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ANOKA COUNTY, MN
Construction cleaning in Ham Lake, MN
Paint, caulk, adhesive and film residue, taken off with a razor and a careful hand.
Remodels and replacement windows in Ham Lake leave adhesive, caulk, film residue and paint on new glass. Regular window cleaning will not take that residue off, and the wrong tools scratch new glass. Post-construction cleaning is a different job, not a harder version of a normal clean.
The razor work is done by Carson Brenny, the owner, and never handed to a crew, because this is the one service where the method itself carries risk. Every pane then receives the same streak-free finish as a regular window cleaning.
SIGNED WAIVER REQUIRED
Removing hardened debris can reveal or create scratches, so we discuss the risk first and ask for a signed waiver.
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Insured to $2M
Owner-operated
Based in Ham Lake
HAM LAKE SPECIFICS
What post-construction window cleaning means in Ham Lake
The local conditions that shape how Glass House approaches post-construction window cleaning in Ham Lake, and the standards it holds to on every visit.
OUR HOME BASE
Owner-operated from Ham Lake
Glass House is owner-operated and based in Ham Lake, and Ham Lake homes are the shortest drive on our route. The person who quotes a Ham Lake home is the person who does the work, so every detail discussed at the quote is carried out by the same person, with no crew or subcontractor in between.
HOMES
A median home built in 1994
The median Ham Lake home was built in 1994, and about 45% of homes date from the 1990s and 2000s. After about three decades of sunlight, the surface of vinyl siding, painted trim and gutters breaks down into a chalky film, a process called oxidation. Rain running over the chalk leaves streaks, and the roughened surface gives dirt and algae a better grip. Newer homes and additions keep adding glass that arrives with film, caulk and paint on it.
WATER
A private well at every home
Ham Lake has no city water system. Every property runs on its own private well, on a lot of at least one acre, so sprinklers apply groundwater exactly as it leaves the ground. Minnesota groundwater commonly carries dissolved iron and hardness minerals. When sprinkler spray dries, the water evaporates and the minerals remain: iron oxidizes into orange stains on siding and concrete, and calcium leaves white spots on glass. Hard water spots are a separate service, and the consultation shows which is which.
HONEST LIMITS
Foggy glass is a seal
Fog between the panes means the seal has failed and moisture is inside the unit, where no cleaning can reach, and cracked glass and painted-shut windows are repairs as well. If we see any of them, we tell you before the work begins, and for window repair we refer customers to Pro Window Repair, a family-owned shop in Blaine.
Sources: Point2Homes, Ham Lake demographics (U.S. Census ACS 2019-2023); City of Ham Lake, History of Ham Lake; Minnesota DNR, Blaine-Ham Lake well interference fact sheet (2023).
HOW WE DO IT
Wet glass, the right angle, then a detail clean
The razor is the part people ask about. In trained hands it is the right tool, and the reason comes down to the angle.
WHY THIS IS A SPECIALTY SERVICE
A razor on glass in the wrong hands is an expensive mistake. The elevated liability and the expertise the work requires are why post-construction cleaning is a specialty service with its own consultation and waiver, rather than an add-on to a regular clean.
01
Consultation first
Carson looks at the glass, the debris and the windows before anything is quoted, and counts the panes. Tinted glass, or scratches already in the glass, change the plan, and he would rather know about them now than discover them halfway through the job.
02
A signed waiver
Lifting hardened debris can reveal scratches that were hiding under it, or create new ones. We explain that risk plainly and ask you to sign a waiver before any work starts, so the conversation happens before the razor comes out rather than after.
03
Wet the glass
Each pane is wet down with our cleaning solution before any blade touches it. The razor work is always done on wet glass, never dry, and in the same way on every pane of every job.
04
Razor at a specific angle
The hard debris is scraped off with the blade held at a specific angle. That angle is what takes paint, adhesive, caulk and film residue off without touching the glass itself, and holding it consistently is the skill this service is priced for.
05
Then a normal detail clean
With the debris gone, the glass receives our regular streak-free clean: a professional squeegee fanned across the pane in one continuous pull, then lint-free towels on the edges, frames and sills. Carson walks the finished glass with you before the job is done.
FOR HAM LAKE HOMES
What to know before your visit
SPECIALTY GLASS
Stained and leaded glass
We typically do not clean stained or leaded glass, so please mention any when you book, and the consultation plans around it.
PHOTOS
Send close-ups
Close-up photos of the worst panes show Carson the paint, caulk or adhesive on the glass before the consultation, which makes that visit faster.
