We all know that doing a renovation to your home can greatly increase the value but is it worth your sanity? You no longer have to worry about surviving a renovation. Use these tips and ideas to make it go as smooth as possible, even when there are kids in the house.
Doing a home renovation or remodel can go very smoothly if you do a lot of planning ahead and do a lot of research on your future contractor.
Not to mention that doing a home renovation is a great investment, especially if your family is growing but you can’t afford to move.
Make sure to keep in mind that most renovations and remodels go over budget and take longer than expected. To keep yourself from getting stressed, leave room in your budget and add at least two weeks to the time table so that when problems arise, you aren’t left scrambling.
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Surviving a Renovation
The biggest tip I have for surviving a renovation is to do your homework on your future contractor.
Get recommendations from friends, family, or coworkers. You want to have at least 3 prospective contractors to choose from.
When choosing the one that is right for you, ask for them to give you references and make sure you call them! When you speak to the references ask the following questions:
- Was the project finished on time?
- How was the quality of the work?
- How were their communication skills? Did they communicate any delays?
- Where they quick to return calls or emails?
- How were their safety practices?
You can also check out bbb.org for any complaints.
You will want to also make sure that the contractor is sympathetic to the challenges to doing a remodel with kids still in the home. Ask them if they put away their tools every day and sweep up before they leave. Also ask if they will be putting up temporary walls during the remodel to shield your kids from any dust and debris.
The next thing you want to do is to have each contractor give you an estimate and proposal. Then sit down and compare them line by line to see which will be best for you and your needs.
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Surviving a Renovation with Kids
Now that you picked the right contractor, you need to make sure the kids are safe and comfortable during the remodel.
To limit any delays and to shorten the time it will take to do the remodel, make sure that you have already picked out any appliances, tile, cabinets, grout, etc. that will be needed for the project at least a month in advance.
You don’t need to buy them right away but at least have everything picked out and written down so you aren’t having to go back and forth to the home improvement store every week. This will save you so many headaches.
Some other tips to surviving a renovation with kids in the house are:
- Remodel one room at a time. You don’t want to have both your kitchen and bathroom out of order. You will need a place with running water and somewhere you can plug in a toaster oven or microwave while all the work is being done.
- If it is at all possible, you may want to consider staying at a friend or relative’s home while the work is being done. The work usually doesn’t take as long when you are out of the house. If you can’t stay with them overnight, at least have a place that you are able to go to get some quiet time or where you can cook a meal a couple of times a week.
- Have the kids wear shoes at all times in the house. You never know when there may be a stray nail or piece of glass on the floor.
- Have a place set up in the home just for the kids, where they can play and have their meals. Let them know exactly where they can go and what is off limits.
- If you are renovating the kitchen, stock up on disposable plates, cups, and utensils for the kids to use.
- Make sure that the contractor is using paints and other items that are low in VOCs so that you and the kids aren’t breathing in any harmful chemicals.
- Keep a ShopVac and portable fan handy in case the house starts getting dusty where the kids are.
- Some contractors may not cover your furniture so ask before work begins. You may want to get some plastic clothes to keep the floors and furniture from getting dusty.
Surviving a renovation can easily be done and you will love the look of your home once it is all completed. Just start preparing everyone ahead of time and keep the lines of communication open with your contractor to make it as stress-free as possible.
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