House clearance and cleaning are two common services that homeowners in the UK may utilize throughout their time living in a property. However, while the terms sound similar, there are some notable differences between house clearance versus house cleaning that are important to understand when deciding which service best suits your needs. This guide will provide an in-depth explanation of house clearance and cleaning, including the processes, reasons for each service, types of services offered, and other key differences to be aware of.
House Clearance in the UK
House clearance is the process of completely emptying a residential or commercial property of all possessions, furniture, rubbish and other contents. It is usually conducted when the occupants are moving out permanently, after a bereavement or during major home renovations or refurbishments.
The primary aims of UK house clearance are to:
- Empty the property completely – The clearance team removes every belonging, fitting, fixture and piece of furniture. This includes clearing out clutter in attics, cellars, outbuildings, the garden and any storage areas.
- Leave the property in a broom clean condition – Broom clean means the property is left clean and tidy with no contents or rubbish remaining inside. The clearance team cleans all rooms and spaces after removing items.
- Facilitate safe disposal and recycling – Reputable clearance teams correctly sort possessions, separate rubbish from recyclables and ensure responsible disposal or recycling. Dangerous items like chemicals may need specialized disposal.
Some common reasons homeowners require professional house clearance in the UK include:
- Relocating or moving house – It is often easier to have the old property cleared completely rather than move all possessions.
- Preparing a property for rental or sale – Empty properties in clean condition are more appealing to viewers and tenants. Clearance facilitates necessary repairs and renovations too.
- Bereavement clearances – Following a death, families may need to clear the home but find sorting through possessions emotionally and physically difficult.
- Business relocation – Companies needing to change premises can outsource clearing out offices and warehouses quickly and efficiently.
- Waste removal – Some homeowners or landlords simply have too much accumulated rubbish, furniture and clutter that needs large-scale removal.
Professional house clearance services in the UK take care of the arduous clearing process on the client’s behalf. This saves them time and hassle while ensuring lawful, responsible removal and disposal of all items.
House Cleaning Services in Britain
While house clearance focuses on completely emptying a home, house cleaning in the UK involves thoroughly cleaning the interior of an occupied residential property on a regular basis. This includes general cleaning tasks like:
- Vacuuming carpets
- Mopping hard floors
- Dusting surfaces
- Cleaning bathrooms
- Wiping down the kitchen
- General tidying up
Homeowners or tenants hire professional cleaners for:
- Regular cleaning – e.g. a weekly or fortnightly clean of areas in frequent use to maintain hygiene and prevent build up of dirt.
- Deep cleaning – Periodic intensive cleaning session concentrating on sanitizing the entire property from top to bottom.
- Specialist cleaning – Focusing on specific areas like oven cleaning, carpet cleaning or window cleaning that require expert tools and products.
The main reasons for regular professional house cleaning include:
- Improved hygiene – Removes germs, allergens, dirt and grime that can negatively impact health. Important for families and those susceptible to illness.
- Easier maintenance – Stop small cleaning tasks accumulating into major intensive cleans. Easier to maintain cleanliness.
- Reduced hassle – Outsourcing cleaning relieves homeowners of tiring cleaning chores. No mess or chemicals stored onsite either.
- Property care – Regular cleaning upholds condition of the property, its fixtures and fittings. Prevent damage longer term.
Cleaning is an ongoing requirement whereas clearance is usually a one-off service. How frequently cleaning is required depends on the household size, presence of pets and how quickly the home gets dirty.
