What a newly built Space Coast home needs before and after move-in, from the fine dust that settles in every track to new tile, fixtures and the community rules in Viera.
A large share of the Space Coast's homes are new. In the Viera West census area, the median home was built in 2012, and in Palm Bay about 39 percent of homes date from 2000 or later. New construction is clean on the surface and dusty underneath, and the first few months in a new house are when that dust shows up in every vent, track and cabinet.
This guide covers what a newly built Brevard home needs, which TotalCare Cleaning service fits each stage, and what cleaning will not cover.
Viera. Viera sits on part of a 43,000 acre tract that the Duda family bought in the early 1940s, and its master plan was announced in 1989. Hammock Lakes was the first residential community to begin construction there. Building has moved west over time: in Viera East, about 86 percent of homes were built between 1990 and 2009, while in Viera West about 58 percent were built in 2010 or later. More than 5,200 acres of the Viera land are planned to stay undeveloped.
Palm Bay. Palm Bay grew out of the Port Malabar project that General Development Corporation platted in 1959. Many of those lots were built on decades later, so the city's median home dates from 1993 and new houses still go up between older ones.
Melbourne. Melbourne's median home dates from 1985, older than in Viera or Palm Bay, so a new build or a gut renovation in the city usually sits among houses that have had decades of wear. The dust and finish advice below applies to a renovated older house as much as to a new one.
Cutting drywall, tile and trim leaves a very fine dust that settles inside air conditioning ducts, window and door tracks, light fixtures, cabinet interiors and the tops of door frames. The first clean removes what is visible. The rest drifts out over the following weeks, especially in a Florida house where the air conditioning runs most of the year. Melbourne averages about 63 days a year at 90 degrees or hotter.
That is why one clean is rarely enough for a new build. A sensible plan is a thorough clean before the furniture arrives, then a follow-up a few weeks after move-in once the dust that was hiding in the ducts has settled onto surfaces.
Before you move in. For an empty new home, the Moving Clean is the most complete option. The Moving Clean includes everything in a deep clean plus the inside of the cabinets, drawers, oven and refrigerator, which is where construction dust tends to collect.
A few weeks after move-in. A One-Time Deep Clean catches the second wave: baseboards washed by hand, blinds wet-wiped, window and sliding door tracks cleared, ceiling fans, light fixtures and vents wiped in place.
After that. A bi-weekly Recurring House Clean keeps the home where it should be. The first visit of a plan is an Initial Deep Clean, so you can start a plan straight after move-in. The recurring cleaning guide explains how to choose a frequency.
New grout and caulk need time to cure, and new stone or tile may have a sealer that harsh cleaners can strip. Ask your builder for the care sheets for floors, counters and fixtures, and leave them out for the first cleaning visit. Use mild, pH neutral products on new stone and avoid abrasive pads on new fixtures.
Water matters too. Viera and Suntree are on the City of Cocoa water system, which adds lime and soda ash at its Dyal plant to remove hardness. Even softened water leaves spots on new glass shower doors if they are left to dry, so a squeegee after each shower keeps new glass looking new.
Viera East has a nonprofit community association, formed under the Viera East Community Declaration, that maintains the hardscape, landscaping and irrigation along its major roads. Neighborhood associations in master planned areas often set rules on trash bins, vendor parking and work hours, so check yours before booking the first visit.
Cleaners do not remove construction debris, leftover building materials, packing crates or furniture boxes. Ask your builder to clear construction waste before the clean, and break down moving boxes for your regular recycling pickup.
The questions Melbourne homeowners ask most often about this topic, answered plainly.
TotalCare Cleaning will service Melbourne and surrounding areas with background-checked cleaners and is insured up to $1 million. Re-clean guarantee: if we missed something, tell us by the end of the next day and we come back to fix it. Beyond Clean. TotalCare.
