Renovating steps - advice

Do not do the floors first. I had them done before I moved and then found out I needed emergency renovations done ASAP. They put down heavy duty, water absorbent builder's paper and had sheets of Masonite to put under their equipment. Unfortunately, the workers' main focus was on their job and not the floor maintenance. They tore the paper and frequently did not use the Masonite. I wound up taping up the tears every day. The work took a few months and the paper did not stand up to the traffic. They did not want to stop and replace worn sections. Now I have the flooring guy back making repairs, a very time consuming process to make sure the fixes don't stand out. It took him less time to finish the floors in the first place.

jelj13,

Thanks for the advice and sharing your experience. It was a slim chance I was going to have it done in the first place, and after reading your post, I am convinced to wait.

UESprospect,

I totally disagree.

In Jel13's case, he hired a contractor that did not do a very good job at all, the first thing they should have done is out down masonite.

Typically I would do the floors last but since you cannot do your renovations now you should do you floor. To refinish the floor after you move in is a huge mistake. Where are you going to put all your furniture? Are you going to move out for a week.

Do your floors and then make sure the floors are protected prior to demo of your bathroom and anything else.

Agree with Primer05 -- do the floors now, just don't hire a crappy contractor later.

Protecting a floor isn't rocket science. I had three trees and a dozen shrubs in my master bedroom while decking was replaced outside and the floor did not suffer a single scratch, nick or dent.

do the floors. before the contractors come in buy Ram Board. it's more like cardboard then paper.

Masonite is better then Ram board, in my opinion