Opinion - In What Order Would You Do These Things?

We are closing soon and taking a few weeks to do some stuff before moving in. Here's what we're going to do... and my question is, what order should we be doing them? Any advice is much apprecated!! TIA!

-Removing carpet and finishing existing hardwood floors on first floor.

-upgrading electricity and ungrounded outlets

-painting all rooms on first floor (which is where MBR is)

-exterminator (for previous ants)

-removing LR wall a/c unit and closing up hole.

-installing alarm system

(eta - the last item)

Message edited 10/5/2010 7:07:32 AM.

Re: Opinion - In What Order Would You Do These Things?

I would upgrade the electric and outlets first as that is a safety issue, and you may need to open up walls which could make a mess.

If you are set on having an alarm, I would do that next because again, it is for your safety and peace of mind.

Remove the wall a/c and close up hole (again, messy).

Paint, then remove carpet (if you're taking the carpet out anyway, you won't need to use a dropcloth). Then refinish floors.

I would do the exterminator last unless you happen to see uninvited guests around. They usually don't have to disturb your house to do their job and it's not a rush if it's just preventative.

Re: Opinion - In What Order Would You Do These Things?

I'd do it as follows:



1. upgrading electricity and ungrounded outlets (may need spackling, holes, etc)

2. removing LR wall a/c unit and closing up hole. (again - spackling, etc)

3. exterminator (for previous ants) (after #1 and 2 so in case opening up walls for electric happens to show you some other 'friends' you'd need for the exterminator)

4. painting all rooms on first floor (which is where MBR is) (so all the spackling, holes, etc are finished)

5. Removing carpet and finishing existing hardwood floors on first floor. (last thing should be the floors b/c you will be unable to work for a few days after-especially in this weather, it'll take a while for the poly to dry)

6. installing alarm system (if you have the alarm system beforehand it may be a hassle for the workers to get in and out to complete numbers 1-5).

Good luck - and post pics!!

Re: Opinion - In What Order Would You Do These Things?

here is my opinion and since I just gutted my house and did many of these things it is based on what is the messiest and which should be done before furniture is in to make life easier.

1. fix AC hole in wall
2. Paint the rooms. (you will not want to do this with furniture in the house if you can avoid it.)
3. Floors (if you paint first you do not have to worry about getting paint on the newly finished floors and you definitely do not want to move in and then do this)
4. Electrical upgrade. It most likely will not tear up your walls. It didnt with our house and yes people say its a safety issue but as long as you dont live for years with the old service it is fine....there are 100 year old houses with old wiring that are perfectly safe.
5. alarm and exterminator can easily be done after you move in. alarms can be put in with out tearing up the house and unless your house in in a horrible area then a few weeks without an alarm shouldn't be an issue. I have never had an alarm and probably never will....I just don't see the purpose so that would be last on my list. and the exterminator can work without disruption to your living.

Re: Opinion - In What Order Would You Do These Things?

If you have an existing alarm system I would to that last, if not, I'd do that when ur breaking walls bc they came in and had to drill into our moldings of our windows and I was

Re: Opinion - In What Order Would You Do These Things?

1. Electric - should definitely be first its a big job and very costly

2. Hardwood Floors - they take at least a few days to dry

3. remove A/C and close it off

4. paint

5. exterminator

6. Alarm

Alarm and exterminator you can really do when you live there...

I think you should paint after you get the floors done because dust is going to fly everywhere and if your paint is not fully dry (it can take a while to cure fully) you will have dust specks in it which will be a nightmare to get rid of...

Message edited 10/5/2010 9:01:35 AM.

Re: Opinion - In What Order Would You Do These Things?

thanks everyone for your input!!! i am really torn on whether to do paint or floors first... ugh. stace, what you said is what my DH thinks too. but we're still not sure.

Re: Opinion - In What Order Would You Do These Things?

i would do the floors first before painting -especially if you have time crunch before moving in

to have the floors done nothing can be in the room - to paint a room you can move items into center which is easier

Re: Opinion - In What Order Would You Do These Things?

I wonder the same??

If you paint first , you don't have to worry about dropclothes BUT when they sand , wont your freshly painted moldings be ruined?

if you finish floor first, you have to be sooooooo careful when painting

I think we will do the floors first and just go crazy with drop clothes. I'd be annoyed if we painted and had to fix it

Message edited 10/5/2010 10:28:19 AM.

