Pros and Cons of Living at Home During a Renovation

Ultimately, it comes down to what the major priorities are for you and your family. Would you rather eliminate the disruption and mess by leaving, while spending extra on top of the initial cost of your renovation? Or would you rather save that money and work around the inconveniences?

One of the most important decisions is choosing to start your project at a time where it won't impact your life in a huge way. Plan to renovate during a time that you won't have to rush to find an alternative living space or schedule your remodel while you're away during a vacation.

If you choose to live at home, the crew has to work around your schedule and coordinate according to your plans, so the job won't be completed as efficiently or quickly, prolonging the time it takes to complete your remodel. You'll have to be willing to learn to work around the mess and the noise and may have limited access to parts of your house. Are you prepared to possibly live without a bathroom, a kitchen, or a garage during the renovation process? Projects that involve plumbing or electrical may result in the water being shut off or rooms without walls for a while to gain access to the pipes/wiring. While living at home saves you the added expense of renting an extended stay hotel or AirBNB, it might interfere too much with your daily life.

Having to navigate the work site safely and establish a routine to go about your day might be a challenge, but at least you get to sleep in your own bed! You won't have to relocate the whole family to somewhere in the proximity of school, work, or wherever else you need access to.

There's no way to realistically escape the noise and the mess, so if you're someone who can only function when the house is quiet and orderly, you might need to find somewhere else to stay. The air quality is likely to decline for a while as well, so keep that in mind if you have anyone in your household who is sensitive to fumes or excessive amounts of dust.

Having strangers in your living space may be difficult, but this allows you to communicate face to face with your contractor and take part in the day to day decisions and interaction and get to know the contractor and team. This relieves unwanted stress and tension by keeping communication open and consistent. Although you may need to switch up your daily routine, being present during a renovation can help you grasp a better understanding of the transformation process!

With those things in mind, it should be easier to decide if staying in during a renovation or moving out will be right for you. It's an important thing to consider, but remember that there's no right or wrong answer. Choose the option that makes the most sense and caters to the priorities of you and your family!