How to prepare your home for new flooring: a checklist

Most delays on install day come from small things: a fridge that won't fit back under a cabinet, a door that now scrapes, or a room that wasn't cleared. This checklist covers what to sort out before we arrive.

One to two weeks before

• Confirm your product, colour and quantities in writing.
• If you're in a strata building, get approval — see our strata flooring guide.
• Decide whether you're keeping or replacing skirting boards.
• Book an electrician or plumber if appliances need disconnecting.
• Arrange somewhere for pets to stay on install days.

The day before

• Empty wardrobes' floor areas, bookshelves and cabinets.
• Move small items, decor and anything fragile out of the rooms.
• Disconnect and empty the fridge if it's being moved.
• Make sure we have clear access and a parking spot close to the door.

On the day

We'll walk through the job with you first: where the boards start, how they run, and how transitions to tiles and carpet will look. Expect noise and some dust during removal and cutting. At the end, we clean up, remove the waste and walk the finished floor with you.

Things people forget

• New floors can raise the floor height, so doors may need trimming.
• Dishwashers and fridges need clearance under benches.
• Floating floors need expansion gaps, so heavy fixed cabinets usually go on top only if the product allows.
• Allow timber and some hybrids to acclimatise in the home if the manufacturer requires it.

Want to know what's in a quote? Read our Sydney flooring cost guide or see how a floor installation runs from start to finish.