So what exactly is site prep? Typically, site prep is considered to be the process to ensure the protection of your home and possessions during construction. You may have seen this before with the use of some plastic wrap, duct tape, and cardboard.
At Hazley Builders, we take site prep a step further with an emphasis on creating an efficient work environment with a focus on the safety of everyone involved, especially your family and friends. We also address the challenges associated with construction dust by using plastic barriers, covering furniture, and employing effective cleaning methods to minimize dust spread and protect living spaces.
It is important to remember that most remodeling projects don’t require the homeowner to move out of their home. This means that our clients may be living in an active construction site for, potentially, several months. That’s why we are so attentive to our clients’ daily life during a project to make them as comfortable as we can.
Let’s look at the specifics of what Hazley Builders does on a typical residential job site to alleviate these concerns:
Preparing Your Home for Renovation
Purge Unwanted Items and Plan for Temporary Storage Space
A remodeling project can be a great opportunity to declutter and get rid of unwanted items. Go through your home and sort items into three piles: donate, recycle, and trash. Make sure to dispose of items responsibly and consider hosting a garage sale or online sale to get rid of unwanted items. Additionally, plan for temporary storage space for items that you need to keep but won’t have access to during the renovation. This can include renting a storage unit, using a portable storage container, or asking a friend or family member if you can store items in their home.
Keeping it clean
First and foremost, it is imperative that we keep a clean job site for both safety and livability. Using drop cloths to protect items from construction dust is essential to ensure that your belongings remain clean and undamaged. At Hazley Builders, we maintain (and require all trade partners) to maintain certain standards for daily cleanliness. Dumpster service is provided to keep all trash neatly contained. On top of that, our Project Managers also perform a thorough Friday clean up each week, which includes vacuuming and making sure all materials and tools are neatly organized and out of the way. We understand that the weekends are for family time and we want to give you your space back in the best condition possible. This also gives us a fresh slate to get right back into our work first thing Monday morning.
A portable job site toilet is provided for the duration of the remodeling project and is required to be used by our crew and any trade partners (and the unit is cleaned out weekly).
Floor Protection During Your Home Renovation
Temporary floor coverings are needed to protect existing and new flooring, such as hardwood floors. Thick FlexBoard or Ram Board is secured to floors to provide extra protection and durability compared to builder’s paper. It provides water-resistant and non-staining protection from water, mud, dirt, paint, and spills. We also utilize Econo Runners from the main entry point of the home to the construction zone(s) and your key utility areas (such as electrical panels) to protect your flooring every step of the way. It also shows our crew and trade partners the appropriate path they should be using during your home renovation.
Temporary Walls to Control Construction Dust and Debris During a Remodel
Demolition is a very messy activity! Far from plastic wrap and duct tape, we use a heavy-duty plastic barrier system to keep dust and debris contained in the active construction zone of your home. We love the ZipWall system! These temporary closures need to last for the duration of the renovation and form a tight seal to the existing walls to help prevent any dust from escaping the work site into the other rooms and other areas of the home. We will often use temporary framed walls for a tight seal when possible, and clients love the magnetic closures that allow for easy passage in and out of the areas where construction is taking place.
Negative-Pressure HEPA Filtration
We utilize a negative-pressure air machine with a HEPA filter to remove airborne dust during all demolition activities. This means that the work areas are equipped with a blower system that actively filters the air and pushes it outside. That way air flows from the clean zone through the construction area, through the filter, and outside.
Protect your HVAC System During a Remodel
Since some clients are living in the home during the remodel, it is important for your HVAC system to be operational during the project. We will install a pre-filter on return air grilles that are located inside the construction area. A pre-filter helps prevent any dust from getting into the existing duct work and then out into the general areas of the house.
Additional Site Prep items:
- All window blinds and coverings are removed, labeled, and saved for reinstallation.
- All baseboard heat covers are removed and labeled for reinstallation.
- Recommendation and setup of temporary living solutions.
- Provide temporary heat, if needed.
- Install security lock box for crew and vendor partner access.
- Cover unremovable items with light plastic.
Custom solutions for unique job sites to ensure safety and efficiency
In some cases, site prep can be very customized and site-specific. It is important to organize belongings to ease the unpacking and organizing process in the new space after the work is complete. In one example, we had a major renovation that was in the back area of the home. Access was very tricky as there was a significant drop in grade to the backyard entry point of the home. The only existing access was a narrow and roundabout pathway that would make it nearly impossible to transport trash, large equipment, and materials. The solution? Our team built a custom wooden bridge over a retaining wall from the back of the driveway and down to the home’s construction access point in the backyard. It made heavy transport direct, quick, easy, and safe!
How can we make the client as comfortable as possible throughout the entire renovation?
Site prep is more than just the beginning of a job. At Hazley Builders, we also like to examine site prep in the middle and towards the end of each job to ensure our client’s comfort level throughout the home remodeling and renovation. Some examples include:
- Switching out oversize dumpsters towards the back half of the project when the demo is complete to replace them with smaller dumpsters. Homeowners are typically very happy to get more of their driveway space back!
- Re-setting temporary barriers within the home as the project progresses. Often times we can “give back” certain parts of the house depending on the scope of the project and current progress. Re-setting the barriers is time-consuming but worth it to give our clients more breathing room.
- Even though the installation of items such as appliances, countertops, and cabinets means the project is getting close to completion, we like to cover and protect these items for the “home stretch” of a project.
While the end result is often what everyone thinks about in a home renovation project, it is equally important that the construction is a smooth process with a focus on the comfort of our clients. With over two decades of experience, much of our business has been repeat clients who continually put their trust in us. Paying attention to the site prep and looking at each project from our client’s perspective is a big reason why.
