not alone out there under my house). There's no where to park when subs are working out there but I think I'll go out this weekend and clean up before the neighbors get mad.

The above pic is pretty clean for a construction site, despite the ornamentation.

If you're paying a line item for cleaning, then kick the buider's tush to get what you paid for. If you're not, then either arrange to pay extra for a dedicated cleaner to meet your standards, or get busy doing it yourself. "Broom clean" is industry standard----at the end of the work. That doesn't translate into being spotless every day. It doesn't translate into blowing trash and peeing against the retaining wall either. That's a lack of respect for the builder, because he doesn't enforce that respect, or hasn't earned respect from his crew.

Alisamu that would infuriate me to have that picture up at my site. I would have them take it down immediately. If you want to have something like that I have zero problem with it but keep it in your truck for your own person viewing not in view so anyone including children might see it.

Too clean. I would have preferred time be spent on getting the job done. Hated to see some of his best carpenters spend time cleaning up.