What does a final cleaning cost?
A final cleaning (Endreinigung) with handover guarantee costs between CHF 400 and CHF 1,200 in Zurich, depending on apartment size. A 3.5-room apartment typically runs CHF 600 to CHF 850, including windows, blinds (Storen) and kitchen appliances.
The final cleaning is where a Swiss apartment handover (Wohnungsabgabe) most often fails. Many tenants — expats in particular — assume that handing back a broom-clean flat is enough. In practice the landlord or the property management almost always requires a complete clean, including windows, external blinds, kitchen appliances and the whole bathroom.
The effort involved is routinely underestimated. For a 4-room apartment a professional team calculates eight to twelve person-hours. Done yourself, it quickly becomes a whole weekend — with the risk that the handover inspection is refused anyway and the property management orders a cleaning at your cost.
Guide prices for final cleaning with handover guarantee
| Property | Typical volume | Guide price |
|---|---|---|
| 1-room apartment / studio | approx. 4–6 hrs | CHF 400 – 550 |
| 2.5-room apartment | approx. 6–8 hrs | CHF 500 – 700 |
| 3.5-room apartment | approx. 8–10 hrs | CHF 600 – 850 |
| 4.5-room apartment | approx. 10–14 hrs | CHF 750 – 1,050 |
| 5.5-room apartment | approx. 14–18 hrs | CHF 900 – 1,300 |
| Detached houseDepending on floor area | approx. 18–30 hrs | CHF 1,200 – 2,500 |
Guide values for the Zurich area, transport and disposal fees included. The price becomes binding after a free site visit.
What determines the price
These factors explain why two properties of the same size can cost very different amounts.
Condition of the apartment
+20–50 %Limescale, grease and heavily soiled ovens raise the effort noticeably. In a smoker's apartment, nicotine removal from walls and frames comes on top.
Number and type of windows
20–30 % of total effortWindows including frames and rebates are one of the single biggest line items. Glazing bars and external roller blinds (Storen), standard in Swiss buildings, add further hours.
Ancillary rooms
+CHF 80–200The cellar compartment, the attic storage (Estrich) and the balcony are part of the rented property and have to be cleaned too. They are the items most often forgotten in a quote.
Handover guarantee
Included in the priceThe written promise to re-clean free of charge until the handover is accepted. It is the actual value of hiring a professional rather than cleaning yourself.
What the price includes
Included
- All floors wet-cleaned
- Windows inside and outside, including frames and rebates
- External blinds (Storen) and slats
- Oven, extractor hood with filter, fridge, dishwasher
- All cupboards inside and outside
- Bathroom fully descaled
- Radiators, doors, frames, switches and sockets
- Cellar compartment, attic storage (Estrich) and balcony
- Handover guarantee: free re-cleaning until the handover is accepted
Costs extra
- Clearing the apartment of furniture and belongings
- Repair of physical damage (holes, scratches)
- Painting work
- Repair of defective appliances
- Façade and exterior cleaning
Worked example: 3.5-room apartment in Dübendorf
- Basic cleaning of all roomsCHF 340
- Windows, frames, blinds (7 windows)CHF 220
- Kitchen incl. oven and extractor hoodCHF 160
- Bathroom descaledCHF 120
- Cellar and balconyCHF 90
- Handover guaranteeincluded
How to bring the cost down
Concrete steps that actually move the price.
Clearance and cleaning from one provider
Two providers mean coordinating dates and arguing about who is responsible for what. From a single provider that interface disappears — and usually part of the travel charge with it.
Leave a buffer before the handover
Plan at least three to five days between the cleaning and the handover date. That leaves time for touch-ups without the appointment collapsing.
Have the cleaners attend the inspection
If the cleaning company comes along to the handover inspection, complaints are often fixed on the spot instead of in a second appointment.
Keep the move-in protocol to hand
Anything already recorded as a defect in the move-in protocol (Antrittsprotokoll) cannot be charged to you. Producing that document saves money more often than any optimisation of the cleaning itself.
Frequently asked questions
Get a binding price
A free site visit, then a fixed price with no follow-up charges.
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