Re: Opinion - In What Order Would You Do These Things?

I would do floors last, it is a lot easier to touch up the moldings (you might even be able to remove them and then reinstall them after the floors) then it is to go crazy with the drop clothes, and it is not fun getting paint off the floor which will happen no matter how careful you are.

Re: Opinion - In What Order Would You Do These Things?

Posted by Leeners

I'd do it as follows:



1. upgrading electricity and ungrounded outlets (may need spackling, holes, etc)

2. removing LR wall a/c unit and closing up hole. (again - spackling, etc)

3. exterminator (for previous ants) (after #1 and 2 so in case opening up walls for electric happens to show you some other 'friends' you'd need for the exterminator)

4. painting all rooms on first floor (which is where MBR is) (so all the spackling, holes, etc are finished)

5. Removing carpet and finishing existing hardwood floors on first floor. (last thing should be the floors b/c you will be unable to work for a few days after-especially in this weather, it'll take a while for the poly to dry)

6. installing alarm system (if you have the alarm system beforehand it may be a hassle for the workers to get in and out to complete numbers 1-5).

Good luck - and post pics!!

Re: Opinion - In What Order Would You Do These Things?

I'm doing almost all the same stuff currently.. (minus ant issue & alarm)

We did (& are still doing) in this order:

Pulled up Carpet - we couldn't wait & we needed to see what we were dealing with as far as the floors underneath

Electrical Upgrade/grounding - there was some damage we had to patch

Take down LR/DR bearing wall

(I'd add the exterminator & alarm here)

Fix all holes & spackle

Paint (it is nice to paint without worrying about new floors)

Floors - Sand & stain (floor guys were careful about new walls.. minor paint touch ups are no big deal)

Re: Opinion - In What Order Would You Do These Things?

This is the order we did them.


-upgrading electricity and ungrounded outlets--and this is because if you need to make holes in the walls you can patch them before painting.


-removing LR wall a/c unit and closing up hole.

-installing alarm system-again, you can patch any holes.

-exterminator (for previous ants)

-painting all rooms on first floor (which is where MBR is)

-Removing carpet and finishing existing hardwood floors on first floor. You want to paint before you do your floors, so that if any paint splatters you won't ruin your new floors.

Re: Opinion - In What Order Would You Do These Things?

Exterminator
Electric
Alarm
Hardwood floors
Remove wall A/C unit and close up hole
Painting

I would definitely paint after you do the floors, not before.

Re: Opinion - In What Order Would You Do These Things?

we're in the process of doing a lot of these things and this is the order i would do them in:

exterminator

upgrade electric

close up a/c hole

finish floors

paint

install alarm

Message edited 10/5/2010 12:41:19 PM.

Re: Opinion - In What Order Would You Do These Things?

alright looks like there's definitely a split with whether to do floors or painting first.

with regard to doing the floors first, i wasn't concerned about getting paint on the floor bc i thought the painters know how to cover it and they use some pink paper stuff? am i imagining that? lol.... i feel so dense about this stuff.

Re: Opinion - In What Order Would You Do These Things?

Re: Opinion - In What Order Would You Do These Things?

Posted by Bearcat

We are closing soon and taking a few weeks to do some stuff before moving in. Here's what we're going to do... and my question is, what order should we be doing them? Any advice is much apprecated!! TIA!

-Removing carpet and finishing existing hardwood floors on first floor.

-upgrading electricity and ungrounded outlets

-painting all rooms on first floor (which is where MBR is)

-exterminator (for previous ants)

-removing LR wall a/c unit and closing up hole.

-installing alarm system

(eta - the last item)

Re: Opinion - In What Order Would You Do These Things?

Thank you so much everyone for your help!!!

Re: Opinion - In What Order Would You Do These Things?

Here's my thought on it - you can always prevent paint drips from getting on the floor - the painters will put paper down on the floor to protect it.

You cannot prevent dust/debris from the sanding/staining of the floors. Dust is going to get everywhere, and what if they ruin your freshly painted baseboards with the big machines?

THis is just my opinion, we didn't winde up doing the floors, but we were going to do floors then paint