How …To Prepare For Install Day

To make Install Day go smoothly, here are some things to know and do:

Please check to be sure the wallpaper is the correct pattern and color and all the same run number (it’s printed on the label), and has not been damaged in shipping. If you open a roll, keep the label and wrapping paper with it.

I will be there about 9:00-9:30 a.m., sometimes a little later on Tuesdays, or if you live far outside the Loop.

It usually takes all day, sometimes ‘til dark.

If you need to run errands or go to work or whatever, that is OK.

Once I’m in and set up, I’m just there doing my thing until I’m finished.

I work through the day, and don’t leave for lunch.

Be sure to leave phone numbers where you can be reached.

If you will not be home when I arrive, please put the wallpaper in the room(s) where it is to be hung. If only one accent wall is to be papered, please indicate which wall.

Note: Do NOT write on the wall – use a sticky note or blue painter’s tape or a thumbtack.

I’ll need about 24” minimum (but more is better) around the walls for my ladder. I can move some things, but I cannot move heavy furniture like china cabinets or heavy beds, so please arrange to have these moved before I arrive. It is essential to have A/C or heat operating, electricity, running water somewhere nearby, and no other workmen in the area. Please remove any toiletries, artwork, or knick-knacks. I can take down most mirrors, but I cannot handle heavy mirrors, so please have these removed before I arrive.

I will need a place to set up my table (which is about the size of a door and requires about 5’x10’ of floor space). Some people let me spread a padded moving blanket on their dining table, and I can set my table on that, which saves space.

I like to work in my stocking feet, and have baby sock booties on my ladders, so your floors will be protected. I keep the doors locked when I am working alone in the house.

I’ll bring drop cloths, and all the other materials needed to get the walls prepped, and your paper up on the wall. If the wall needs to be smoothed, there may be dust – but my Shop Vac is a big help with that! Also, having the A/C or heat cranking, as well as turning the house fan from “Auto” to “On” helps immensely to get the smoothing compound to dry. There may be a little odor from the primer, but it dissipates quickly.

I work around toilets and pedestal sinks all the time, but occasionally a handy homeowner will remove one or both of these fixtures. This makes my job a whole lot easier, plus it ensures that paper will sit tightly against the wall behind the toilet, and eliminates a cut edge along the top of the sink (which can wick up splashed water and cause curling).

Be sure to let me know if you’re going to reuse the same towel bars, light fixtures, mirrors, and etc., or if you will be installing new ones. Please do not write on the wall.

If you are changing the light fixture, check ahead of time to be sure the new fixture will fit in the same space as the old one. Sometimes when the old one comes down, you discover that the electrical junction box is not centered over the sink, or there might be some other issue. And different fixtures might use different mounting hardware that don’t fit what you have now. I can often install the new fixture for you, but if it’s complicated or requires special parts, you might need an electrician (or a handy husband).

I can remove and replace some curtains and blinds, but heavy drapes or those with complicated mountings must be removed before I get there. Also, some blinds have tricky mounting hardware, occasionally requiring a professional installer to get them down.

And info about pets – Cats allowed outside? Dog who likes to dart out the door? (I am back and forth to the truck a lot.)

Please let me know what other people may be in the house. There’s nothing like being startled by a 6’4” high school football player coming down the stairs in his PJ’s.

I occasionally accept packages for homeowners. But I will not let anyone in the house (cable guy, Ozarka water, etc.) unless you advise me ahead of time that they are expected.

I drive a full-sized ½ ton Chevy van. Since I have heavy and bulky equipment to haul in and out, I like to park as close to the door as possible – on the street in front of the house, on the driveway. Some complexes with shared driveways require special parking arrangements. If your street has permitted parking, please be sure that a visitor’s parking permit is available.