The Homeowner's Guide to Pet Safety in the Home with Contractors During Renovations

If you’ve seen our social media already, then you know that we’ve got plenty of furry family members running amok here at Pinto Carpentry.  Over the past few decades, we’ve committed to our mission of rescuing cats from shelters and life as strays, and they’ve all been so wonderful. We’ve currently got two resident office cats who are ever so grateful for their luxury accommodations, and sometimes make an appearance on Feline Fridays over on our social media. 

As we removed our cats from the keyboards this week to do some admin work, we realized that our pet management techniques in the office and woodshop may come in quite handy for our clients, too! That’s why we’re bringing back our friendly guide to Pet Safety in the Home with Contractors During Renovations! That’s right, today’s blog is dedicated to tips and tricks for keeping your furry, finned, and four-legged pals safe and sound and calm while the contractors are around.  Our handy guide will give you the confidence and know-how to ensure a pet-friendly project that keeps everyone safe and sound.  

Basic Pet Safety When Renovating or Repairing Your Home:

First, it’s very important to understand the risks of keeping your pets in the home during renovations/construction:

• Fumes, dust, debris from the work being done

• Use of paint, varnish, stain, glue, stripping chemicals, etc.

• Extremely loud, jarring, and unusual noises from heavy machinery, power tools, equipment, and crew members moving around

• Heavy equipment and dangerous machinery in operation on site

• Dangers of your pets accidentally consuming unexpected food (the crew’s meals or someone feeding food/treats they shouldn’t, etc)

• Extreme light risk or escape attempts with poor recall due to fear/anxiety

• Some breeds are extra prone to breathing and aspiration issues which may especially be exacerbated by renovations

Some species and breeds such as birds, reptiles, amphibians, and small animals may be more sensitive to dust, debris, and fumes.  Consult with your veterinarian on proper precautionary steps to protect your pet before work begins.  Be aware it may be recommended to remove the pet off-site until work is completed.

Make sure you research and understand the warning signs of adverse health reactions to chemicals used on site or inhalation of particles in the air.  Contact your local veterinary emergency group or your vet immediately if you suspect your pet is having issues or toxicity.  

Navigating Contractors Visiting and Working in Your Pet-Friendly Home

Always make sure to inform your contractors that you have pets in the home.  Let them know how many, what breeds/types, and their names and descriptions.  If your contractor and your pet are amenable, a consensual and friendly introduction may help your pet understand that the crew are “Friends” and here to help.  You can do this initial verbal or personal intro at your estimate/consult appointment, if applicable!  Consider also briefly summarizing pertinent personality traits such as fear, anxiety, or overly-friendly nature; likewise, please inform the crew if there are any guard dogs on site. This can help on site workers keep an eye out for their own safety and well-being, and be on the lookout for pets in case they escape their holding areas.

Inform the crew if there are any special instructions for entering/exiting the property to ensure the safety and security of your pets.  This point is especially important for aggressive and fearful animals who may make escape attempts, as they may not respond to recalls or may act out in fear if they encounter noise or strangers.   Make sure there is at least one point of contact for your crew in case of any emergency should they escape from the house or into the work site.

It is not the responsibility of the work crew to catch or corral your escaped animals.  While some contractors may be pet-friendly, please be aware that they are still there to complete a home related task or construction project, and are not there to babysit your household pets.  Please, do not ask your contractors to let your pets out for potty breaks or playtime or feed them.  Arrange alternate care for your pets instead, and let your construction crew finish their project safely.

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In our experience over the course of 20+ years in business, we have unfortunately experienced some homeowners disregad recommendations to put their pets up safely despite our urgings; these pets have escaped or experienced extreme stress, or come very close to injuring themselves or a site worker. It’s in everyone’s best interests to ensure they’re managed and contained calmly.  But the good news is that we’ve also got some great ideas on how to make that transition easier on everyone, including you!

How to Prepare Your Pet for Contractors Being in the Home

There are a few steps you can take to ensure your pet experiences the least amount of stress before being quarantined.  When it comes to pet safety, being over prepared and overly cautious is preferable to the alternative.

First, consult with your vet prior to the work date to see if anxiety medication or calming supplements may also help subdue fears, anxiety, and discomfort around contractors in the home or living in a construction site.  Additionally, calming pheromone items like Feliway or ThunderEase plug-ins, sprays, and wearable collars can be implemented a few weeks before construction begins, and utilized throughout the home in each room to soothe your pet.

Next, if you have enough time before the project begins, dog behaviorists recommend pairing ambient sound playlists with positive reinforcement such as treats, trick training, playtime, or lick mats; queue up some videos or audio playlists of construction site sounds and play them at very low, almost imperceptible volume and gradually over the course of a few days or a week increase the volume while pairing it with those happy rewards! 

Regardless of your pet’s personal habits and preferences, do not let them freely wander the home or through the work sites when active work is happening.  They may not enjoy it at first, but we promise that the minimal time they’re cooped up will not traumatize them long term, but being severely injured or worse on a jobsite certainly might. At the bare minimum, you must ensure that your pets are safely leashed and harnessed at all times if they must pass the work site to prevent wandering underfoot.  It is also mportant that you also do not leave a pet outdoors to wander the yard or home unattended; your pet should be on a longline or restrained to avoid escapes or accidental bites; pets may react unpredictably or unfavorably to the loud noises of powertools, strange voices, or to the sights and smells of materials and workers, and they may behave unexpectedly like jumping fences or digging to escape.  Be abundantly cautious with their safety, and understand all pets are a flight risk when you’re having work done in the home.

If you’re able to stay home while workers are on site, it’s even better if you stay with your pet in their safe space.  If not, please take precautions to quarantine your pets in a safe area away from renovations and workers.  If you’re unable to stay home with your pet, or the home environment will be too loud or unsafe (think fumes, dust, etc), we recommend booking a “doggy daycare” at the time of booking your contractor.  Alternatively, hiring a pet sitter for a day rate or a drop-in service 1-3x daily can be a big stress reliever.

Make some daily preparations to minimize your pet’s stress starting with the first day that workers enter your home to begin work, and each day until the project is complete.  Before contractors arrive, take your pets for a long sniffy walk around the neighborhood, and engage them in some tricks or a rousing game of fetch.  Prepare some enrichment toys such as frozen lick mats or frozen food bowls or puzzle feeders. 

Some homeowners have elected to crate their dogs in quiet rooms with dim lightin to encourage them to nap their way through the work day.  Adding a cotton blanket or crate cover to the crate can also help dampen the ambient sounds around them. Consider purchasing a white noise machine to hang on crates or near their resting area in the quarantined space.  Likewise, placing a HEPA air filter in the home may help them breathe easier whilst also dampening noise from tools and workers.  Music services such as Apple Music, Amazon Music, Spotify, and YouTube all offer pet-specific playlists.  Some animals also enjoy watching “Cat TV” or “Dog TV” videos on subscription services or free on YouTube.

And last but not least, when the workers leave for the day, be sure to provide lots of hugs, kisses, and happy play time to your pets when you release them from the quarantine area.  Starting and ending the day with your pets on a positive note can have a beneficial effect on the whole experience!

Pinto Carpentry is a family-owned and operated carpentry company serving most areas of New Jersey for more than two decades.  We are expert indoor handrail installers and custom staircase carpenters.  Pinto Carpentry is available for both commercial and residential projects, and we accept both large and small projects.  Looking to upgrade your home’s stairs and railings? Give us a call to schedule a consultation and receive a customized plan and estimate to fit your style and budget needs.  At the time of publishing this blog, we’re booking jobs for August 2025.