You just signed for a home remodel, and it’s exciting! Have you planned for what YOU’RE doing though? With all the construction, loud banging and saw dust, are you staying at your home or relocating until your makeover is complete? We wanted to point out a few things to consider when making this decision. There’s a lot of factors that may change your thinking on what you believe to be best while ongoing home changes occur.
You never really think about how often you use different areas of your home, not until it’s taken from you of course. You realize just how important that kitchen sink is, or that spare bathroom might be. Then think about how long those rooms/areas will be out of commission, it could be a few weeks! We think it’s important to lay out the options for a lot of different situations that will best suit you for the occasion.
THE SITUATION
The first thought we have is access to the internet. This one might not seem like much of a big deal, but if your home has to unplug the internet for a few days, will you get by? This could cut home leisure for the entire family, whether it’s streaming, gaming, or reading an article like this one online, we rely a lot on the internet these days. There’s always an option to hotspot off your phone for a few days, if it won’t break the bank, or finding someplace public to access it before heading back home, but if you work from home this could be a massive barrier.
The next thought we have when it comes to working through the process is kids and pets, or expected children. These situations could be out of the question for you, but some this is a real deal. Having to keep kids and animals out of harm's way is something to consider. As adults we know better, but who’s to stop a kid from stepping on something sharp? Depending on the room which is being remodeled this could vary. If you’re a mother expecting during a project, consider going elsewhere to focus on yourself while you go through the process of pregnancy, adding stress to yourself in those 9 months doesn’t seem worth it. From what I read online, some expecting mothers said it wasn’t worth sticking it out at home!
THE OPTIONS
We talked about a lot of the complications of living at home during a remodel, and made it sound like a living nightmare. Not all of them are though, sometimes it’s better to be on site to answer questions from the contractor on the spot, rather than by email or a missed call. More times than not, when we remodel homes, the homeowner stays and finds ways to live around the construction site. Plus staying at home is ultimately more cheap than the options we’re about to share.
The first option is an obvious one, relocate while the project is happening. This could be done easily using AirBnb, or spending time with close friends, or relatives. It would be like a nice mini vacation, and depending on the budget it could be free or cost you a few pennies. All options are good to relocate, just make sure you don't go some place far during the remodel, as you may need to be around physically to see changes and inquire on change orders through the process.
The other option is to build a temporary room within your home to offer the utility of the room being redone. If this is a kitchen, this could be tricky, unless you buy an electric stove and live off microwave food, but you could manage! Options for restrooms is to move your toothbrushes and maintenance to the kitchen, and shower at your local gym (which means you could squeeze a light workout session in as well). As for the toilet itself, you could order a portable restroom like you see at large events, they normally cost around $150 a month give or take, this typically includes their maintenance costs!
THE TAKEAWAY
At the end of the day, this choice is all yours. Every job site is different and we can’t account for every specific factor. The best we can do is give advice so you can be best prepared for your situation. We hope you can make the best choice for yourself during the construction that will allow you to enjoy the process of your remodel without pulling your hair out! If you have any questions or ideas on top of what’s mentioned, don’t forget to comment!