Furniture and belongings
Move what you can out of the room, and pull everything else at least six feet off the work wall. We cover whatever stays, but fine dust finds its way under a drop cloth eventually.
Anything irreplaceable, move it yourself. We'd rather you handled the heirloom than us.
Pictures, mirrors, and wall-mounted items
Take down artwork and mirrors on the work wall and on the wall it shares. Sanding vibration travels. Leave the anchors if you want them back in the same spot, or tell us and we'll patch them while we're there.
Curtains and blinds in the work area are worth removing; gypsum dust is stubborn in fabric.
Pets and kids
Plan for pets to be in a closed room on the other side of the house or out for the day. Doors will be propped, tools are on the floor, and a curious dog and a bucket of compound is a bad combination.
The work area isn't a safe place for kids while we're cutting or sanding, so it helps to have a plan for the hours we're on site.
Parking and access
One space in the driveway close to the door we'll be using saves a lot of walking with sheets of board. If we're hanging full sheets, we need a clear path from the truck to the room, including turns and stair landings.
Let us know about gate codes, alarms, or a neighborhood that tickets work trucks on the street.
What to expect on dust
There will be some, even with containment and vacuum sanding. Running your HVAC fan during sanding spreads it, so we ask that it stay off in that window. Changing the filter after the job is finished is a good habit.
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