Guides
Preparing for Installation Day
Updated 2 min read
The short answer
The main things that slow an installation are access and parking. Clear a path from the door to the room, move everything out of the working area including from adjacent surfaces, and make sure there is somewhere to park close enough to carry large components in.
Before the day
- Clear the room completely — furniture, rugs, anything on the walls nearby.
- Clear a path from the entry to the room; components can be large and awkward.
- Empty existing cabinetry if it is being removed or worked around.
- Move fragile items from adjacent rooms — installation involves vibration.
- Arrange parking close to the entrance, and mention any permit or restriction.
- Confirm whether anyone needs to be home, and for how long.
- Plan for pets — an open front door and power tools are a poor combination.
- Check whether power needs to be off at any point.
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What to expect on the day
- Noise
- Fixing, trimming and occasional cutting. Less than demolition, more than you can take a call over.
- Dust
- Some, despite protection. Most cutting is done in the shop precisely to limit this, but scribing and fitting happen on site.
- Floor protection
- Should be laid before anything is carried in, and it is reasonable to expect it.
- Traffic in and out
- Components come in over several trips, and offcuts and packaging go out.
- Daily clean-up
- A tidy site at the end of each day is a reasonable standard.
- A snag walk at the end
- Expect to walk the work and list anything not right. This is normal and not a sign of a problem.
Answers
Frequently asked questions
- Do I need to be home for the whole installation?
- Rarely. The first hour matters, because that is when positions are confirmed. After that, being reachable by phone is usually enough. If access requires someone present, that will be agreed in advance.
- How messy is a carpentry installation?
- Less than most trades, because the dusty work happens in the shop. There is still some cutting, sanding and drilling on site. Floor protection and daily clean-up are reasonable expectations.
- What if something is not right at the end?
- Say so during the walk-through. A snag list is a normal part of finish carpentry — components get adjusted, touched up and corrected. What matters is that it gets written down and resolved rather than discussed vaguely.
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