Remodeling is Disruptive. Learn About Living Through a Home Renovation

If you're planning a home renovation and are in the process of selecting a design-build firm, you need to ask a few key questions. You've probably watched all of the home improvement shows on cable, and if you've never lived through a remodeling project, you might be lulled into a false sense of security.

As great as those shows are, it's a very condensed version of the reality of a home renovation. They don't say that “living through a remodel is the ultimate litmus test for any relationship,” for no reason! The truth is that you can have the most exceptional contractor available, but your remodeling project will be disruptive and stressful.

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You need to be prepared, have a plan, and work with a contractor who understands that this can be a stressful experience. A good design-build firm will work with you to keep the dirt and disruption to a minimum by taking your lifestyle into account. For example, if you have young children, they may suggest starting after the kids have left for school. Or if you're remodeling the kitchen, they may help you to set up a temporary kitchen in the garage to make preparing some meals a bit easier.

You need to be aware of the potential pitfalls and prepare your family for the inevitable disruption that's coming. Here is some information, tips, and things you should know to help survive your home renovations and make living through them a bit easier.

A Home Renovation Will Disrupt Your Routine

If you enjoy your morning coffee at the breakfast table, while you check emails on your tablet and your kitchen is under construction, your peaceful day will not be so quiet, or possible. Be prepared to alter your routine. Consider finding a coffee shop nearby, or take your morning coffee on the patio instead.

A construction site is noisy, dirty, and disruptive. Often a contractor will want to set-up a work area away from the physical site, for example setting up the table saw in the garage. If there are parts of your home or yard that you want to be kept clear of debris, make sure you let them know on the first day.

Dust Will Be an Issue with any Home Renovation

This one should be a given. A good contractor will do everything they can to mitigate dust, by setting up barriers, clean up daily, even use an air scrubber system, but at the end of the day, you will still have dust. Certain stages of construction can get intense, for example, sanding drywall before painting. Dust tends to linger and float in the air, and floating dust will travel.

You may find dust in the farthest rooms in the house, in the dog's bed, and on the kitchen counters, and it can be made of not so nice stuff like chemicals, silicon, and fiberglass. Have a conversation with your contractor and ask how they handle the dust during construction. Most contractors work hard to keep your home clean, safe, and comfortable during a home renovation, and sometimes dust control isn't their top priority. However, if properly handled from the beginning of the project using dust barriers and air scrubbers, it can be minimized.

PRO TIP: We use the BuildClean HEPA dust filtration system during our remodeling projects. This can also create negative pressure to help protect our clients from coronavirus, by keeping our work area isolated.

Mentally Prepare for an Emotional Roller Coaster

A home renovation is stressful, and everyone handles stress differently, but the truth is having a bunch of strangers tearing your house apart in front of you is stressful. It can be hard to keep it together sometimes, especially when you're making choices for lighting, tile, and fixtures to fit within your budget and style and worrying if your project is going to end on time. Add taking care of your family (who will also be stressed) and work, and, well, you get the idea.

Remember, your contractor knows what they're doing. They will work with you to do everything they can to cause as little disruption as possible, make sure you're happy, and get your job finished on time and on budget.

Some Quick Tips To Get You Through The Hard Parts

Here are some tips and things to remember to help you get through the hard parts.

• Keep your sense of humor! - Few things in life go entirely smoothly, and a renovation is not different. Just stay calm, laugh a little, and think about how incredible your home is going to look and function in a few short weeks.

• A remodel always takes longer than you think - Eight weeks doesn't seem so bad, but then your contractor finds water damage or the cabinets are the wrong color, or you decide to change the countertop. And the project calendar has changed. Be prepared!

• Purge as much as you can before your project starts – You're going to need to move everything out of the construction zone before you start, so why not take some time and get rid of the stuff you no longer want or need. You'd probably do it anyway when you're putting your room back together, so why not get it done sooner rather than later.

• It always takes longer than you think to put your house back together after a project - Be kind to yourself, and understand this. You might even want to treat yourself. Build it into the budget to spend a few dollars upgrading items in your new space as you're getting organized. Something like a new rug, new towels, or window treatments can make it feel like home again.

• Take the downtime to educate yourself – Learn about the care of your new space and the materials in it. If you now have beautiful marble countertops in your new kitchen, read up on their care. Got a new set of appliances? Read about the new functionality your stove offers. It's essential to educate yourself so you can ensure that your new materials have a long life.

• Finally, enjoy your new space! - Congratulations, you survived and now have a better, more functional home. Take the time to really appreciate how your quality of life and functionality of your home has improved!

A home remodeling project is a significant undertaking. While we've looked at some issues that you might encounter and how to deal with them, the truth is remodeling can be relatively stress-free if you communicate openly and honestly with your contractor. This is probably the most critical element of a good client/contractor relationship. Talk to your contractor before the project starts about things like your family's routine, scheduling, timelines, dust control, and the most effective way to communicate during construction. It can make all the difference in the success of your project!

This article was updated by Abe Degnan on 3/5/21.

If your home is in the greater Madison, Wisconsin area, and are planning a renovation project, give the experts at Degnan Design-Build-Remodel a call at (608) 846-5963. We understand that home renovation projects can be both an exciting and stressful time for homeowners. At Degnan, we work closely with our clients to understand their lifestyle and always make sure to keep the job site clean and safe. Contact us to speak to Abe or one of our experienced team members to learn more and let us help you to create your dream home!