Types of Items Removed During UK House Clearance
House clearance removes a wide variety of possessions and materials from a property including:
Furniture and Homewares
- Chairs, tables, beds, wardrobes, chests of drawers
- Sofas, armchairs, pouffes, rocking chairs
- Cabinets, dressers, sideboards, hutches
- Shelving units, bookcases, cupboards
- Curtains rails, light fittings
- Ornaments, mirrors, clocks, pictures
Kitchen and Bathroom Items
- Sinks, toilets, bathtubs
- Tiles, taps, showers
- Fridges, freezers, ovens
- Washing machines, dryers
- Units, worktops, tables
Electronic Goods and Appliances
- Televisions
- Stereos, speakers, DVD players
- Desktop PCs, laptops, tablets
- Monitors, keyboards, printers
- Telephones and chargers
- Gaming consoles like PlayStations and Xboxes
Garden Furniture and Features
- Chairs, benches, tables
- Parasols, gazebos
- Swings, slides, climbing frames
- Flower pots, statues, ornaments
- Fountains, ponds, water features
- Lawns, decking, paving slabs
Personal Possessions
- Clothing, shoes, bags, cases
- Jewellery, watches, perfumes
- Books, toys, games, crafts
- Ornaments, pictures, photo albums
- Sports equipment, musical instruments
- Decorations, linens, tools
Waste and Recyclables
- General household rubbish and food waste
- Metals like copper pipes or steel support beams
- Broken furniture, damaged electrical items
- Glass, paper, cardboard and plastic packaging
- Bricks, concrete, construction rubble
- Hazardous waste like chemicals, oils or asbestos
Reputable clearance firms are licensed to correctly identify, handle and dispose of all potential waste products.
Reasons for Requiring Professional House Clearance
There are many scenarios where utilizing the services of professional house clearance experts in the UK is beneficial or even essential:
Relocating and Moving Home
Moving out of your current home inevitably means needing to decide what possessions to take along to the new property. Packing, transporting and unpacking a whole house worth of belongings is also hugely stressful and time-consuming.
Many homeowners opt to wipe the slate clean and bring only essential, portable items with them when relocating. They appoint house clearance specialists to efficiently empty their old property of everything else prior to handing over the keys.
Preparing a Property for Sale or Rental
Presenting vacant properties in clean, empty condition greatly boosts their appeal to viewers and potential buyers or tenants.
Clearing excess furniture and personal possessions allows people to better visualize themselves living in the space. It also enables necessary refurbishments and repairs prior to sale or occupancy.
Bereavement and Probate Clearance
Following a death, the deceased’s family is usually responsible for clearing out their property. This involves emotionally taxing sorting, administration and disposal of their possessions.
Specialized bereavement clearances sensitively assist families by taking on the difficult clearing process for them according to their wishes. Any valuables can be set aside for probate evaluation.
Business Relocation
When companies need to relocate operations to larger or better equipped premises at short notice, they often require rapid office or warehouse clearance services. Specialist teams methodically dismantle, remove and dispose of furniture, equipment, paperwork and other commercial contents in the tight timeframe permitted.
Hoarding and Extreme Clutter
Excessive hoarding of possessions can eventually pose safety risks, negatively impact mental health and damage properties. Where attempts to declutter independently fail, compassionate yet highly efficient specialist clearance firms can clear out the hoarded items while recycling or donating reusable goods responsibly.
Waste Removal and Disposal
Some homeowners or landlords simply accumulate more waste, unwanted furniture and clutter than their local council can collect. Paying for an affordable clearance service to remove it all ethically offsite in one trip minimizes environmental impact.
Benefits of Hiring Professional House Clearance Specialists
While some homeowners wish to handle clearing out their properties themselves to save money, appointing professional clearance experts has many advantages:
Saves Time and Effort
Completely emptying out a home with all contents removed for recycling, donation or disposal is an enormous undertaking. Professionals with years of experience accomplish this intensive labour swiftly and efficiently.
Legally Compliant Processes
Reputable firms adhere to all UK guidelines regarding responsible handling, transportation and environmentally sound disposal of your unwanted household items.
Skips Permit Hassles
Arranging your own skips and waste removal permitting is troublesome. House clearance specialists hold valid licenses plus relationships with ethical disposal companies.
Specialist Vehicles and Equipment
Clearing out entire households requires more than just a team of strong individuals. The appropriate large vehicles, tools and machinery to dismantle, extract and transport all your possessions facilitates faster clearance.
Compassionate Bereavement Services
Specialist clearance companies offer sensitive, personalized options to assist grieving families needing to clear the homes of recently deceased relatives.
