How should you prepare when planning for a major renovation?
Although we take pride in handling as many of the little details as we can for our clients, there are some tips and suggestions we have to help our clients prepare for a major renovation.
It is rare that our clients are able to fully vacate the home during the renovation, so we try our best to communicate what to expect ahead of time to allow for a smoother renovation with less stress! Living in your home during a renovation can be an inconveince but we coordnate the timeline based on product leadtime, and scheduling with our contractor to have the least impact our your daily routine as possible!
Below are some tips we recommend:
1. Consider getting a key lockbox to provide contractors entry to your home when you are away
2. Store your belongings for large renovations. This could be in another room of your home or off-site storage facilities
Move Fragile and Precious Items out of the work area and into safe zones. We love storage bins so you can still access the items if needed
Clear Rooms of Large Items that are to remain, and seal them tightly in plastic sheeting
Keep Your Items Safe From Theft or Misplacement. You don’t want to play the blame game with the contractor or their workers
3. Plan your living arrangements. for instance if your kitchen will be under construction for a while, then think about where you will prepare and eat meals. You may put your microwave, toaster, and other small appliances in your laundry room temporarily. Plastic plates and cutlery is your friend during this time! If you are removing a wall adjacent to a bedroom, you may need to consider sleeping arrangements.
4. If your whole house is undergoing construction at once, you may need to rent accommodations or stay with friends or relatives. We do not advocate leaving town during this time, as nothing compares to seeing your renovation progress in person!
5. Be considerate of your neighbors, you may want to let them know abut your upcoming plans
6. There will be lots of dust and dirt, it is unavoidable. To avoid tracking it through your home, we recommend doing a quick vacuum at the end of the day
7. Make sure the contractor hangs plastic sheeting to best eliminate dust for getting through by ensuring it's taped down properly to the floor and ceiling and has no gaps
8. Expect it to get noisy, drills, saws, and pounding is inevitable
9. Consider which bathroom in your home will be available to workers. We recommend removing hand towels and providing a roll of paper towels instead. For larger jobs they may bring a portable toilet
10. Keep children and pets safe! We recommend child safety gates, electrical safety covers and do not allow children in renovation areas without supervision. Consider a place for your pet as well as doors will often be open to bring tools and materials in and out
11. Remember it is a work zone, wear proper footwear when in renovation areas
12. There are times when the water may be shut off. or we may have to cut power to electrical or air conditioner
13. Consider the weather, there could be delays caused by mother nature. For example, if we scheduled to lay pavers but there is a torrential downpour we will have to reschedule for another day
14. Clean Up after renovating, you will need to give your home a thorough cleaning. In most cases the cleaning will need to include:
Dust, sweep and vacuum all surfaces (don't forget ceilings and walls)
Mop and disinfect floors
Vacuum upholstery
Wipe down doors, knobs, baseboards, moldings, window sills and windows
Thorough cleaning of bathrooms and kitchens (including appliances, cabinets, and counters)
Dust all ducts, grates, vents, blinds, ceiling fans, and lighting fixtures
Clean all hardware, hinges and handles, shelves, and cabinets
Removal of any remaining trash and debris (contractor should remove most of this but there will likely be a few items left)
Our final and biggest tip is to prepare mentally!
Yes construction will be disruptive but always remember there is a light at the end of the tunnel, once construction is complete you will end up with a beautiful new space!
Ready to get started with your design project?
