If you’re like me, you like to make your home inviting for guests by keeping it tidy and having things prepared if you know something special is happening. But did you know this habit can also make life easier for tradespeople coming in to work in your home? I’m going to list some things that may just simplify things for you and may save you some money.

Clean Up

There is no need to do your dishes or clean your windows, but a good tidy is appreciated. A better way to say this may be to “clear up”. Clear off the tops of furniture, clear off your floors, clear out the bottoms of any closets we will be working in, and clear the sheets and blankets off the beds we will be moving. Basically, clear out anything that you can. We are not looking for a spotless house, just a clear work area. If you are thinking about deep cleaning, I would recommend waiting until after the installation is done, so that you can catch any dust that may be created. Little extra tidying ahead of time, saves time for the installers and puts you in their good books.

Clear The Way!

Piggybacking on the last point, it’s important to have a clear entryway. We will most likely be using the most direct door to the driveway. Make sure that your shoes, boots, sports equipment, etc. are away from your doors. We would hate to trip over anything and twist an ankle. While this won’t save you any money, it is just a really nice thing to do and prevents any shoes from being stepped on.

Be Bright Eyed, Bushy Tail Not Required

We show up to start our installs first thing in the morning. Brian is a morning person, Justin and I pretend to be morning people, but that does not mean you have to be. As long as you are awake enough to open the door for us, and be around if we have any questions, that’s alright by us. Bonus points to you if you include Brian and Justin in your morning cup of Joe.

Move Any Furniture That You Are Able

We have come to our first money-saving tip. If you are able, move the furniture out of whatever room we will be installing new flooring in! This can be as simple as moving the couches to the dining room for the day, or having the kids bunk in the rec room, while their beds are put into storage for a few days. Moving these things ahead of time can save you anywhere from $75-$300+ on the labour portion of your invoice. If you aren’t able to move the big things that’s okay, we can move those things, it will be added in with the labour, but we are more than happy to help. Any pieces of furniture that you can move, is wonderful. You can move side tables, chairs, small shelves or even empty the drawers and contents out of those larger things!

Strip And Dispose Of Your Existing Flooring

Someone has to do the dirty part, so why not you? Most flooring installations require taking up your existing flooring and clearing the subfloor, and that is something we charge a labour cost for. If you are looking to save some money, this may be an area where you can step in. Tearing up the flooring, removing the baseboards for hard surface products, scraping any staples and adhesive up, and disposing of the waste yourselves could save you from $75-$300+. This isn’t always possible, but it does make the job easier and can save you money if you have the time.

Put A Leash On Your Furry Friends

We love animals, in fact, if you visit us in-store, you will notice that we have office pups! And while pets can exist in an office just fine, they usually aren’t helpful on a job site. We would love to meet your pets, but after that initial greeting, it is appreciated if they are confined while we work. Consider putting up a baby gate, or finding a room with a closed door where they will be comfortable for the day. This will help your pets to be safe, and less stressed out, and the installers won’t have to worry about accidentally letting them outside or having them walk through glue or grout. Pets are family, and we want to keep them safe and happy.

Cover Up, Or Move Important Things

In any renovation, there is bound to be dust kicked up, and things being bumped when material is brought in and out of the home, and not just in the areas where the renovation is happening. This is why it’s important to protect your entire home during a renovation. Consider moving valuable things into a closed room, and putting drop sheets down in common areas to cover furniture, especially expensive pieces like TVs or emptied china cabinets. We will always do our best to avoid knocking into things, but when moving large boxes of flooring and rolls of carpet, it can happen on occasion. Taking the time to protect your things beforehand can save you from headaches in the future.

There you have it! Whether they save you money or stress, I hope that you will find these tips helpful. As always, we are more than happy to talk to you about your upcoming renovation, and would love to help you be happy with what’s under your feet!