Can I Live in My Home During a Renovation?
The optimistic answer is of course; but realistically, it depends on your tolerance for dust, noise, and disruptions to your daily routine. As exciting as a renovation can be, living through one is not glamourous. There will be days when your kitchen is unavailable, your garage is full of cabinets waiting to be installed, and you wonder how dust can travel so far. The good news? Clients survive renovations everyday. The secret is knowing what to expect and keeping a sense of humor.
What you see on TV is not reality. That perfectly choreographed process wraps up in sixty minutes, revealing a spotless home with everyone smiling holding freshly baked cookies. Oh, a girl can dream. Real renovations involve demolition, deliveries, inspections, scheduling and that occasional surprise behind the wall. Especially in older New Hampshire homes, it is not uncommon to uncover outdated wiring, previous modifications that aren’t quite up to code, or structural conditions that need attention. All discoveries are manageable and all challenges have solutions but they can impact schedules and convenience.
The most challenging room to live through is the kitchen. For a period of time you’ll not have access to your sink, appliances, everything you store in your cabinets. Before construction begins, I encourage homeowners to create a temporary kitchen somewhere else in the home. A corner in your dining room with a microwave, toaster oven, coffee maker, and mini fridge can go a long way. You will quickly learn how creative a slow cooker, air fryer and mild desperation can make you. Paper plates are your new best friend.
Bathroom renovations require a bit of strategy if you only have one. If you have multiple bathrooms, this is much more manageable. A little planning and one of those old school schedules will help to keep territorial conflicts minimal.
Get ready for the noise. Demolition, installing flooring, cutting tile, and general construction activity is noisy. If you work from home, this can be very difficult. Plan on finding an alternative place to work during the louder phases of construction. A local coffee shop, library, coworking space or heading to the office will help you keep your sanity and productivity. Investing in noise canceling headphones are a worthwhile investment.
Dust happens. Professional contractors take precautions utilizing plastic sheeting and zippered doors to isolate work areas and protect the rest of the home. My advice before construction begins store your fragile items, protect important belongings, and cover your furniture. Lowering your expectations for cleanliness helps especially if you can focus on the end result. Construction dust is one of those things everyone tries to control, however, it is uncontrollable and inevitable.
How to protect your furniture and belongings? Remove your fragile or sentimental items from the renovation zone and store in a safe area. Larger furniture that cannot be moved out should be covered with heavy-duty plastic sheeting and canvas drop cloths. Area rugs should be rolled up and covered. Wood floors should be covered with ram board or protective floor covering in high traffic areas. Electronics and dust are not friends so cover or relocate temporarily. Do what you can before the renovation begins and a professional cleaning once the renovation is complete creates a clean slate.
Renovations are temporary and the results are long term. Remember that the construction phase is just that, a phase, not a permanent condition. A year later, most homeowners remember the finished space far move vividly than the inconvenience of eating take out. The disruption is real, but the value of a thoughtfully designed space continues long after the the last tradesman packs up. Imagine your future self standing in you beautiful new kitchen with a functioning sink and the memory of paper plates fades.
When does it make sense to move out? If you are renovating your whole home, making major structural changes, or have young children, it might make sense to relocate temporarily. Some clients have parked RV’s in the driveway as a temporary solution. It works better than you think, and feels like a road trip without actually going anywhere.
Planning makes all the difference. A well planned project helps to reduce disruptions and minimize surprises. Can you live in your home during a renovation? In many cases, yes. Will it be perfectly convenient? Probably not. You might find yourself making coffee in a guest room, washing dishes in a bathroom sink, or wonder how many meals can a family eat from a crockpot. With realistic expectations, thoughtful planning, and a sense of humor, most homeowners navigate the process successfully and are glad they did.