Types of House Cleaning Services Available
While house clearance focuses on removing possessions from a vacated building, house cleaning involves thoroughly cleaning the interior of an occupied residential home. Professional cleaning services offered in the UK include:
Regular House Cleaning
- Scheduled general cleaning sessions from weekly to monthly
- Vacuuming, mopping, dusting, making beds, general tidying
- Maintaining frequently used living spaces
- Prevents dirt build up in occupied homes
Deep or Spring Cleaning
- Thorough periodic cleaning of the entire property inside out
- Intensive cleaning checklist room-by-room
- Attention to every surface and fixture, including walls, windows and appliances
- Removes stubborn grime builders up over time
Specialist Cleaning Services
- Professional cleaning concentrating on specific areas only
- e.g. oven cleaning, carpet cleaning, window cleaning, conservatory cleaning
- Tailored techniques and products by expert specialists
- Refurbishes fixtures rather than just surface cleaning
Most homeowners utilize a combination of regular general cleaning along with periodic deep cleaning sessions and specialist cleans when needed.
Importance of Regular House Cleaning
Consistently maintaining cleanliness of your home through regular professional house cleaning sessions provides:
Improved Health and Wellbeing
Dirt, dust mites and germs inevitably accumulate in any occupied home. Allergens and bacteria can exacerbate respiratory conditions and infections. Frequent cleaning removes these health hazards.
Property Maintenance
Grime build up over time can corrode surfaces, stain grout and fabrics, and damage furnishings. Keeping everything clean upholds your property’s condition.
Easier upkeep also means fewer costly replacements down the line. Deep cleaning is still needed periodically.
Retained Property Resale Value
Investing in consistent professional cleaning assists homeowners recoup maximum resale value for well maintained properties in desirable condition.
Reduced Stress and Hassle
Outsourcing tiresome cleaning chores provides huge relief for busy homeowners. No cleaning equipment to store onsite either. You simply relax and enjoy a freshly cleaned home without lifting a finger!
DIY House Cleaning vs Utilizing Professional Cleaners
Homeowners wishing to save on costs may consider attempting Do-It-Yourself house cleaning instead of hiring professional cleaners. Below are some key pros and cons of DIY cleaning vs getting external cleaning assistance:
DIY House Cleaning Considerations
Pros
- Cheaper than paying cleaners
- Totally customize cleaning routine
- No cleaners interfering in your home
Cons
- Extremely time consuming and tiring
- Must purchase all cleaning materials and equipment
- Easy to miss or forget certain areas
- Hard labour using chemicals and carrying equipment
- Inconsistent results trying to cover large properties
Hiring Professional Cleaners
Pros
- Thorough consistent cleaning guaranteed
- Uniform results by experienced specialists
- All equipment and supplies provided
- Professionally vetted staff for safety
- Saves enormous time and effort
- Reduces stress and hassle substantially
Cons
- More expensive than DIY options
- Less flexible schedule-wise
- Small loss of privacy having cleaners onsite
- Must arrange access for cleaners appropriately
Ultimately most homeowners find the benefits of perfectly cleaned properties without lifting a finger well worth the costs of hiring professional cleaners. However periodic DIY maintenance cleans between scheduled sessions help cut costs.
Key Differences Between House Clearance vs House Cleaning
While house clearance and house cleaning services may sound somewhat similar on the surface, there are quite a few notable ways they differ significantly:
Purposes and Goals
The primary goal of professional house clearance is to completely empty out a property prior to sale, rental, demolition or simply abandonment due to relocation or death. Only structural elements remain afterwards.
Whereas the purpose of professional house cleaning is to thoroughly clean the interior of an occupied residential property. All possessions remain on site intact afterwards.
Process Steps and Execution
A typical house clearance process would entail:
- Walkthrough evaluation of property contents by clearance crew
- Removal of all identified items methodically room-by-room
- Transporting items offsite for reuse, recycling or disposal
- Broom cleaning all rooms and spaces leaving just an empty shell
A standard house cleaning routine may include:
- Dusting all surfaces in each room
- Vacuuming and mopping floors as necessary
- Cleaning bathrooms and kitchen thoroughly
- Tidying clutter and making beds
- Removing own equipment offsite afterwards
The clearing crew dismantles and takes everything away, while cleaners clean built-in elements while possessions remain.
