Living Through a Renovation

Living through a renovation is hard. There is no easy way to renovate your own home while living there in the San Francisco Bay Area.  Life adjustments are needed. You must mentally and physically prepare yourself and your family to cope with this pain. Plan ahead! Here are my top three insider interior designer professional remodeling tips that I share with my clients.

1. Construction Dust

There is no way to escape from construction dust. Even when your contractor carefully seals a construction zone with plastic, dust travels. Despite everyone’s best efforts, every time someone enters or exits the plastic zone, dust is carried along for the ride. Workers must enter and exit many times during the construction phase. Even with daily clean up, there is still a lot of dust. All of this extra care contributes to the high cost of remodeling in residential settings. If you do not want dust, remodeling while living at your property is not for you; you should move out of the house during construction. I strongly advise this especially if you have kids, and/or severe allergies. Because dust travels through the air, things you want protected from dust must be packed in sealed plastic containers. Additionally, I recommend having at least once a week professional cleaning done during the construction to remove dust. This helps a lot. Most dust is wiped away to reset for coming weeks of more dust. At the end of your renovation, you would want to have a professional deep cleaning of the whole house to remove dust. You as a homeowner must make these decisions before construction begins; you need to be aware of this construction reality and manage it accordingly based on your comfort level. The final professional cleaning after remodeling is finished is very important. It’s a closing of your remodel physically and emotionally.

2. Normal Routines Disrupted During Remodels

Be aware and accept that normal activities such as cooking, eating and taking a shower become impossible during construction. Do your best to prepare for it mentally and physically. Common problems of cooking and eating, and showering during kitchen and bathroom remodels are addressed below:

Kitchen Remodel – Cooking and Eating

Frankly, eating well during construction helps with your stress of remodeling project! You also eat out and order takeout meals a lot, but it gets very tiring after a while. Set up a temporary kitchen and eating area in your house. A temporary kitchen should have at least, a sink with water access, a portable microwave, and a fridge. Your microwave will become your friend during construction. Your old or new fridge needs to be usable. A common place for temporary setup is in your garage. I suggest that my clients do kitchen remodels in the summer time. Often, they cook and BBQ in their backyard especially when the backyard is furnished and equipped for cooking. Save time and hassle by using disposable paper plates, cups and utensils during construction.

Bathroom Remodel – Showering

Do not start demolishing all your bathrooms unless you have a place to take a shower. Normally, you remodel one bathroom at a time due to this problem so that you always have one working bathroom. Some clients want to do all the bathrooms at the same time. Then your showering options are: 1) at your gym, 2) at your friend’s or neighbor’s, and 3) at a hotel. If you have a pool and shower in your backyard, it solves the problem in the summer.

3. Get Away from Your Construction Zone!

When I manage my interior design projects in the San Francisco Bay Area, clients leave their house to get away from all the issues discussed above. Even when you do not have an interior designer or project manager, budget in frequent weekend getaways during your remodel. It is essential for your peace of mind. Plan to have these trips at least a few times during construction. Visit your families and friends, or plan an easy weekend vacation. When you go away from the physical construction environment, and when you have your normal activities back under control, you regain your mental space and peace of mind. During your trips, reflect on your goals of your remodel, and reasons why you want to get your remodeling done in the first place. Remember the big picture. No pain, no gain!

Living through a renovation is overwhelming but it’s guaranteed to go more smoothly if you know these tips. I hope my tips based on my personal and professional experience are helpful in planning your remodels and renovations. Check out our portfolio to get inspired and contact us today to make your dream home a reality!

Happy remodeling!

*Featured image credit: CBS News