How You Can Live in Your Home During a Remodel

The moment is here. You’re about to embark on a renovation of your central PA home. But as you start to research PA remodelers and dream about your new space, a major question may come up: How are you going to live in the meantime? Organized home remodeling takes months from start to finish, throughout which much of the home may not be available. If you’re not sure which choice to make, we can help you decide. And if you want to stay at home, we’ve got tips to make it easier.

Can You Live in a House While It’s Being Remodeled?

Although some home addition builders might tell you otherwise, it is possible to live in your home while it’s undergoing a renovation. Some projects are relatively easy to manage without interrupting your life, and others that may require a lot of creativity. If you aren’t interested in finding a temporary home for the duration of your remodel and prefer to be onsite, staying at home might be the right choice.

How Do You Live in a House While Renovating?

If you’re leaning toward remaining in your home throughout the remodeling project, the first question on your mind may be, “How do I make this work?” We’ve got a few tips that you can follow:

Create Safety Guidelines

Safety is the most important aspect of your decision to live in your home or move out. You must be able to keep yourself and the rest of your family safe. You can do this by setting rules and investing the time to ensure that they are followed. These might include:

• Installing gates to keep pets and small children out of certain rooms
• Locking doors to rooms under construction, particularly when workers are not on the property
• Spending time elsewhere during the day
• Surveying living areas for debris or tools that could be dangerous

You’ll know that you found the right PA home improvement contractors when you can see how they make your family’s safety a priority.

Designate Living Areas

Unless you’re opting for a whole home remodel, there’s a high likelihood that you will have a few living areas that you can use. You’ll need spaces for sleeping, eating, and hygiene. Some may be easier than others to organize. For example, if you are expanding your master bedroom, you may have another bedroom that can become yours during the project. Be deliberate in your choices, and confirm that you can make safe living areas for children and pets to sleep and play.

Wondering where to start when remodeling a house? Our FAQ has the answers.

Remember the Schedule

For larger or more complicated remodeling projects, your access to certain rooms may change with progress. It’s a good idea to get a schedule in advance so you can refer to it throughout the project. Not sure what is coming up, or how it may affect you while you live in the house? One of the benefits of working with a design-build firm is that you have a single point of contact, so you always know the right person to ask for updates on the schedule.

Keep Life Simple

Even for smaller projects, you can expect a certain amount of disruption to your life until it is complete. It’s best to keep your life simple, by minimizing the amount of effort you have to put into routine activities. The last thing you want to do is to act like nothing’s happening, because you may end up overextending yourself. Now’s not the time to take on a new volunteer opportunity, or offer to host a large family party.

Want to know what you can expect from kitchen remodeling in Harrisburg, PA? Take a look at our services.

Is It Safe to Stay in Your House During a Renovation?

Staying in your house during a renovation can be safe. But if you’re not sure, confirm that you can do all of these things:

• You know how your home will be affected during construction.
• You or another adult is available to check the living areas for safety.
• You have places to eat, sleep and wash throughout the project.
• You can keep kids and pets out of the workspace.

If your answer to any of these is no, you’ll have to come up with a safe workaround or make other plans.

Should You Move Out During Renovation?

Although many homeowners have the option to stay home or move out, there are a few scenarios in which it may make more sense to move out, even temporarily:

• You or other residents have severe allergies to dust.
• You’re remodeling all the bathrooms at the same time.
• You will have no way to store or prepare food.
• You won’t have access to hot water for multiple days.
• You have mobility concerns and won’t be able to sleep or bathe on the main floor.

One of the first steps to renovating a house is to get ahead of the crowd. If you think that it will be more practical for you to relocate during the project, you want your pick of the best times.

One of the best ways to stay sane during a remodel is to hire the experts at Creative Building Concepts to handle your project. Our home remodeling in Harrisburg, PA gives you a great opportunity to transform your home into a space perfect for you. We take all of your concerns seriously, and we’re happy to make recommendations that will work best for your family. Schedule a consultation to see what we can do for you.