A little preparation before the tile crew arrives makes the whole project smoother, faster, and less stressful. Most of it is common sense, but a few things are easy to overlook until the morning of demo day when you're scrambling to move a vanity full of toiletries or figure out where the dog is going to stay.
We're Konar Bros Tile Co., a family-run tile installer serving Tampa Bay, and we put together this simple checklist from years of real installs. Some of it is on you, some of it is on us — we'll be clear about which is which so nothing falls through the cracks.
Clear and Empty the Work Area
Start by emptying the bathroom or room being tiled. Take everything out of the vanity, off the counters, and out of the shower — toiletries, towels, scales, trash cans, and anything stored on the floor. If a piece of furniture or a freestanding cabinet can be moved, move it before we arrive.
Clear the path between the entrance and the work area too. We'll be carrying out heavy debris and bringing in tile, mortar, and tools, so a clear hallway protects your belongings and speeds up demo day. Bag up small valuables and medications and store them somewhere else in the house.
If we're doing a full bathroom remodel, decide in advance what's staying and what's going. We coordinate the tile scope, but knowing whether the vanity, mirror, and fixtures are being reused or replaced lets us plan the sequence. Our tile services page lists everything our scope typically covers.
Protect the Rest of Your Home
Tile demolition makes dust — there's no way around it. A good crew controls it, but you can help by closing doors to adjacent rooms, removing wall art near the work zone, and turning off any whole-home HVAC return that could pull dust through your ductwork. We recommend changing your air filter after the job wraps regardless.
We handle the heavy protection. On our jobs we lay down floor protection along the work path, set up dust barriers, and clean the area each evening so you're not living in a construction zone. You shouldn't have to tape plastic over your own doorways — that's our job.
If you have hardwood, carpet, or finished floors between the door and the bathroom, point them out during the estimate so we plan the right protection. It's far easier to prevent a scuff than to fix one.
Plan for Water, Power, and Daily Life
If we're tiling a shower or doing a remodel that touches plumbing, the water to that bathroom may be shut off for part of the project. If it's your only bathroom, line up an alternative — a gym, a neighbor, or scheduling the work around a short trip. We'll tell you exactly which days water or power will be affected.
Remember that tile work runs on cure times, not just labor. Even after the last tile is set, grout and mortar need time to cure before the shower can get wet, so the bathroom is out of service a bit longer than the active work days. We explain this fully in how long bathroom tile installation takes.
Plan parking and access too. Our crew needs a spot near the entrance to load and unload, and clear access to a water source and an outlet. In gated communities or condos, arrange any HOA or building access ahead of time so day one isn't spent waiting at a gate.
Keep Kids and Pets Safe and Out of the Way
Active job sites have sharp edges, heavy materials, wet mortar, and power tools. The simplest plan is to keep children and pets in a separate part of the house during work hours, or out of the home entirely on demo day, which is the dustiest and loudest.
Curious pets are a real hazard around fresh tile and curing grout — a paw print set into your new shower floor is a story you don't want to tell. Let us know about pets during the estimate so we can keep doors and barriers managed accordingly.
It also speeds things up. When the crew can focus on the work instead of watching for a toddler or a cat slipping into the work zone, your bathroom gets finished faster and to a higher standard.
Finalize Your Tile Choices Before Demo Day
The single biggest cause of project delays is unfinished decisions — tile, grout color, and layout that aren't locked in when the crew arrives. Decide these before demo day, ideally during our free design consultation, where we help you pick tile and grout and tell you where to buy.
If you're still weighing options, our guides on how to choose tile for a small bathroom and the best grout color for white subway tile are good starting points. Order or buy materials with a little overage built in for cuts and future repairs.
Ready to get started? Book a free estimate or call (813) 439-1652. We serve all of Tampa Bay, we're licensed and insured, we work one project at a time, and every install is backed by our 10-year workmanship and waterproofing warranty. Compare project budgets on our pricing page.
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Planning a tile project in Tampa Bay?
The Konar brothers deliver custom showers, floors, and backsplashes — one project at a time, backed by a 10-year workmanship warranty.
Frequently Asked Questions
What do I need to do before the tile installers arrive?
Empty the bathroom and vanity, clear a path from the entrance to the work area, store valuables and medications elsewhere, plan for kids and pets, and lock in your tile and grout choices. A good installer handles dust control, floor protection, and daily cleanup.
Will tile installation make a mess in my house?
Demolition creates dust, but a professional crew controls it with dust barriers, floor protection along the work path, and evening cleanup. Closing doors to nearby rooms and changing your air filter after the job help keep the rest of your home clean.
How long will my bathroom be unusable?
Active tile work on a shower runs about 4–7 working days, plus 24–72 hours for grout to cure before the shower can get wet. If it's your only bathroom, plan an alternative for the full window. See our timeline guide for details.
Do I need to buy the tile before the crew comes?
Yes — your tile, grout color, and layout should be finalized before demo day to avoid delays. We help you make these choices during our free design consultation, including where to buy, so everything is ready when work begins.