How to Prepare a Remodel

Protect Your Values

In many cases, protecting your valuables simply means not leaving cash or expensive jewelry out in plain sight. While we strongly encourage you to put away your grandmother’s heirloom jewelry before we arrive, protecting your valuables also has other meanings when it comes to remodeling.

Remodels always produce some amount of unwanted dust and dirt.  If we are remodeling your master bathroom, we strongly suggest that you cover the furniture in the master bedroom (especially the bed and other cloth items).  We also recommend removing everything possible from the areas where we are working - if you leave your toothbrush on the bathroom counter, you won’t want to use it after we are finished!

Plan for Interruptions

When you are remodeling, expect your whole house to look like a construction zone.  Don’t plan any social events at your home during (or immediately after) the remodel - give yourself some time to get things back in order before you invite your friends over.

Be prepared for your daily life to be interrupted as well.  If we are renovating the only shower in your home, you might need to make arrangements to bathe somewhere else for a day or two.  Kitchen renovations will likely mean that you can’t cook dinner at home for a couple days.  These things can be stressful in and of themselves, but they are much more manageable if you have a plan in place before construction starts.

Provide Access for Installers

If you are at home all day anyway, this might not be necessary.  But if you work outside the home, need to run errands regularly, or just don’t want to be home with all the construction noise, providing an easy way for workers to get in and out of your home can be extremely helpful.

A lockbox with an extra key inside or a lock with a programmable keypad will allow workers to let themselves in when they arrive and lock your home behind them when they leave - all without you being present.

If you go this route, it is also wise to designate an area of your home as a “construction-free” zone.  This is often a lockable bedroom where you can store damageable or high-value items during the remodel.  While we do our best to only employ honest tradesmen, having your valuables out of reach gives both you and us peace of mind.

By taking these three simple steps, you can greatly reduce the stress and disruptions caused by remodeling.  Before you know it, the remodel will be complete and you will be enjoying your new space!