Illustration for New Home Covered in Construction Dust? Exterior Cleaning Before You Move In

New homes are going up fast. Huntsville, Alabama, added nearly 5,000 housing units in 2025, according to the city’s annual development review. Its planning commission approved 1,892 single-family lots, the most approvals since 2007.

Put it on the walk-through list

Before closing, builders often walk you through the house and record its condition. One builder’s homeowner manual calls this the builder checklist. It records the home’s condition “at the time of your orientation and walk through.” As one example, the manual says damage to glass doors will be corrected if it was noted during the walk through.

So treat the outside like the inside. Walk every wall and every slab, in daylight, and write down:

  • Dust or film on the siding, trim and windows
  • Mortar smears or a white haze on brick or stone
  • Concrete or paint splatter on walks, the driveway and the porch
  • Haze or stains on new pavers

Then ask whether the builder will clean each one, or credit you to have it done. Spills from other trades are covered in our guide to paint overspray, epoxy drips and mortar smears.

New pavers that look off? Ask who owns the fix

On a trade forum, a washer asked for help with brand-new pool-deck pavers that came out lighter than the client wanted, with odd lines near the joints. The poster said the installer had apparently tried an acid wash. Replying washers said it looked like a bad install, possibly binder from the joint sand, and that the original contractor should fix it. One said fixing it would mean redoing the entire job. That’s forum opinion, not a diagnosis, but it’s a fair question for your builder: who is responsible for a haze on new pavers?

How to clean new brick

The Brick Industry Association’s guide to cleaning brickwork is clear about timing and pressure:

  • Wait for the mortar. New masonry is cleaned after the mortar hardens, typically between 24 hours and seven days. The association says it’s generally best to wait at least seven days.
  • Start gentle. Its order is water only, then mild detergents, then one-step and two-step chemical cleaners.
  • Keep the pressure low. Use no more than 400 psi at the nozzle unless the brick maker allows more, with a 25- to 50-degree fan tip held at least 12 inches away.
  • No straight muriatic acid. It says not to use unbuffered muriatic acid.

A washer planning a high-pressure blast or unbuffered muriatic acid is the wrong fit for new brick.

How to clean new fiber-cement siding

One fiber-cement siding maker’s care page says a pressure washer can damage the surface of its siding. It recommends a low-pressure spray from a garden hose and a soft, medium-bristle brush, once or twice a year.

Washers on a trade forum say that brush can matter. One described dark gray fiber-cement on a new house that looked dusty. A mild cleaner didn’t remove it, and neither did stronger mixes, so the poster ended up hand scrubbing and called it a workout on a 4,000-square-foot home. Another washer said a house with very tall dormers wasn’t doable at the standard house-wash price. Those are individual jobs, not a rule, but they’re a reason to get a quote after the washer sees the house. For siding that’s chalky rather than dusty, see chalky vinyl siding after a wash.

What it costs to hire it out

One Kansas City washer prices house washing at $0.20 a square foot of building footprint, with a $300 minimum per visit. For a 2,000-square-foot home, that’s $400 at the published rate. Heavy construction dust may need extra labor, so ask for a quote after the washer sees the house. Our house washing cost guide has more published prices.

New concrete and sealing. One penetrating concrete sealer maker says to let newly poured concrete cure for at least 28 days before sealing. A paver sealer maker says to wait 28 days after installing polymeric sand. If you plan to seal, book it for after that wait. See sealing a concrete driveway for prices.

For how we check every number here, see our methodology.

Sources

Based on 9 sources · How we price