Renovating your home can be an exciting project with the ability to change not just your home, but your entire life. However, if you’re having your entire home renovated, you might find that living in it while work is underway, simply isn’t workable. Irrespective of whether you have small children or pets, or both, it can be awkward trying to live normally in a home that’s under construction, and at some point, you’re going to find yourself without gas, electricity and water. Not only that, but it can be dangerous for everyone involved, too.
If you’re having your home renovated and are trying to decide whether you can stay in it while the project is being carried out, or whether you’ll need to move out until it’s over (or at least in the finishing stages), here are some things to think about:
How big is the renovation?
For full home renovations, you’re almost certainly going to need to find alternative accommodation for a month or two at the minimum, otherwise you won’t be able to function normally. When the water and electricity supply is cut off (which it inevitably will be for certain periods), you need to think about how you will cook and wash, and if it’s in the winter, how you will keep your home warm.
Most general contractors don’t like to rush any aspect of the project, and will not compromise on quality for the sake of speeding things up so that you can move back home sooner. However, if after a discussion with your general contractor, you both agree that it is possible for you to remain at home during the renovation, you can do so based upon your needs.
While you can stay, and no contractor can demand that you leave, it is typically not workable and not safe to do so.
Pets and renovations
Generally speaking, the two don’t make a good combination, and not only can pets get under the contractors feet and cause a variety of potential health and safety hazards, but many pets find the noise, dust and presence of so many strangers in their home, distressing. It’s safer all round to board the pets while work is underway, or have a friend or family member take temporary care of them.
Kids and renovations
For smaller renovations in which you plan to remain in the home, smaller children should be supervised at all times if they’re present while work is being carried out. It can be extremely dangerous both for the children, and the contractors, if kids get under their feet or start touching their tools and equipment.
Unless you have a friend or family member that you can stay with while the renovation is underway, it will of course cost you money to rent somewhere or stay in a hotel. The alternatives, however, may be much more impractical, unsafe and stressful. Discuss the extent of work planned with your general contractor, and make a decision about whether to remain in the home, based upon all of the factors above.