Post-Construction Cleaning per SIA 118: Phases from Rough to Final Clean & Legal Acceptance

1. Legal Classification: Contract for Work (Art. 363 CO) & SIA Standard 118

In Swiss construction practice, post-construction cleaning is a crucial milestone in contracts for work. Under Art. 157 ff. of SIA Standard 118 ('General Conditions for Construction Works'), formal handover acceptance by the developer can only take place once the building is cleaned to an inspectable standard and presented free of construction debris.

If final cleaning is performed defectively or with delay, general contractors and executing trades risk contractual penalties (liquidated damages) and costly delays to tenant or buyer move-in dates.

• Trade Interface Liability: If a craftsperson causes fresh contamination after interim cleaning, site management must obligate that party to perform remediation.
• Duty of Notice under SIA 118: Defects on windows, parquet, or sanitary fixtures that only become visible through cleaning (e.g. scratches under cement slurry) must be immediately logged in the site journal to preserve recourse claims.
• Transfer of Risk (Art. 376 CO): Until formal acceptance, the contractor bears the risk of accidental loss or damage to the work.

2. The Costliest Damage: Cement Film, Glass Scratches (SIGaB) & Acid Etching

Site cleaning requires sound chemical and materials knowledge. Unqualified cleaning crews regularly cause six-figure damage to new developments:

• 1. Glass Scratches from Dry Scraping: Removing plaster splatters with dry utility blades causes irreversible hairline scratches on float or tempered safety glass (ESG). Under Swiss Institute for Glass in Building (SIGaB) directives, glass scrapers must only be operated wet with ample lubrication and pristine blades.
• 2. Acid Damage on Natural Stone & Fixtures: Cement film removers are often acidic. If acidic chemistry touches calcareous stone (marble, travertine, terrazzo) or chrome-plated mixers, surfaces become permanently etched and dull.
• 3. Baked-In Protective Films: When factory protective films on window frames, lift-and-slide doors, or stainless steel cladding are left exposed to solar UV radiation too long, adhesives bake into surfaces and require extreme specialist effort to strip.

3. The Three Phases in Detail: BKP 287 Systematics

Successful building handover depends strictly on adhering to the correct chronological sequence of cleaning phases:

• Rough Construction Clean: Ongoing disposal of rubble, mortar residue, drywall scraps, and pallets. Safeguards health and safety under SUVA BauAV and stops debris entering ventilation ducts or floor screeds.
• Interim Construction Clean: Selective deep cleaning prior to delicate follow-up trades. For instance, prior to parquet adhesive application or epoxy coating, substrates must be industrially vacuumed to prevent void pockets.
• Final Post-Construction Clean (Turnkey Clean): Conducted approximately 2 to 4 days before official handover. Encompasses window cleaning including all frame rebates, streak-free polishing of sanitary ware, dusting of switches, light fixtures, and skirting boards, plus material-specific initial care of flooring.

4. Construction Cleaning with Mondar in the Greater Zurich Area

Mondar coordinates experienced, certified Swiss cleaning companies for construction projects of any scale — from high-spec luxury residential renovations to large developments across Canton Zurich.

Our partners work strictly to SIA 118, hold required occupational safety certifications (SUVA/EKAS), and guarantee timely handover readiness.