Timeframes and Frequency
Full house clearances usually occur as one-off intensive projects prior to properties changing occupancy. Project durations span anything from a few hours for small flats, up to 2-3 days for larger houses depending on contents.
Whereas domestic cleaning recurs regularly for maintained properties typically on a:
- Daily basis for commercial premises
- Weekly or fortnightly basis usually for residential properties
- During changeovers between short term rental occupants
Cleaners repeatedly clean the same home whereas clearance crews usually attend a property only once.
Frequently Asked Questions About House Clearance and Cleaning in the UK
Below are answers to some of the most common queries regarding differences between professional house clearance versus cleaning services in Britain:
Can I arrange house clearance and cleaning at the same time?
Ideally complete any major house clearances first, leaving just structural elements prior to conducting intensive builders cleans or carpet cleaning. Simultaneous clearing and cleaning leads to inefficient duplication of intensive labour. Not to mention additional clearance fees for removing replacement cleaned items again afterwards.
Instead first wipe the slate via house clearance, then bring in professional cleaners afterwards for a full intensive refurbishment clean prior to occupancy or sale. This logical separation of different tasks avoids paying twice for overlapping work.
How much does professional house clearance cost in the UK?
Exact house clearance costs depend on the property size, location accessibility and volume plus type of contents needing removal. As a guide clearance for a typical 3-4 bedroom house containing furniture and average household contents starts upwards from £400-500. Additional labour and disposal fees apply for excess quantities though.
Always get an accurate onsite quote first since significant variables affect budgets. Reliable clearance firms never charge upfront – you pay only on satisfactory project completion.
Is house cleaning after clearance necessary?
Even after house clearance crews efficiently extract all visible contents from a property, builders clean standard house cleaning is still highly advisable afterwards. This attends to fine debris, dust and dirt accumulated during the clearance plus any marks from dismantling and moving items out.
A thorough professional clean leaves the vacant property looking in fresh, as-new broom clean condition prior to refurbishments. Well worth the reasonable investment, especially for rental or sale properties.
What items do house clearance crews not remove?
Reputable UK house clearance professionals clear properties entirely from top to bottom, including lofts, outbuildings and gardens. Items typically left behind include:
- Fitted kitchens or built-in wardrobes (unless specified)
- Integrated appliances like ovens or plumbing fixtures
- Floor coverings e.g. laminate flooring or glued carpets
- Lighting fixtures like ceiling spotlights or lamps
- Structural components like internal walls, stairs or pipework
- External structures like sheds, garages or conservatories
Any notable exclusions will be pointed out by the clearance team beforehand when quoting to avoid misunderstandings later. Check if removals are possible for an extra fee.
How frequently should you schedule professional house cleaning services?
Most homeowners or tenants arrange regular house cleaning anything from weekly to monthly. Fortnightly or every 3 weeks allows cleaners to properly maintain hygiene for occupied family homes with minimal disruption. More frequent cleans become overkill and unnecessary expense.
Additionally set reminders to book deep cleaning sessions every 4-6 months concentrated on sanitizing the entire property inside out. Specialist cleans like oven cleaning or window cleaning may be needed 1-2 times annually too. Adapt cleaning schedules around your unique household size, presence of pets and overall lifestyle patterns.
Many wonder about the difference between house clearance and cleaning, not realizing that each serves a unique purpose in maintaining a home’s hygiene and organization. House clearance focuses on the removal of unwanted items, decluttering spaces to make way for new beginnings, while cleaning involves sanitizing and maintaining the cleanliness of those spaces. Understanding this distinction is crucial for homeowners looking to revitalize their living areas, and engaging with professionals who specialize in these services ensures that every aspect of home maintenance is covered, from decluttering to deep cleaning.
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