How to prepare for your floor fitter’s arrival (UK homeowner checklist)

If you’ve never had flooring fitted before, the day can feel a bit… chaotic. A good fitter will guide you, but a little prep makes the job faster, cleaner, and far less stressful.

The night before: your quick checklist

**Clear the room**: furniture, rugs, plants, toys. Empty low units if they need moving.
**Decide what stays**: are you removing skirting boards, or using beading/scotia?
**Access + parking**: confirm where the fitter can park and the easiest route in.
**Pets + kids**: plan where they’ll be while tools and adhesives are out.
**Heating + ventilation**: keep the room at a normal living temperature (especially for wood/LVT).

What to ask your fitter before they start

**Subfloor**: “What are you expecting underneath, and what happens if it needs levelling?”
**Moisture**: “Will you test moisture? What’s the plan if it’s too high?”
**Transitions**: thresholds/door bars, trims, and where the joins will be.
**Pattern + direction**: plank direction, herringbone orientation, and where you want the ‘feature’ line.
**Waste**: “Will you take old flooring/offcuts away?”

What to expect on fitting day

Most fitters will do a quick walkthrough, confirm the scope, then start prep (uplift, subfloor, underlay/adhesive, then fitting). Noise and dust are normal — if dust matters, ask what sheeting/extraction is being used.

After fitting: first 24–72 hours

Ask when you can **walk on it**, **move furniture back**, and **clean it**.
If adhesives/leveller were used, drying times matter — rushing this can ruin the finish.

Red flags to avoid

No written scope/quote
“We don’t need to check moisture”
Skipping subfloor prep to ‘save time’

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