The best preparation for fitting day is simple: clear small items and breakables from the room, empty drawers in anything that will be moved, make sure there is a clear path from the door to the room, and tell us in advance about heavy or awkward furniture. Standard furniture moving is part of our room prices, and so is lifting and disposing of the old floor, but a room that is ready when we arrive means more of the day goes on the floor itself. This checklist covers the week before, the morning of the job and the first few days after.
The week before
Confirm the details on your written quote: the rooms, the range, where thresholds go and whether old flooring is being lifted. Any change is easier to arrange now than on the day.
Decide what happens to anything unusual, such as a piano, a large aquarium, a gym machine or built-in wardrobes. These need a plan in advance, and sometimes a specialist mover.
Where boards or planks are delivered ahead of the fit, leave them flat in the room they are going into. Wood-based and vinyl products are best left in the room for 24 to 48 hours to settle to its temperature and humidity.
The day before
In a kitchen or bathroom, it helps to have the washing machine and dishwasher ready to be pulled out, and to know where the water stop tap is. We will not disconnect gas appliances; if a gas cooker needs moving, arrange for someone qualified to do it.
- Empty shelves, drawers and cupboards in furniture being moved
- Take down curtains that reach the floor
- Unplug and clear around televisions and computers
- Disconnect and empty appliances in kitchens and utility rooms
- Remove ornaments, plants and anything fragile
- Clear the hallway and stairs so materials can come in easily
On the morning
Keep children and pets out of the working rooms. Fitting involves knives, adhesives and power tools, and an open front door is an easy escape route for a cat or dog.
Let us know about parking. A space near the door makes carrying boards, rolls and waste much quicker, and on busy streets a permit or a cleared drive saves time.
Walk the room with the fitter at the start. Point out anything you are unsure about, such as where you want a join or a threshold, and which way you want planks to run.
Doors, skirting and thresholds
A new floor is often a little higher than the old one, especially with a new underlay or a plywood overlay. Doors that cleared the old floor may catch the new one. We check clearances at the site visit and flag any door that may need trimming, so it is not a surprise.
Laminate is finished at the skirting with beading or scotia to hide the expansion gap. If you are planning to replace the skirting, do it before the new floor, not after.
The first few days after
Put felt pads under chair and table legs before you move furniture back. Lift heavy items into place rather than dragging them.
Use a doormat at external doors to catch grit, which is the main cause of dull patches and fine scratches on hard floors.
For glue-down floors, follow the advice on how long to keep heavy weight off while the adhesive sets. For carpet, expect a little fluffing for the first weeks; vacuum often and it settles.
Keep a few spare planks or an offcut somewhere dry. Ranges are discontinued surprisingly quickly, and a matching piece makes a future repair simple.
Want this priced for your own rooms?
We measure, check the subfloor and give you an itemised written quote - free, with no obligation, across South East London and Kent.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to move furniture before the fitters arrive?
Standard furniture moving is included in our room prices. Clearing small items and emptying drawers yourself helps the day go faster.
Will you take away my old floor?
Our room prices assume uplift and disposal of the old flooring. Your written quote confirms it.
Should new flooring sit in the room before fitting?
Yes. Wood-based and vinyl products are best left in the room for 24 to 48 hours so they settle to its temperature and humidity.
Will my doors still close after a new floor?
Most do. Where a door may catch, we flag it at the site visit so trimming can be planned.
Can I stay at home during fitting?
Yes. We just ask that children and pets are kept out of the rooms being worked on.