Home Addition Prep Steps

by Matt Myers

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So you've decided to add onto the house. You've talked with a designer or an architect. You've found a contractor or a group of subcontractors to do the work. They are coming in a week, and you are wondering if there is anything you can do to expedite the work and prepare in general for their arrival. Here in this article are tips and information that will hopefully guide you the rest of the way through your addition.

Preparing the Yard
In the case of a home addition where you are expanding into the backyard, front yard, or even in the side, it would help the contractors if you did a few things.

  • Remove anything mobile from the yard. This includes toys, water hoses, grills, outdoor furniture, and the like.
  • Consider removing any plants, trees, and shrubs that might either be in the spot where the addition is going or in the direct work path of the contractors. This might be more of a chore than some can handle, but if you're up to it, it will help.
  • Call the water department, the cable company, and the gas company and have them mark the lines on the ground. This is an especially important tip before excavation or even foundation building and it will need to be set up by someone.

    Home Preparation for an Addition
    Let's say you are going to add on a sunroom to the edge of the kitchen or just off of the living room. There are two ways this can happen. One, the walls are knocked out and new walls will be built around the addition. Two, the walls stay as they are and a doorway is made into the new room. Either way, there will be some debris and dust find their way into your home. However, you can reduce how much comes in and maybe even eliminate it altogether.

  • Buy some rolls of plastic sheeting and plan on hanging them from the floor to the ceiling as a way to block the dust. Be sure not to put these in the way of the contractors.
  • Buying carpet scraps from a carpet store is a smart way to control the amount of mud and dirt will get on your existing floor. Lay these down where there is potential for contractor traffic or dust flow.
  • Move all the furniture that you can from the rooms adjacent to the addition. Many unpredictable things can happen during construction, and everyone will be able to rest easy and work freely if there is nothing to be damaged in the contractors' path.

    Mental Preparation is Key
    This remodel might take a long while, and if Holidays or bad weather fall during the addition, it is likely that it could stop for a while. This is completely normal and nothing to worry about. It happens in nearly every big remodeling project. The key is to stay calm, and just try to live normally. Sometimes contractors lose their workers to injury, to sickness, and various things, and the work just cannot be done without everyone there. Be mentally prepared for this to happen. Remember that you have a contract, that you are protected, and that it will be finished.

    Next, prepare yourself to have your home a mess for a while. It is part of the process, and much like having braces there will be some pain, some part of the home that looks different (perhaps worse) than it used to, but soon you will have a nice set of teeth. Click this link if you would like to read more about preparing your home to be a mess.

    Final Home Prep Thoughts
    Don't let the process scare you off, the value of investment and the added space to your home will be more than worth the trouble of the remodel. After the remodeling process is complete, you will be delighted with the results.

    Matt Myers is a freelance writer for the home maintenance and remodeling industry. Formerly a contractor specializing in deck building and casework, Matt has written over 500 articles for both homeowners and contractors.
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