What will I be doing?

If you want to be paid to exercise, consider starting your own construction cleanup service. Residential and commercial buildings that have just undergone construction are a mess. Carpenters, electricians, plumbers and other subcontractors build quickly and efficiently, throwing waste aside for someone else to clean up. You can offer to clean up the site for an hourly rate, a flat fee based on the size of the building or for a reduced rate if you can recycle waste.

Specifically, construction cleanup services pick up trim and waste from excavation, drywall, electrical, plumbing, roofing and other contractors. They do this after hours, evenings and on weekends when workers aren’t on-site, putting in as many as 45 hours a week.

What will I need to start?

There are few skills required to clean up a construction site. However, the owners and contractors are trusting you to pick up only waste and not good materials. Develop this trust into a relationship of honesty and your business will grow.

You will need safety equipment to ensure that you don’t step on nails or are injured by other materials. You will probably need to be licensed and bonded as are other subcontractors. You may need a truck to haul away materials, though some services keep a large dumpster at the site where materials can be placed during cleanup.

Who will my customers be?

Your customers for a construction cleanup service are building contractors and subcontractors. You may work directly with a general contractor responsible for a group or subdivision of homes or a large commercial building. Or you may be hired by an electrical or plumbing contractor to clean up after their crews and recycle what you can. Check your area telephone books for contractors.

One enterprising construction cleanup service also rented outdoor toilets to construction sites. Not only did it add to income, it also gave the service a prominent place to advertise!