Are you ready for your renovation? Our crews have been working nonstop over the summer to keep up with the demanding schedule. It seems nobody is taking a break this summer. As fall approaches we enter our busiest season for renovations and if summer is any indication, it should be fast and furious.
Get ready. Plan and prepare and you will have a successful renovation experience. The timeline for anything structural (including cabinets) is generally six weeks. Booking in advance is imperative for you to meet your deadlines and to minimize the disruption in your home. It is a good idea to start shopping for your required items at least two months before the expected start date of the reno to ensure that you have all materials ready and waiting. Last minute panic shopping can often result in less than satisfactory products. The old saying is true ‘you find exactly what you want when you aren’t looking for it’.
The preparation for a reno can vary depending on your contractors pricing. Some people want it all done by others and some will want to take care of certain items themselves. When you have a firm installation date set give yourself about three days before the crews are coming to start removing flooring and baseboards. Many people think that carpet removal is a breeze but it’s the removal of the under pad and staples that can take hours. The underlay is held down with hundreds of staples and it requires a lot of crawling around and bending over to yank these little things out of your subfloor. I’ve done it once and swore that I would pay the installers next time.
Once your current flooring is removed, check for squeaks or irregularities in your subfloor. This is the time to secure down loose areas or repair damaged subfloor. Make sure to sweep and/or vacuum the subfloor to remove debris before the new flooring is installed.
It goes without saying that the furniture in the room needs to be removed and stored before current flooring is removed. Baseboards are next; if you are installing hard surfaces the baseboards are usually removed. Number and list them so that you can easily remember where they go. ‘L1’ (living room) ‘D1’ (dining room) ‘B1’ (bedroom one) etc. This system will save you hours in trying to sort out miles and miles of identical looking baseboards.
Pictures and breakables are also a big consideration. When you are having construction done in your house it is a good idea to remove and store your decorative items. Drywall dust floats through furnace ducting to other areas of the home so a poly barrier is recommended to block off transference of dust. Take a walk through your home with the eyes of an installer. Imagine trying to carry a 12 ft. roll of carpet or vinyl into your home and try to spot areas where your carefully chosen decor could be bumped or damaged along the way. Hardwood installation can also produce a great deal of dust so it is a good idea to include some housekeeping in your renovation budget.
Kim Lewis is an interior designer in Red Deer with Carpet Colour Centre. Contact her at 403-343-7711 ext 227 or email her at klewis@carpetcolourcentre.com.
