Taking on a major home renovation is an exciting time. Finally, you can give your home the space and functionality it needs. But major renovations can also be extensive undertakings, and without the proper preparation, a major home renovation can feel cumbersome and stressful. Plus, moving out of your home for a renovation isn’t always an option. Finding a new place to live in the Pittsburgh area can be difficult or expensive. But is it possible to live with a renovation and not go crazy?
With the right mindset, knowledge, and proper preparation, you can make a home renovation or addition project much easier for you and your family.
We have performed hundreds of home renovation projects and have learned what bothers homeowners most in the process. Here are a few items to implement that will help you maintain your sanity during a major home renovation project.
1. Move Out or Take a Vacation
If at all possible, move out of your home temporarily during its renovation. The noise, dust, and number of people in your home can be a lot to handle. If you know that a major remodel is in your home’s future, try to schedule a vacation around that time frame and kill two birds with one stone.
If vacation isn’t a possibility but moving out is, utilize the opportunity to stay with friends or family who will let you into their homes temporarily. Hotel bills can add up, so if moving out isn’t an option, there are still ways to alleviate the stress of a major home renovation.
2. Determine A Work Schedule
Unless you hire multiple teams to work on your home day and night, your contractor will have a schedule. If you can determine what that work schedule will be, you can plan to be out of the house for a large portion of the time construction is occurring in a day.
Choosing to run errands, take the kids or dog to the park, go see a movie, or find other outings to partake in while construction is happening to your home will keep your interaction with the work at bay.
3. Zone Off the Work Area
Section off a construction portion of the home. You can put up temporary walls or section the area off with plastic sheets. This keeps kids, pets, and others away from the construction area, which can become a potentially hazardous space.
Creating a seal or section also keeps dust at bay from the rest of your home. It provides a barrier from you and the work, which may not do much in the way of sound, but can help the process from becoming an eyesore and the mess contained to a portion of the home.
4. Pack Up the Renovation Rooms
Your home holds many belongings, which tend to clutter the space where your contractor needs to work. So pack up the renovation rooms before your contractor’s team arrives on the scene. Having extra items in the room undergoing construction will only slow the process. By packing up the room, you know your belongings are safe from any accidental damage and your home is prepared for the renovation to begin as soon as your contractor’s crew arrives.
5. Set Up a Mock Kitchen
Including a kitchen remodel in your home renovation? Even if the portion of your home being remodeled is in close proximity to your kitchen, dust can become an issue when cooking. Set up a temporary kitchen area away from the construction zone of your home. While eating out is an option, doing so every night can add up. Invest in a small and affordable burner set and move your coffee station or microwave into the new “kitchen” area.
While not always the most ideal, planning meals according to your space can alleviate the cooking stress. Microwaving meals and preparing meals in advance can simplify your life. Just be sure to set realistic expectations for your temporary kitchen space.
6. Think Ahead
Not having the proper fixtures can set a renovation back. If an item doesn’t come in on time, it can put the renovation at a standstill until the item arrives. If you can think of the items that need to be ordered ahead of time, order promptly to avoid hold ups.
Make Your Major Home Renovation Happen
By taking the above steps, you can alleviate the stress that can accompany home renovations and transform your current home into the home of your dreams. At Action Builders, we specialize in major home renovations and additions. Our knowledge and expertise in handling these large-scale projects help us make the process as easy for you as possible.
Contact us today at (412) 835-3543 to schedule a free consultation.