Behind the Scenes on Demo Day

Reality television shows give us a picture of demo day during a remodel but is that really accurate? Today I’m taking you behind the scenes of what a demo day looks like for us!

We begin at 8:00 a.m. A dumpster is delivered and set in the driveway, near our entrance and exit into the house. A portopotty is also delivered and set on the driveway or in the pinestraw. Next Dan, my dad, and I and our 2 project managers go inside and everyone is introduced to the homeowners. Then we walk and talk thru the project with the homeowners and project managers so that everyone is on the same page with the scope of the project. This is when we discuss things like where the electrical panel or water shut off is, what hours we will be working and what’s going to happen with any of the pets.

Once the walk thru is completed, then prep work begins. We take plenty of time to cover any floors that are remaining and put up plastic walls to protect other spaces from construction dust. This is a critical step in protecting the rest of the house from damage and unnecessary dirt.

Next, we cut off the water and disconnect any sinks that are being removed and cap those lines before turning the water back on. Electrical circuits are turned off for the worked-on spaces so appliances can be safely removed. Countertops are removed and cabinets removed in as large a piece as possible. We normally aren’t in there with a sledgehammer swinging away at everything. That’s a sure way to damage something that may not be getting replaced. Then we sweep up everything for the day and lock the house up. That’s demo day one.

What’s your experience been with demo day? I’d love to hear! Questions? Email me at Jessica@webbercoleman.com