How to Prepare for a Bathroom Remodel

You’ve finalized your design and are ready to start your project construction, congratulations! We’re excited to get your project construction started. While our team gets your renovation ready to start behind the scenes, there are a few key ways you can help prepare your home to be remodeled. Here is a simple guide to preparing your home before our team begins demo and construction.

Preparing for Your Bathroom Remodel

1. Clean Out the Bathroom

Before your scheduled demo day, you’ll want to empty your bathroom completely. This includes:

• Toiletries, towels, and cleaning supplies

• Shower curtains, floor mats, and artwork

• Inside vanity drawers and cabinets

• Items stored in adjacent linen closets that might be in the way

We recommend boxing things up and labeling clearly, so when your brand-new bathroom is ready, unpacking will be a breeze. Give yourself time to declutter while packing, so unpacking will be easier.

2. Mark Items Agreed to be Saved

You may have some fixtures, such as sconces, mirrors, or cabinets, that you would like our team to save during demo. Alert your Construction Manager about anything you’d like to save prior to construction starting. It’s crucial to mark these pieces clearly with tape or a note prior to demo day. You may also take photos of the items and upload them to Buildertrend for your team to see.

3. Set Up a Temporary Bathroom Solution

While your bath is being transformed, you will likely lose access to the toilet, shower, and vanity in that space. If you have another full bath in your home, relocate your essentials to that bathroom for the duration of construction. If you have multiple bathrooms being remodeled at once, our team will recommend staggering construction to keep one bathroom usable at all times. We recommend coordinating shower schedules with family members, and our team is happy to help you find a temporary bath solution in a basement or guest suite if needed.

4. Protect Surrounding Spaces

While we do our best to minimize disruptions during construction, there will be some noise, debris, and dust going in and out of your home during construction hours. Our team will use protective barriers near the bathroom to contain dust, remove debris, and clean as we go during construction. In addition to our prep work and site maintenance, there are a few ways you can help us make your bathroom remodel run smoother and cleaner:

• Take down/secure any valuable or fragile items in hallways or nearby rooms that our team will pass through to keep them safe from vibrations and movement during construction
• On-site Material Storage: Prepare on-site storage to house and cut the material needed to build your project. This space should be covered from any potential damage and weather, such as a garage or spare room. While we do our best to maintain dust, we cannot prevent it entirely. If a dumpster will be required for your project during demo, your team will chat with you in advance about it.
• Prepare Children/Pets for Construction: If you are concerned about construction disrupting your small children, noise-canceling headphones or outings during construction can help. For their safety, please plan to keep pets secured during construction hours.
• Site Access Plan: Homeowners typically share a garage/home code with the team or request a lockbox on-site. If you’ll be working from home during construction, let your team know how to reach you for entry

5. Acquire Any Owner-Provided Items

If you are providing any material for your bathroom, it all needs to be onsite and marked for your team before construction starts, if possible. This ensures proper rough-in planning for plumbing and light fixtures. Refer to your agreement to double-check which items are client-provided. Having all materials onsite at the start of your bath remodel will help streamline your project production and limit material-related delays.

6. Specify Parking Arrangements

We want deliveries and installation days to run smoothly for you. To ensure this, please arrange for off-driveway parking for personal vehicles during construction. Inform your Construction Manager where your crew can park so they have enough room to work efficiently and protect your vehicles as well.

7. Utilities/Toilet Access

Please ensure the ADS team and any subcontractors have access to the utilities needed to complete your project. This includes running water and electricity. State employment law requires the provision of reasonable toilet facilities at the work site as well. You can either provide access to an on-site restroom or request a portable toilet be stationed on your property, which can be rented monthly and reflected in a change order for you to sign.

8. Home Cleaning Plan

While our team takes every precaution to minimize mess, some dust and debris are inevitable during construction. The work area and nearby spaces will likely get dusty, but rest assured: the transformation will be worth it! Many of our clients find it helpful to schedule professional cleaning during and after the renovation to keep their home feeling comfortable throughout the process.

9. Get Excited!

Your vision is about to come to life! Once work begins, you’ll get to watch the transformation unfold day by day. Trust the process and lean on us when needed—we’re here to guide you. By the time we reveal your new bathroom, you’ll not only love the space—you’ll also feel great about how we got there together.

You can always reach out to your team through the Buildertrend portal if you have any questions prior to your bath remodel. We hope this has given you the confidence to prepare your home for remodeling with our ADS team. We’re excited to bring your new bathroom to life!

Planning a Larger Remodel?

If your project spans outside of your bathroom, we’ve got you covered! Not only can we help with the design and construction, we also have tips to help you prepare your home for a larger remodel and decide whether or not you should live at home during your remodel.