How to prepare your house for a remodel

The short answer

Before a remodel starts: empty the work area, make your choices for fixtures and finishes, decide what happens to the rooms you will still use, and ask your contractor about permits, HOA approval and anything old behind the walls. Then ask for the start plan in writing.

This guide is the pre-start checklist. For what it is like to live in the house while the work goes on, see our guide on living at home during a remodel.

Clear the work area

• Empty the room. Take out what you can, down to cabinet contents and wall hangings. Anything left behind will get dusty or in the way.
• Move furniture out of the path. The crew needs a clear way in from the door to the work, and a place to set up.
• Protect what stays. Cover or move rugs, furniture and electronics in nearby rooms. Dust travels.
• Take down fragile items from walls that share the room you are working on.
• Plan for pets and children. Decide where they will be while tools are running.

Ask your contractor what they cover, what they expect from you, and how they keep dust and debris from the rest of the house.

Make your choices first

Late choices are one of the most common reasons a job slows down. Make decisions on fixtures, tile, cabinets, counters, paint and flooring before work starts, and confirm what is on order. If something takes weeks to arrive, ask when it is due and what happens to the schedule if it is late. Our guide on change orders explains what happens if you change your mind after work begins. The price does not change without your written approval.

If your house is older, ask first

Two things are worth asking about before any demolition in an older home.

Lead paint. The EPA's lead-safe rule covers work that disturbs painted surfaces in homes built before 1978. The interior threshold is more than six square feet of painted surface, and the exterior threshold is more than 20 square feet. Contractors doing covered work must be EPA certified in lead-safe practices, and window replacement is a covered activity. A homeowner working on their own home is generally not covered, but the rule does apply if the home is rented, used for a childcare business or flipped for profit. See our lead paint guide.

Asbestos. The EPA says to leave undamaged asbestos-containing materials alone and not to saw, sand, scrape or drill into them. Sampling and minor repair should be done by a trained, accredited professional. If you have a textured ceiling and you are not sure, ask before anyone cuts into it. See the popcorn ceiling guide.

Permits, HOA and paperwork

Ask who pulls the permits. At Hildebrand, we pull every required permit and meet Florida Building Code inspections. If you are in an HOA, the homeowner files the HOA application and we provide the specs and drawings for it. Do this early, because approval can take time we cannot promise. Our guide on HOA approval has more.

Keep a folder, paper or on your phone, with your signed estimate, permit numbers, product choices and the contact for your contractor.

Think about hurricane season

The Atlantic hurricane season runs June 1 to November 30, according to the National Hurricane Center. FEMA's Ready.gov page for hurricanes advises clearing drains and gutters and considering hurricane shutters. We did not find official advice on how to schedule remodeling or roof work around the season, so ask your contractor how a storm warning would be handled: what gets secured, what gets covered and who makes the call. See our remodel timing guide and hurricane prep checklist.

What to have ready

• Access. Agree on how the crew gets in and who is home.
• Parking and delivery space. Cabinets, tile and materials need somewhere to land.
• Utilities. Know where your main water shutoff and electrical panel are, and tell your contractor if anything is hard to reach.
• Contact plan. Decide who answers questions and how to reach them.
• A place for the rooms you lose. If it is a kitchen, set up a small space with a microwave, a sink you can use and a way to wash dishes. If it is a bathroom, know which other one you will use.

Ask what your contractor needs from you on day one and what they will do each day, so there are no surprises.

How Hildebrand starts a job

Hildebrand Construction & Remodeling is a family-owned Palmetto contractor, Florida Certified Building Contractor license CBC1257253, licensed since 2009. One licensed contractor runs the whole job, and plumbing and electrical are done by licensed trade partners that we manage and coordinate.

Every job starts with a free in-home consultation and written estimate, no trip fee. We reach you Monday to Friday, 8 AM to 5 PM, and calls and forms outside those hours are answered the next business day. We do not offer emergency or after-hours service. Read about each step on our process page.

Questions homeowners ask