TINT
Tell us first
Tell us about any window film before the consultation. Tinted glass receives a non-abrasive clean, and hard debris on or behind tint cannot be removed.
WATER
Spigot on
We need an outside spigot turned on and easy to reach, not shut off at the inside valve. If a new build has no water yet, mention it when you book.
HOW PRICING WORKS
What construction cleaning costs
YOUR CONSTRUCTION CLEANING, AT A GLANCE
CONSULT FIRST
Minimum visit
$500 minimum
Covers 10 panes. A pane means both sides of the glass
More than 10 panes
Quoted
Carson counts the panes at your consultation and confirms the price
Consultation and signed waiver
Required
Required before any razor touches the glass
Final detail clean
Included
The glass, frames and sills finished streak-free once the debris is off
Builders and commercial sites
In person
Quoted in person by Carson
Minimum covers 10 panes
$500 minimum
Post-construction window cleaning has a $500 minimum, which covers 10 panes, and a pane means both sides of the glass. Counting the panes on your home is part of the quote, so Carson confirms the exact price at your consultation. Commercial and builder jobs are always quoted in person by Carson.
THE OWNER
The person who quotes your home does the work
Glass House is owned and run by Carson Brenny, with no crews, subcontractors or handoffs. He grew up in Ham Lake, went to Blaine High School and has worked full-time in exterior cleaning for six years. The person who quotes your home is the person who arrives, does the work and walks it with you at the end.
Every job receives the gentlest method that will do the work, because too much force or too strong a mix can cause damage that no cleaning undoes. Every homeowner receives a clear explanation of what is on the house, why the method was chosen and what cleaning can and cannot fix, before any money is spent.
IN CARSON'S WORDS
“It's my neighbors' homes: their biggest investment, one of the places they spend the most time, and where the people they care about most live. It's something everyone should enjoy, and I believe that.”
Carson Brenny, owner
WHAT IS INCLUDED
What construction cleaning includes, and what it does not
This is the razor work for new builds, remodels and replacement windows, and it always begins with a consultation and a signed waiver.
INCLUDED
In every construction clean
• A walk-through of the glass and a signed waiver first
• Paint, caulk, adhesive, stucco and film residue removed
• Graffiti on glass
• Razor work on wet glass, at the right angle
• Our full streak-free clean afterward
NOT INCLUDED
Outside construction cleaning
• Repairing scratches that debris hid or that removal reveals
• Fogged glass or failed seals
• Cracked or painted-shut windows
• Hard debris on tinted glass, which gets a non-abrasive clean
EQUIPMENT AND METHODS
A blade, used carefully
The glass is wet down with our solution, then razor blades held at a specific angle take hardened debris off without touching the glass itself. Every pane then receives our normal detail clean: a professional squeegee fanned in one continuous pull, and lint-free surgical towels on the edges, frames and sills.
HAM LAKE QUESTIONS
Construction Cleaning in Ham Lake: FAQ
Do you clean new-construction windows for Ham Lake builders?
Yes. Builder and contractor jobs follow the same razor method and detail clean as a single home. Book once the paint, stucco and caulk work is finished, so the glass is cleaned once, at the end, rather than again after the last trade leaves.
Do you serve all of Ham Lake?
Yes, every neighborhood. Glass House is based in Ham Lake, so homes here are the shortest drive on the route and there is never a trip fee. Carson often works within a few miles of where he grew up, and he quotes, cleans and walks every job himself.
What is post-construction window cleaning?
It is the razor work for new builds, renovations and replacement windows. It removes adhesive, caulking, factory film residue, paint, stucco, mortar, sap, artillery fungus and other hard debris that regular cleaning will not lift, then finishes every pane with our normal streak-free detail clean.
Why does regular window cleaning not remove it?
Regular cleaning is built for dirt and film. Hardened adhesive, caulk, paint and film residue are bonded to the glass and need a blade, which is a different job with a different level of risk. That is why it has its own consultation, waiver and pricing.
Why do I have to sign a waiver?
Because removing hardened debris can reveal or create scratches. It is a real risk in this kind of work, and we would rather be clear about it before we start than explain it afterward. The waiver makes sure that conversation happens first, in writing.
How much does post-construction window cleaning cost?
Post-construction window cleaning has a $500 minimum, which covers 10 panes, and a pane means both sides of the glass. Counting the panes on your home is part of the quote, so Carson confirms the exact price at your consultation. Builder, contractor and commercial jobs are always quoted in person.
