New buildings, kept clean from handover on
A new building is judged on its first photos, its first walk-through and its first year. Drone cleaning, coming soon, gives developers a way to keep the exterior presentable through sales, handover and the warranty years.
The exterior sells the suites
Buyers see the building before they see the price sheet. Marketing photography, drone video and site tours happen while the scaffold comes down and the landscaping goes in, and a facade streaked with construction dust looks like a building that was rushed. If you are shooting aerial video or commissioning renderings and films from our sister company BDM3d Studios, a clean exterior is part of the shot list.
Drone cleaning is coming to DroneLink. The equipment is being acquired now. Developers can register a project today and have its cleaning planned alongside the construction schedule, so the first wash is booked before the swing stages leave site rather than scrambled for after.
What a post-construction clean involves
New buildings carry dirt that ordinary maintenance cleaning does not: cement and stucco splatter, sealant smears, protective film left on frames, stickers, paint overspray and a fine layer of site dust that settles into every sill. Much of this needs a blade, a solvent approved by the product maker, or both. That is hand work, and on glass it has to be done carefully because tempered glass can carry fabrication debris that scratches under a scraper.
A realistic plan splits the job. Hand crews remove residue at the areas that need it, working from the last lift or stage before it is demobilized. A drone then rinses the whole envelope with pure water for an even finish, and returns before key sales events or occupancy without anyone rigging the roof again.
Cleaning programs as part of warranty and maintenance
New home warranty schemes put obligations on owners as well as builders. In British Columbia, new homes carry third-party warranty coverage under the Homeowner Protection Act, commonly described as two years on materials and labour, five on the building envelope and ten on structure; Ontario and Alberta run their own programs, and US states vary. Warranty providers generally expect the building to be maintained according to its maintenance manual, and damage caused by a lack of maintenance is usually excluded. Read your own policy for the terms.
That gives developers a reason to hand over more than keys. A scheduled exterior cleaning program in the first years, with records, shows the envelope was looked after, gives the strata corporation a clean starting point for its maintenance plan, and puts photos on file if a warranty claim arises. On the DroneLink platform, each visit sits in one project record the developer can pass to the strata at handover, with photos reviewed and approved in the same place. See review and approve.
Where new-building cleaning goes wrong
The clean happens after the photos
Marketing shoots are booked before anyone remembers the facade is dusty.
Scratched glass at handover
Scraping construction debris off tempered glass without care leaves permanent scratches, and the argument over who caused them.
No record for the warranty file
Maintenance was done but no one can prove when or how.
Neighbours' windows covered in site dust
Occupied homes next to an active site collect dust for months, and complaints reach the city.
Who is involved from construction to handover
General contractor
- They need from you
- Cleaning that does not clash with trades, cranes or deficiency work.
- You need from them
- Site access, water, a set-up area and the demobilization schedule for lifts and stages.
- On the DroneLink record
- Dates sit in the shared project so the site super sees them.
Sales and marketing
- They need from you
- A clean exterior before shoots and events.
- You need from them
- The media calendar.
- On the DroneLink record
- Cleaning and real estate media booked from the same record.
Strata corporation after handover
- They need from you
- A maintenance history and a plan they can continue.
- You need from them
- A decision on whether to keep the program.
- On the DroneLink record
- The project record is handed over with the building.
Neighbouring owners
- They need from you
- Their homes cleaned, and notice first.
- You need from them
- Written permission to work on or near their property.
- On the DroneLink record
- Consent and dates tracked with the job.
What to send us
- Site address, number of storeys and the expected occupancy date.
- Cladding and glazing schedule, with finish and glass makers if known.
- Construction schedule for scaffold, stages and lifts coming down.
- Media and sales event dates.
- Warranty provider and maintenance manual, when available.
- Adjacent buildings affected by dust, and contacts for their owners.
Questions
What is a post-construction window clean?
The first clean of a new building, removing construction residue such as cement splatter, sealant, labels and dust. It usually needs hand work with blades and approved cleaners, followed by a full rinse.
Can a drone remove construction residue from windows?
Not on its own. A drone rinses and soft washes; stuck residue needs hand tools. The drone is most useful for the final even rinse and for repeat cleans before sales events and occupancy.
Does a new home warranty require exterior cleaning?
Warranties generally require owners to maintain the building as described in its maintenance manual, and exclude damage caused by poor maintenance. Whether cleaning is specifically required depends on the manual and the policy, so read both.
Who pays for cleaning after possession?
It depends on the deal. Some developers include a cleaning program in the first years as part of handover; otherwise it becomes a strata or owner maintenance cost. Either way, a record of the work helps.
Can developers clean neighbouring homes affected by site dust?
With the owners' permission, yes, and it is a common way to keep relations and complaints under control. Written consent and a schedule belong in the project record.
How do you keep a building presentable through a long sales period?
Plan repeat rinses around the moments buyers see the building: photo and video shoots, launch events, open houses and occupancy. A drone rinse needs no rigging, so it can be repeated at short notice when weather allows. See for developers for how cleaning fits with media and progress work.
When should the first drone clean be booked?
Before lifts and stages leave site, so hand residue removal and the drone rinse can be sequenced. Register the project early and we will plan it into the construction schedule.
Keep reading
For developersOne site, one record, from land to keys →
For builders & contractorsFewer arguments about what was built →
Exterior cleaning · ComingWindows and facades, cleaned from the ground →
The platformFeedback on the picture, not in email →
Real estate & property mediaAerial video that shows how a place fits together →
Tell us about your Toronto site.
An address and what you need is enough to start. We reply with what it will take, who will fly it and when.