Blake House is not just another office block. Nestled within Eagle Court Business Park in Birmingham, it has stood for decades as a familiar fixture just off the A45. But by 2022, its interiors were showing signs of age, and a bold, £2.8 million redevelopment was commissioned to futureproof the building. Over two years, the site was transformed: energy-efficient LED lighting replaced outdated fixtures, a sleek new reception area welcomed visitors, and rooftop solar panels were installed to power the building into a greener era.
In early 2024, with marketing about to begin and trades still on-site completing final touches, we were brought in under the Chi Synergy banner to deliver a comprehensive after-build clean. The brief was straightforward: elevate the building to showroom condition — ready for inspections, photography, and immediate occupation.
Working over seven days, our five-person team operated alongside the remaining contractors, carefully coordinating movements and scheduling cleans around active work zones. We navigated newly installed HVAC systems, freshly tiled washrooms, sealed floors, and untouched fixtures, ensuring no trace of dust, grout, adhesive, or debris remained.
It wasn’t just a matter of presentation — it was about precision, timing, and making sure the client could open the doors without delay. Within weeks, Blake House had welcomed its first major tenant: Fujitsu.
This is the story of our role in that final phase — where professionalism, flexibility, and sharp attention to detail helped bring a two-year transformation to a spotless, polished conclusion.
There’s a particular challenge to after-build cleaning that no checklist quite captures — you’re often the last team in, but never truly alone. At Blake House, the site was still very much alive when we arrived. Electricians were making final tweaks to lighting circuits, joiners were mounting signage, and decorators were putting finishing touches on feature walls. Dust wasn’t just settling — it was still being made.
To work around this, our team adopted a staggered strategy: we cleaned each area in phases, returning as necessary when trades moved on. It wasn’t always efficient, but it was essential. The reception space, with its expansive glass frontage and dark matte finishes, required multiple revisits — first for construction dust, then smudges, then footprints. The newly installed washrooms demanded deep cleaning of everything from silicone overspill on tiles to micro-dust in extract fans. Polishing chrome fittings in an area where someone is still drilling is a delicate dance — but one we know well.
Our equipment lineup included HEPA-rated vacuums for fine dust control, specialist mops for commercial flooring, and enough microfiber cloths to tackle steel, stone, and glass without cross-contamination. We paid special attention to high-touch areas and surfaces likely to be scrutinised by prospective tenants and their agents — door frames, handles, switches, skirting, and vent covers.
Despite the interruptions and resets, we made consistent progress. Each completed zone was sealed off as soon as it was cleared, allowing marketing and photography teams to begin their work even as other parts of the building were still being finalised. This collaborative approach — often requiring hour-by-hour communication with site managers — ensured that delays were avoided and standards were upheld.
By Day 7, we had walked the site multiple times with the client and foreman. All snag points had been addressed, and the handover was greenlit.
As the final day approached, it became clear that our role at Blake House extended beyond surface-level cleaning. This wasn’t just about ticking off a list of duties — it was about ensuring the building was presentation-ready, able to impress from the moment someone walked through its doors.
We gave each space one last, focused pass. The carpeted areas — now free from dust, plaster specks, and boot marks — were brushed and lined, giving a sense of care and order. Every glass surface was buffed to crystal clarity: interior partitions, windows, and meeting-room fronts were cleaned edge to edge. Touchpoints like elevator buttons and door handles were polished, and we re-checked the washrooms for a final wipe and scent refresh. Small details, but crucial when a building is going live.
We worked through the main reception, one of the building’s key selling points, using low-lint cloths and neutral sprays to clean stone benches and high-gloss surfaces without streaking. The client needed this area to convey modernity and precision — and we delivered.
Though the surrounding site still had some minor construction ongoing, we ensured that Blake House’s interior spaces were immaculate. Site managers thanked us for our flexibility, noting how our team had managed to work around late trades without slowing the program. It was a delicate balance of being fast yet thorough, professional yet adaptable.
In the end, the space didn’t just look clean — it looked curated.
Blake House was a unique challenge — a live construction environment, tight scheduling, and the prestige of a commercial listing requiring nothing short of excellence. Over seven days, with a rotating team of five cleaners, we transformed a raw, post-construction site into a polished, presentation-ready office space.
This project taught us the importance of agility and timing. With ongoing trades in the building, we had to work smart — adapting our cleaning routes and methods in real time. Communication between team members was key. We coordinated movements to avoid re-soiling, doubled up where needed, and remained highly responsive to the client’s shifting demands.
We also deepened our expertise in working with high-spec commercial finishes — including large-format tiling, floor-to-ceiling glass, and modern composites that demand specific products and touch. There was no margin for error, and we left every surface flawless.
Under the Chi Synergy banner, we demonstrated once again that professional cleaning is not just an afterthought — it’s the final signature on a high-value build. We left Blake House ready for showings, for tenants, and for business — and proud of the standard we’d upheld.
Dustin @ HK247
Dustin
Not sure where to start? We'd love to help you!
Powered by Elementor