The task of renovating a portion of your house can alter your life, test your patience or put a dent in your finances along the process. Along with the inconvenience of parts of your house being inaccessible, the noise, clutter, and costs of a remodel can be overwhelming. Here are some helpful suggestions to assist in a smooth process and transition during this time.
Communication is Key. Sit down with your contractor to create a timeline, deadlines and learn to schedule and coordinate your life around these plans. It's helpful to speak at the beginning of each week about the specific plans for the following days so that you know exactly what the builders will be doing and when they will be there. It may be helpful to keep a planner on hand to keep track of bills, important dates, estimated delivery times, and even questions to ask in the future. Staying organized plays a huge part of keeping stress to a minimum.
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Keep in Mind the Possible Extra Costs of Renovating a Kitchen. You'll spend more money eating out or may decide to utilize appliances such as microwaves, grills, slow cookers and toaster ovens in an alternative part of the house. Occasionally, the water and electric may be shut off, so be sure that you'll be able to work around this. When considering bathroom renovations, make sure that there is at least one functional bathroom available at all times.
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Identify the Areas in your House that will Enable You to Go About Your Daily Life and Establish a Routine. Safety comes first, so designate areas that will keep you, your children, and pets out of harm's way. Identify hazards, such as power tools, holes and exposed wires and set ground rules for your children to follow in order to create a safe place for them to stay. It may feel invasive or like the peace is disrupted at times, but learn to adapt the best you can to the noise, distractions, and unfamiliar faces going in and out of your home. Have a plan and consider the best times to initiate nap times, complete homework, and make phone calls.
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Try to Keep the Dirt and Dust to a Minimum. While there's no getting away from the mess, there are ways of keeping the spread of dirt and dust to a minimum. Remove essential things to adjacent rooms and keep unnecessary items covered with sheets or plastic and away from dust. Ensure that doors are closed when possible. Shutting off heating or air conditioning helps to keep the dust and particles from circulating. Don't get overwhelmed: designate a day out of the week to maintain the cleaning to keep you healthy.
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Living in Your House During the Renovation Process Will All be Worth It when you get to see new countertops being installed or when you open the bathroom to see the newly completed tile, or when new windows are going in. You get to monitor the progress every day and you're easily reachable, in case your contractor needs to reach out with issues or questions. On site communication is beneficial because there are a myriad of decisions to be made and you can answer or ask questions on the fly. Keep communication open and don't be afraid to come with questions. These are experts and they'll be more than happy to help!
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Lastly, remember why you're doing this, allow yourself to adapt, and don't get discouraged! The inconvenience is only temporary and will be more than worth it in the end.