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Real estate and rental turnover cleaning
Listings that photograph well and rental units that turn over fast — cleaned to a showing standard, on the short notice this business actually runs on, and invoiced to the brokerage or property manager.
Cleaning built around a transaction, not a schedule
Real estate work does not run on a tidy fortnightly rhythm. Photography gets booked at two days' notice, an offer collapses and the property goes back on the market, a tenant leaves the unit worse than expected and the next one takes possession on Saturday.
That is planned for here. Short-notice jobs are normal, empty units can often be turned around next day, and one person does the work — so you are dealing with the cleaner directly rather than a dispatcher who will look into it and call you back.
What gets booked most
Pre-listing & photo day
Timed to the photographer. Glass, fixtures, kitchens, bathrooms and floors done to a standard that survives a wide-angle lens and good lighting.
Tenant turnover
Empty units between tenancies. Cleaned to a standard that shows well, rents faster, and removes the cleanliness argument from any deposit dispute.
Open house prep
A focused pass before a showing or open house — entry, kitchen, bathrooms, glass and floors, the four things every buyer looks at first.
Possession-day clean
An empty home cleaned before the buyer's furniture arrives. Far quicker and cheaper than cleaning around boxes, and a genuinely good closing gift.
What a listing clean covers
- Kitchen — appliances inside and out, cupboard fronts and interiors, counters, sink and taps descaled, backsplash
- Bathrooms — grout scrubbed, limescale off glass and fixtures, mirrors streak-free, behind and beneath the toilet
- Glass and light — interior windows within reach, sills, tracks, light fittings and switch plates; a bright property photographs better than a dark one
- Every floor — vacuumed and washed, including closets, behind doors and along edges
- Detail work — baseboards, door frames, handles, vents, cobwebs in corners
- Final walk-through — checking the property the way a buyer walks it, not the way a cleaner leaves it
Changeover day · Bathroom vanity — real jobs in the Cowichan Valley
Pricing and invoicing
Occupied properties and recurring turnover work are charged hourly from $50. Empty units are usually quoted flat, because an empty property can be assessed accurately in advance — typically $250 to $700 depending on size and condition. Photos emailed over are usually enough for a firm number the same day, without anyone needing to attend.
Invoices can be issued to the brokerage, property management company, landlord or vendor, itemised by property address with a proper invoice number. Regular turnover clients can be consolidated onto one monthly invoice, and a signed service agreement is available where your office needs one on file.
Working with property managers
If you manage several units across the Cowichan Valley, a standing arrangement works better than booking each turnover from scratch: an agreed scope, an agreed rate, and a single point of contact who actually does the cleaning. Fewer emails, and no disagreement about what cleaned means.
Related
Tenants cleaning their own place at the end of a tenancy should look at move-out cleaning, which covers what BC landlords check at the final inspection. Businesses needing ongoing premises cleaning want office and commercial cleaning.
Common questions
Do you clean houses before a real estate listing?
Yes. Pre-listing cleans are timed to photography day so the property looks its best in the photos that do most of the selling. Kitchens, bathrooms, glass, floors and every surface a wide-angle lens picks up.
How quickly can you turn a property around?
Short notice is normal in real estate and is planned for. Same-week is usually workable and next-day is often possible, particularly for empty units. Call rather than assume — the answer is frequently yes.
Can you invoice the brokerage or property manager instead of the owner?
Yes. Invoices can be issued to a brokerage, property management company, landlord or vendor, itemised by property address with a proper invoice number for bookkeeping. Monthly consolidated invoicing is available for regular turnover work.
Do you handle tenant turnovers between rentals?
Yes, and that is some of the most regular work of this kind. An empty unit cleaned properly between tenancies shows better, rents faster, and heads off cleanliness disputes over the previous tenant's deposit.
Can you work around staging or furniture?
Yes. Staged properties are cleaned carefully around the staging, and nothing is moved or rearranged without being asked. For occupied listings, the work happens around the sellers' belongings.
Do you clean before a buyer takes possession?
Yes. A possession-day clean of an empty home, before the new owner's furniture arrives, is far easier and cheaper than cleaning around boxes afterwards. Realtors often arrange it as a closing gift.