FIND AN ALTERNATIVE PLACE TO SHOWER
First and foremost, be aware that you will need to find an alternative place to shower. Most renovation jobs take about a week to complete and can leave you without a shower if you don’t have a second one in your home. If that is the case for you, we recommend that you talk with a friend or neighbour who would be willing to let you use their shower while yours is being renovated. Another option would be to take the opportunity to get in shape and take showers at your gym. Or don’t shower for a week – we don’t judge.
CLEAR THE PATH
This one’s fairly self-explanatory but it’s still worth mentioning. Be sure to clear out your bathroom and part of the bedroom/hallway in front of the bathroom before you start renovations. This will allow the workers to store their commonly used tools close by and also prevent damaging any decor or furniture items. Furthermore, it is also advisable to clear the path from the bathroom to the area where the garbage and main tools are to be kept. Usually, this will be your garage or another storage area.
GATHER THE MATERIALS
If you’ve decided to source your own materials for the project, then it is highly recommended that you source them and have them delivered before you begin the renovation process. You wouldn’t want your job to be delayed (and go another day without showering perhaps) because of missing materials. If however, you choose to go with a package deal, where the materials are sourced by the contractor, then be sure to follow up with them before the renovation process to ensure that they have been able to gather the required materials. Ideally, they will have delivered everything to your home before the start date. Be sure to check out our Bathroom Renovation Checklist to help you keep track of what needs to be purchased.
LAY DOWN PROTECTIVE FLOOR COVERINGS
For the love of floors – put down protective floor coverings! If your contractor does not offer to do this, then take it upon yourself to put them down. It will save you from having to clean up messy floors or even worse, being left with damaged floors. We recommend that you cover everything from the entrance door, to the tools storage area, all the way to the bathroom. Be generous and apply double layers in high traffic areas.