A home remodeling project can be exciting to plan, but stressful to complete. Of the many decisions you’re faced with during this process, one of the most significant is whether or not you wish to stay home during the remodel.
The first consideration is the extent of work being done. As a general rule, if more than half of the rooms in your home are being renovated, you’ll probably want to move out. If you stay, you’re likely to find it too cramped, dirty, and miserable.
Even for minor renovations, living in your home can be a pain. It will be dusty. It will be noisy. You’ll have precious little privacy. Washing your dishes in the bathtub might seem like a fun adventure for the first night, but it gets old quickly.
Cost is a complicated issue. Sure, renting a place to stay can be expensive, but staying put can increase your costs as well. Working in an empty home can be more productive for the crews, so temporary housing costs can be at least partially offset by a stepped-up construction schedule. Your contractor may charge more when you stay home since it means working around your schedule. They will also likely need to hurry up the mechanical work to avoid having your electricity or water turned off for a prolonged period.
Considering all of these drawbacks, you may be wondering why anyone would opt to stay home. The huge, overwhelming advantage of staying put is that you will be able to monitor progress on your home every day. Being on-site to address issues as they arise saves time and money since workers can communicate with you immediately. It also makes it easier to ensure that your home is properly secured when the workers are away. If you stay, you will be intimately aware of the condition of your home.
For a major renovation, a possible compromise is to stay away until the drywall is up, and then move back in. If you wait until the drywall is complete, you will avoid the noisiest and dustiest aspects of the project. Since this generally happens about two-thirds of the way through the renovation, you could save one-third of your rental costs without too much discomfort.
Home renovations are not the most enjoyable experience, but once the dust settles and everyone leaves, you’ll finally be able to enjoy the home you’ve always wanted.