Contract signed.
Materials ordered.
Installation scheduled.
Now what?!
Even if you hired a full-service flooring contractor, there are a few things that you will need to do around the house to prepare for your flooring installation. For some, this preparation takes a few hours, but for others, it may take days.
Most flooring companies will offer a service for furniture movement and the demolition and disposal of the existing floors if needed, but before they begin, they’ll expect a few things from you. Here are a few things you should do to make your installation run as smoothly as possible without any assistance from you during the process:
- Clear all furniture and surfaces of clutter, small items, heavy items, bedding and debris. Not only does this make moving furniture and the demolition process faster for your installers, but it ensures your items are in a safe and clean place during the demolition and installation and not being tossed within furniture or lost in the mix.
- Clear out your closets. This is by far the most overlooked area by homeowners. And as I am sure many of you know, a cluttered closet can take an hour to clean out, even if you’re simply tossing the items aside into another pile (this is not something you want your flooring installers to have to do). While flooring can often be done with hanging items in place, the floors of the closet will need to be completely cleared. Point out any built-in closet or cabinet systems to your installers and discuss what will be done in those areas.
- Clear a place in your driveway or garage for parking and cuts to be made. Flooring installers have all the tools they need on their trucks. If you can provide a space for parking that allows them quick access to your home, it will save them time walking back and forth. If you are having tile floors installed, your installers will also need access to water and, if possible, a place to clean tools.
Once you have done these three things, you should be ready for the project to begin. Then, after your installation is complete, the most important decision you will need to make is what to bring back in! What would you do with your cleared and empty spaces?
