Preparing for Your Remodel: What to Do Before the Remodeler Arrives


So, you’ve scheduled your remodeling project and the date is approaching quickly. While there may be a sense of mounting excitement, homeowners often have a sense of real dread in the days leading up to the job’s start. It’s possible those homeowners haven’t been adequately prepared by their remodeler or custom builder. Perhaps they hired based on price, and as a result of getting the lowest price, that remodeler provides the least amount of service.

things to do before home remodling

A good custom remodeler will prepare you for the remodeling process well before “D-Day,” and he will answer any questions you may have. Here are a few things he should cover:

– All furniture should be moved out of the remodeling area. That means everything, especially if walls are coming down and demolition is occurring. If you’re doing a family room remodel with an in-law suite addition, the contractor is not going to be working in just the addition part. As a matter of fact, the first place he will probably start is in your existing family room. He doesn’t care what furniture you have in there – he just wants it out of the way. You’re not entertaining the builder and his crew – you’re getting a structural remodel. The dust from the dry wall and the paint splatters will not look good embedded in your new upholstered couch and love seat. Make sure they are moved safely out of the room.

– Remove any knick-knacks or accessories on shelves in the room itself and in adjoining rooms. Take pictures and hanging décor off walls throughout the house. The vibrations from saws, hammers and drills can cause items to wiggle their way off tables, and pictures can literally jump off the walls.

– If the renovation is anywhere near the kitchen, clear your kitchen cabinets of all dishware, cutlery, glassware and pots and pans. Otherwise, you may find yourself washing every single item you left in the kitchen cabinets. How does all that dust get in there? The tiny, fine particles are so minute that they migrate back and forth between rooms and eventually settle in your counter space.

– Designate an area for workmen to use for clean-up purposes and personal hygiene while on the job. You should show them the bathroom to which they are assigned, and expect that they may not be neat when using it. Some contractors don’t allow their employees to use house bathrooms, and they install a porta-john on the job site. Regardless, make sure the construction crew has a place to clean and wash up.

– Consider cooking ahead and just having to re-heat meals. If you prepare several meals ahead of time and either freeze them or keep them chilled, they will become family favourites. These dishes are like the glue that keeps families together when the renovation seems to be disrupting your every move and sending your schedule into a tailspin. They are comfort foods of sorts, and they should be served when the whole family is present.

– Schedule any appointments you require for these weeks of renovation, like mammograms, annual visits, physicals, eye exams and dental appointments. The point of making it for this time period is that it will give you something constructive to do while the construction team swarms about your home. Be accessible, but don’t be looking over their shoulders. If you hired a custom builder you trust, you can leave the house without a worry – the builder will take care of the rest.

Now, sit back, relax and enjoy the building process itself. You’re in charge – take the reins and head to the finish line!