There is one thing that all of my clients are concerned about when I come into their home- THE MESS! Frankly, I don’t like a mess either and I do my best to maintain an organized jobsite and put highest importance on protecting their home from the side effects of remodeling, including dust.

The most effective way that I’ve found to control dust inside a client’s home is to basically build a wall out of thin plastic. If sensitive electronic items cannot be moved (like large TVs) I cover them first with a clean sheet of plastic in addition to building a plastic wall across the room. I use blue painter’s tape to seal it all the way across the ceiling and down the walls.

Often, the jobsite can be contained in one room or portion of the home, so I can just put the plastic across the door way. The point is, that I try to build a contained work area so that the dust does not spread throughout the home.

TIP: When you’re making the most dust, like during demolition or sanding drywall, turn off the HVAC system. This helps the dust to not circulate throughout the home as well as clogging up the ductwork.

In addition to plastic walls, I use a variety of floor coverings to protect floor surfaces. I’m a big fan of large canvas drop cloths in areas where I’ll be working. I cover any carpet that is in my path with adhesive plastic that is meant for temporary carpet protection. Finally, a roll of brown construction paper comes in handy for covering hardwood floors or other smooth surfaces.

It can be a lot of work to prep a jobsite beforehand, but I’m a lot more comfortable working there if I know that I’ve taken the adequate steps to minimize my mess and the possibility of damage to the area.