Buyer guide · Updated August 2026

What to Do Before the Fitters Arrive: A Preparation Checklist

A smooth start on day one makes a real difference to how the rest of the project runs, and most of the preparation is simple once you know what's expected. Because our own fitters handle plumbing, electrics and tiling as one team, you'll get a single, clear brief on what to prepare rather than mixed instructions from separate tradespeople.

Key takeaways

  • Clear the bathroom completely and protect the route materials will travel through the house
  • Sort parking, access and any spare key arrangements in advance
  • Confirm deliveries of any customer-supplied items before the start date
  • Plan for pets, children and days without full bathroom access ahead of time

Clear the room completely

Remove towels, toiletries, bathmats, cabinets and anything stored in the bathroom before day one. Fitters will need full access to walls, floor and fittings from the very start, and time spent clearing the room on the morning of arrival is time lost from the working day.

Don't forget items stored in an airing cupboard or under-bath storage if these are being removed as part of the work.

Protect the route through the house

Old tiles, fittings and flooring will need to come out through the house to a skip or van, so think about the route from the bathroom to the front door or driveway. Move anything fragile out of the way along that path, hallway ornaments, framed pictures at low height, anything easily knocked.

If you have carpet on the stairs or landing, let us know, we can take extra care or discuss protective covering where needed.

Sort access and parking

Let us know about any parking restrictions, permit zones or narrow driveways in advance so the team can plan for it rather than losing time on day one working it out. If there's a side gate or alternative access that avoids carrying materials through the house, mention it, it can genuinely speed things up.

A spare key or agreed access arrangement is worth sorting in advance if you won't always be home during working hours.

Plan for pets and children

Arrange somewhere for pets to be during the working day, away from open pipework, tools and the skip. If you have young children, think about which rooms will be off-limits during the noisier and messier stages, particularly strip-out and tiling days.

A stairgate near the bathroom door is a simple, effective way to manage this for the whole project.

Check deliveries and confirm your choices

If you're supplying your own tiles, suite or fittings, make sure everything has arrived and been checked for damage before work starts, discovering a cracked panel on day one causes an avoidable delay. Confirm your final choices on tile layout, fitting positions and any special requests at the design stage rather than mid-project.

Having everything confirmed and on site in advance is one of the simplest ways to keep the programme on track.

Think about the days without full bathroom access

Plan for the period when the bathroom itself isn't usable, whether that's using an en-suite, a temporary arrangement, or timing showers around the working day. We'll tell you specifically which days this applies to as part of the programme discussed at your home visit, so you can plan around it rather than being caught out.

Quick questions

Do I need to remove the bathroom door before fitters arrive?

No, that's part of the work itself if it needs to come off. Just make sure the room is cleared of belongings so the door and everything else is accessible from the start.

Should I be at home on day one?

It's helpful for the first morning so we can confirm the plan together, but it's not essential for every day after that provided access has been arranged.

What if my tiles haven't arrived by the start date?

Let us know as soon as possible, missing materials are one of the most common causes of delay, so checking deliveries in good time avoids this entirely.

Do I need to empty the airing cupboard too?

Only if it's being altered or removed as part of the work, we'll confirm this with you at the quote stage so you know exactly what to clear.

Is there anything I should NOT do before fitters arrive?

Don't attempt to disconnect any plumbing or electrics yourself beforehand, leave that to the team so it's done safely and correctly as part of the planned first fix.