A Calgary-specific checklist for getting your home ready before, during, and after a tile or hardwood install, with timing windows.
The fastest installs we do are in homes where the client was ready. The slowest are where we spend the first two hours moving furniture, removing baseboards, and waiting on decisions that should have been made a week earlier. This checklist gets you ready, most of it takes less time than you think.
Two weeks before installation
Confirm your material selection and have it on site or confirmed for delivery. Delays in material delivery are the most common reason Calgary flooring installations get pushed. Order 10 to 15 percent overage on all materials. If you have in-floor heating, test it now, a heating mat that fails gets discovered at the worst possible moment if it's not checked before tile goes over it.
One week before installation
Let hardwood and engineered flooring acclimate in the space, stack the boxes in the room where they'll be installed and leave them for at least 48 to 72 hours. In Calgary's dry winter climate, this step directly affects how the floor performs. Remove breakables and wall art in adjacent rooms. Arrange pet and child logistics for the install days.
The day before installation
Clear all furniture from the rooms being done. Remove existing area rugs and floor vents. Take photos of the subfloor condition for your records. Confirm start time and site access with your installer.
During installation
Stay available for decisions, grout line direction, transition strip location, and how to handle a difficult corner are all decisions easiest to resolve when the client is reachable. Don't walk on fresh-set tile for at least 24 hours. For larger format tiles with back-buttering, 48 hours is safer.
After installation
Wait the full cure time before moving heavy furniture back. For tile, 24 to 48 hours minimum. For glue-down hardwood, plan for 48 to 72 hours. Document your flooring product, manufacturer, product name, and colour code, keep it somewhere you'll find it.
"Cold adhesives don't bond properly. For winter installs, keep your home at normal living temperature for 48 hours before the crew arrives."
Calgary-specific notes
For winter installations, keep your home at normal living temperature for at least 48 hours before the crew arrives. For summer installations, close blinds on south-facing rooms, direct sun raises floor surface temperature and can cause adhesive to flash-dry before tiles are properly set.
Have questions before your install date? Reach out and we'll walk through anything on this list.
