A successful flooring installation begins with you and here is what you can do before the flooring installers arrive.
1.
Communicate with your salesperson.
Touch base with your sales rep that sold you the flooring the day before the scheduled install.
Make sure the arrival time hasn't changed and go over the flooring invoice briefly so you both understand the product being installed.
This is especially important if you have made any product, color, or size changes.
Sometimes those changes can get mixed up in the notes and you have a blue carpet installed instead of the brown one listed on your invoice.
2.
Clean the area to be installed.
Clear the area to be installed of any debris.
This includes, toys, papers, trash, clothing, or furniture.
Small tables, chairs, or home decor may look like no big deal to you but unless you pay them a moving fee you will need to remove it from the room.
Do not wait until they arrive to do this, they have cleared their schedule to be at your home at this time and should not have to wait on you to take care of clearing a room.
Sentimental decor and keepsakes could get knocked over or broken.
Take precautions to protect them ahead of time.
Clear the traffic areas into the rooms as well.
They will need room to carry the flooring and their tools inside.
3.
Relocate animals and pets.
Arrange to have any animals moved to another area away from the installations.
Even if the animal is friendly it could get in their way, get hurt, or may see them as a threat and hurt one of the installers.
Fish tanks are not the responsibility of the contractors, remove them to an area away from the workspace and the traffic to the work area.
4.
Arrange entry into the home if you cannot be there yourself.
If you cannot be at the house during installation, make arrangements where they can get into the home, leave a note to insure them they have come to the right home.
Most of all on the note leave a number where they can reach you.
Even if you gave the number to the sales rep at the store the rep may have never passed it onto the installer.
5.
Discuss removing plumbing items, appliances, or existing flooring.
Other things you may need to do before the installers arrive is have the toilets removed from the bathrooms.
If you are getting a new floor put down in a bathroom and you have not paid an extra fee to have the installer remove the toilet then you need to get it done before they get to your home.
Be respectful of the people working in your home and clean the toilets they are working around.
Pull-up of existing flooring should be discussed with your salesperson as this is an additional fee as well.
You will want to find out if this is a project you are capable of doing yourself or better left up to the professionals.
If you are remodeling your kitchen and the refrigerator is going to get moved out for the install then it will be your responsibility to have it emptied.
Coolers come in handy for this task.
Don't leave dirty dishes sitting on stoves that are to be removed during installation.
6.
Protect your valuables.
If you have decided to pay them to move your china cabinet you should empty it of it's contents.
You don't want to leave Grandma's heirloom dishes in the hands of flooring installers.
They are sentimental items to your family and you need to protect them.
Don't leave irreplaceable photos on the walls where the installers will be banging around or carrying things by that could lead to them getting knocked off and broken.
This includes items on the other side of the wall in the adjacent room.
Learning what to do before the flooring installers arrive, for the most part, is common sense.
Respect the installers time and workspace, be clear with your salesperson and touch base before the installation date and you should have a successful flooring installation.
Clean your new floor on a regular basis according to manufacturers advice and enjoy your new remodel.