How to: Prepare Your Home for Construction

You’ve finalized your design and are ready to start your project build, 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.

CLEAR OUT YOUR SPACES:

Areas of your home that will be remodeled need to be clean and cleared out before the first day of demo. For example, if your kitchen is being remodeled, clear out your cabinets and remove all food/cookware/appliances that you want to save. If you need help creating a temporary kitchen space in another area of your home, ask your remodeling team for ideas or assistance.

Any personal items should be removed prior to demo. When it comes to non-replaceable items in your home, err on the safe side and secure them during construction. Any paintings/pictures that you want to protect should be temporarily removed from walls. You can either relocate these items to another room or pack them into short-term storage. Any hallways and doorways that will be accessed by your team should be cleared as well. This ensures that your furniture and decor is protected from debris and machinery. It also helps your remodeling team easily navigate equipment and material into your home.

MARK ITEMS TO SAVE:

If you have any fixtures or items to be saved during demo, it’s crucial to mark them clearly. Alert your Construction Manager about anything you’d like to save prior to construction starting. We also recommend marking the items with tape or a note for your onsite team. Our clients may also take photos of the items and upload them to Buildertrend for your team to see.

Mark all fixtures you’d like the team to save prior to construction.

PREPARE ONSITE  STORAGE:

You need to prepare onsite storage to house the material needed to build your project. This space should be covered from any potential damage and weather. Our clients typically use a garage or spare room for storage. If this is not possible, there may be an added change order to cover the cost of storing your material. If construction is occurring during winter months, your team may require additional space to cut and stage material.

While your remodeling crew will do their best to contain excessive debris and dust, we cannot prevent it completely. The onsite storage space will be dusty during the construction phase. If a dumpster will be required for your project during demo, your team will chat with you in advance about it.

SHARE SITE ACCESS:

Our team will need to be able to access your home for the construction phase of your home, which is often done by sharing a garage/home code with your team or having a lockbox onsite. Communicate with our team prior to demo start to request a lockbox or share access codes. If you’ll be working from home during construction, let your team know how to reach you for entry.

ACQUIRE ANY OWNER-PROVIDED ITEMS:

If you are providing any material for your remodel, it all needs to be onsite and marked for your team prior, ideally prior to construction start. All plumbing and electrical material (such as light fixtures) must be onsite before project start for proper rough-in planning. Communicate to your Construction Manager where any owner-supplied material is onsite. Refer to your agreement to double-check which items are client-provided. Having all material onsite at the start of your job will help streamline your project production and limit material-related delays.

SET PARKING ARRANGEMENTS:

Allowing your remodeling team ample access to your driveway is important for deliveries and trade vehicles during construction. If possible, arrange for off-driveway parking for your personal vehicles during construction. Inform your Construction Manager where your crew can park. This will ensure your team has enough room to work efficiently and protect your personal vehicles as well.

REMOVE ELECTRONICS:

Moving, disconnecting, or setting up your personal electronics will be your responsibility. For example, computers, TV’s, speakers, and smart devices are not something our team will remove for you, as you know your electronics best.

ENSURE CHILDREN & PET SAFETY:

Make sure you have barriers in place to protect kids and pets from machinery, debris, and outdoor access while your team is coming and going during the work day. Although we love your furry friends (and children), it’s your job to ensure they are safely secure during the construction phase.

UTILITIES AND 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 onsite 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.

HOME CLEANING PLAN:

Our team will do our best to contain the mess of construction as best as possible by temporarily sealing ventilation, plastic walls, and periodic vacuuming, but keep in mind that construction will always come with dust and debris. The work area and surrounding areas of your home will be dusty during the construction phase. Rest assured, beauty will come from the mess! In our experience, we have found that our clients find construction much more comfortable when they schedule regular cleaning services during and after construction.

GET EXCITED FOR CONSTRUCTION!

You can always reach out to your team through the Buildertrend portal if you have any questions prior to your remodel. We hope this has given you confidence to prepare your home for remodeling with our ADS team, we’re looking forward to building with you! Once your home is ready for construction, learn how to maximize your remodeling experience here.