Did your floor fitter ask for the room to be completely cleared ?

[kitchendsibk]

We are due to get a wooden floor fitted next week. We've been looking forward to it but after speaking to the fitter he wants the room completely cleared. I obviously will be moving all the bits the I can ie tv, tables, lamps etc but I thought he'd be able to move the sofas and work around them. I am now panicking as for some reason ours seem absolutely massive and we have always had major problems getting them in and out of doors when moving house etc.

Mine asked for the room to be cleared for both the wooden flooring and carpets.
It's usual practice for them to ask for rooms to be cleared prior to them starting the work.

Yes. It's normal for rooms to be fully cleared before they start work.

Mine said they could work around e.g. a bed and a wardrobe or similar (emptied so they are moveable).

Yes

We also had to clear the room of absolutely everything. If we didn't have to we would change carpets more often!

Yes, or the flooring won’t be laid evenly

Yes

Yes. I've known them to occasionally be ok with a single large item in the room, but completely cleared is the standard, ime.

We had to move the smaller bits and they worked around the sofas

Yes

Yes.
I had my entire house recarpeted. Never again! I might as well have moved house.
It shattered me, emptying everything, boxing it and moving stuff around to clear spaces.

You should clear the room or have a discussion on what needs to be moved.
If is very unfair to expect them to be moving your furniture around without agreement as this is not priced into the cost of doing the job.

If they've asked for it to be cleared, you should clear it. My dad was a floor fitter, and put his back out more than once shifting customers heavy furniture. His company started requesting cleared rooms after they had two or three fitters out at once. It's a skilled trade, they are not removers.

Yes the rooms have to be cleared of everything that can be taken out. Mine did work around the large sofa and just moved it around the room but everything else had to be removed.

Completely normal. Of course he needs the whole floor cleared.

Yeah wooden floor you have to clear it completely. Lots of cutting and stuff so sofas staying in there would get wrecked with all the dust plus they need space for the electric saws.

Carpets they'll work round a sofa, all they have to do is fit half then lift it over but wood floor they need it clear.

Yes you have to otherwise they can't lay it properly and it looks shit. Sympathies, we found it so stressful in a relatively small kitchen!

Oh crikey, I'm looking to put new carpet down and stupidly didn't think of this. It's going to be a right pain but understandable that it has to be done.

Yes. That’s standard.

Mine could work with moving bed, empty wardrobes for carpeting. The section with hard flooring had to be cleared as he put concrete down to level floor out… if he is putting concrete down, you’d definitely have to move stuff.

Our last few carpet fitters have said it’s fine to leave a few pieces of furniture as long as they are emptied (chest of drawers etc). I asked when we were organising the carpet purchase / fitting. Sometimes we’ve been charged a bit more.

I can imagine it’s perhaps different with a wooden floor where you might need to let it set before putting weight on it, or ensure it’s all properly clunked together ??? Carpet is a bit more flexible and forgiving. No experience of wooden floor fits though.

The fitters worked around my elderly Mum's sofa and chair. I was quite surprised as thought they'd insist on them being removed. Carpet looks great.

This.

Yes, it is usual practise to clear the room. We have sometimes left 1 thing in there (e.g. wardrobe) but by prior agreement with the fitters.

Sorry my reply was no use to you whatsoever considering you are asking about wooden floors 🤦🏼‍♀️