How to survive remodelling your home
Ask anyone who has stayed in their home whilst they are remodelling what their advice is, they will tell you not to stay in your home during the process under any circumstances. However sometime this is not always an option, especially if you are under pressure financially. Sometimes you just have to deal with the dust and grin and bare it.
It is usually the case that when you can mentally prepare yourself for each possible scenario, you can cope better when situations arise. When things take you by surprise it is harder to handle however a little bit of light preparation can work wonders. You won’t avoid all disruption but at least you may cope better. Here are some of the main issues you can expect when you remodel your home.
There will be dust
Regardless of the size of your remodel, there will be some dust at some point and you may even have to cope with layers of dust in room nowhere near the workroom. Dust gets everywhere. One way to stop dust travelling further than necessary is to hang dustsheets in doorways and over cabinets. You can also hoover near the entrance to the work zone so that you and your family don’t trek dust through the house.
There will be noise
It is guaranteed to be loud at some point when you are remodelling your home and how much this irritates you will depend on your circumstances. If you have a 1 year old who needs naps, this can become a very frustrating problem. If you are out for most of the day but enjoy a lie in on a certain morning and all you hear is ‘bang, bang, bang’ at 8 a.m. you may get a little annoyed. It is safe to say that this is something you need to plan for. Maybe take the baby for a walking nap instead of staying home. Plan breakfast dates for the time you know the construction will be happening.
There will be breakages
Everything in your home has the potential to be broken and one way to avoid your most precious items being disturbed is to simply put them into storage either in a cupboard in your home, in a friend’s garage or even in storage. Don’t overlook pictures either as one swing of the hammer can result in that favourite frame smashed on the floor. Wrap your favourite possessions up in towels or kitchen towels and keep them safe.
There will be days with no plumbing
This is very likely, especially if you are remodelling your kitchen or bathroom. Make sure you keep in contact with the contractor about when the water will be cut off so you can prepare for that time. Maybe your children will need to go for a sleepover with friends that night. Or you can all pile over to Grandma and Grandpa’s. You can also stay in your home but make sure you stock up on water so you don’t run out during the cut off.
There will be rain when your roof is off
The expression is sod’s law and it is possible that you may be a victim of this law when you rip the roof of your home. It may be the middle of a summer’s day, you think you are home free and wham, down comes the rain. It is England after all. The likelihood of rain is always high.
There will be delays
Projects like this always need a little bit of leeway when it comes to time. There may be days the contractor can’t work because of rain. Orders may not come in on time for materials. You may need to redo certain elements of the remodel. If you add 15 to 20 % to the expected time period then you will be more on the mark.
There will be people in your kitchen at 8 a.m
Best piece of advice? Buy a dressing gown if you don’t already have one. There will be construction workers in your kitchen at 8 a.m. in the morning and if you aren’t an early bird then you will be dashing in and out of the kitchen trying to grab what you need. Dressing gowns solve this embarrassment. Ladies particularly, we know what it is like.
The most important thing to remember during a remodel is the final result. Maybe you will have a brand new extension on your kitchen with more space for you and your family. Perhaps you will have a luxurious new bathroom with a huge bath. Whatever you are striving for, try to enjoy it a little and focus on the final prize.
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