Get your home prepared and ready for decorating.

How to prepare your property for workmen: tips and tricks on how to get ready for tradesmen working in your home.

If you have done the smart thing, deciding to bring in the professionals to paint parts of your home, things will go far more smoothly if you get your home workmen-ready.

Getting ready for the project start

Painting can be done at any time of year unless you are dealing with the exterior which will need some dry and preferably sunny days. If you are moving into a new home and need the whole of it painting, it is best to leave it vacant, free from furniture and people, until the work is complete.
But this is not always possible, particularly if it is your current home that is being given a new lick of paint. Whether one room or many are being painted, you want to stick around to see that things are done as you want them to be and yet you don’t want to get in the way of the professional painter.

Plan ahead

To kick-off, find out what time your contractor will arrive in the morning; this way you can be up dressed and fed and able to keep your distance while he works. Also agree on a schedule, particularly if several rooms are being painted. You can then empty rooms or cover furniture as required.
If you have children and pets, they need to make themselves scarce. Pets can be kept in a separate room for short periods or may have to go to a pet-sitter or kennel. If children are at school or nursery, you may be able to work around them. Otherwise, get relatives and friends to help out with babysitting. With older children, let them know what is going on and then they won’t mind altering their schedule.

Must-do tasks

Here are some other must-do tasks that you need to carry out before your painting contractors turn up:

Move any delicate or fragile items – photos, artwork and electronics should be put into another room away from any dust or paint.

Empty rooms as much as you can – this may be tough if your home is a small one, but if you can move larger items or at least cover them, then do. If you are struggling for space, speak to your contractor and see what he can workaround. He may even be able to arrange for some additional labour to move furniture for you.

Keep valuables safe – things like jewellery, cash, credit cards should be put in a safe place. If things get lost, the last thing you want to do is wrongly blame your painting contractor.

Doing all of this will benefit everyone. You will find the whole process less stressful and your painting contractor will be able to get on with their task relatively undisturbed and without needing to climb over or move household items.

The project will be completed on time and without mishap, leaving everyone with a smile on their face!