Cleaning common property is one of the easier wins available to a strata committee. It improves presentation immediately, reduces slip hazards, and costs a fraction of the capital works that usually dominate the agenda.
It also goes wrong easily — blocked access, unhappy owners, contaminated run-off and vague quotes. Here's how to run it properly.
Scope it line by line
Ask for itemised quoting rather than a single lump sum. It lets the committee stage work across financial years and prioritise the areas that matter most.
- Common driveways, ramps, visitor bays and basement parking
- Pathways, entries, lobbies and letterbox areas
- Stairwells, walkways, landings and balustrades
- Facades, awnings, soffits and cladding
- Bin rooms, service yards, pool surrounds and BBQ areas
- Balconies and terraces (needs owner coordination)
Site documentation matters
Strata schemes need a contractor who can document the scope, safe-work method, access plan and waste water handling before work starts. Ask for these details in writing before engaging anyone.
Manage residents before you manage the cleaning
Most strata complaints come from access, not cleaning quality. A good contractor supplies notice material for noticeboards and letterboxes with dates, staged areas and clear instructions about moving vehicles, then works in stages so nobody is locked out of parking.
Ask about waste water
Run-off from a strata car park carries oil and heavy metals and cannot legally go to stormwater. Capture systems recover it for treatment and legal disposal, with documentation. This is the question most committees forget to ask and the one that carries actual liability.
What good reporting looks like
Before and after photos, an itemised record of what was completed, and observations on defects noticed on site — cracked concrete, failing sealant, rusted balustrade fixings, blocked drainage. That material feeds straight into maintenance planning and AGM papers.
Need this done?
Free quote, fixed price, no obligation
We cover 183 Sydney suburbs. Send photos and we'll usually quote without a site visit.
