Stay or Go? The Ultimate Guide to Living in Your Home During a Renovation

Transforming your home is an exciting journey, but the prospect of living there while the work unfolds can seem daunting. This guide explores the key considerations, potential benefits, and inevitable challenges of staying put during a renovation, helping you decide if it's the right choice.

The Pros

• Reduce Cost: Undoubtedly, the most significant benefit of staying on-site is the financial savings. Avoiding rent for temporary accommodation frees up funds and allows you to invest more into the renovation or stretch the budget to cover some of those wish-list items.
  
• Increase Visibility: Living on-site also gives you greater control and visibility of the project, and collaborating closely with your builder can speed up decision-making and minimise feedback loops. This can save time and result in a better overall outcome. It also makes you feel more involved in the process and like part of the team, experiencing wins together and making the renovation more memorable.
  
• Familiar Surroundings: Moving may not be an option if you have young children or pets. If executed correctly, living on-site can reduce disruption for young children and pets who may struggle to adjust to new environments.
  
• Improved Security: The final pro is security. Even though all precautions are taken during site set-up, there is always a risk of break-ins during renovations. Being on-site during the renovation process is a deterrent to would-be thieves. 

The Cons

• Disruption to Family Life: During the build, certain areas under construction will be off-limits for health and safety reasons. This will mean adjustments to everyday family life, and depending on what your renovation entails, you may need to use temporary kitchen or bathroom facilities during some or all of your renovation.
  
• Disruption to Social Life: Your family’s social life may take a hit, as entertaining friends or family at home will be virtually impossible. Play dates and visits from friends and family may need to be put on hold during renovation.
  
• Increased Stress: Disruptions to daily routines and the ever-evolving construction environment can be stressful. Things move quickly on-site, and while we are very used to knocking down walls, this can be shocking and require an adjustment period, especially if it is your first renovation project. Add this to the feeling of being cramped and having strangers in your home daily, and if not correctly managed, the situation can quickly get stressful.
  
• Dust Exposure: Even though your house will be protected and sealed with plastic sheeting and floor and furniture covers, and we have strict regular on-site cleaning protocols, some dust is unavoidable. Dust exposure can trigger respiratory problems, allergies, and other health issues, particularly in young children and older adults.
• Noise Levels: Noise pollution is undoubtedly one of the most significant downsides of living on-site during a renovation. The constant hammering, drilling, sawing, and general construction activity during a renovation is a considerable drawback. This noise disrupts sleep, hinders concentration, and can lead to headaches and irritability. While earplugs and headphones offer some relief, they can't entirely mask the disruption, making finding peace within your home challenging.
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‍How we make it work

If you decide to live on-site during a renovation with Danesfort, we will build a clear plan to make it work, covering the following areas: 

Create a Detailed Schedule: We provide a comprehensive timeline outlining the different renovation stages, with start and finish dates for each phase. This allows you to plan your daily life and anticipate potential disruptions.

• We highlight any potential disruptions to utilities like water and electricity. We will inform you of planned outages and implement alternatives where possible. 
• We discuss your work schedule, mainly if you work from home. We identify times or days when quiet is essential for meetings or calls. We collaborate with you where possible to schedule noisy work around these periods or designate a specific area within the house as your quiet workspace, away from the central construction zone.
• Before building the schedule, we ask that you inform us of important family dates, such as birthdays or anniversaries, where having us on-site might be disruptive. 
• We will identify crucial decision points and milestones, such as material selection or final inspections, to ensure your presence and involvement in critical moments.
• We will also identify times when it may make sense for you to consider planning some family time away from the project site. 

Build Processes for Effective Communication: Open and ongoing communication is the cornerstone of a successful on-site experience during a renovation. We can navigate potential challenges, build trust, and ensure a smoother renovation journey by keeping the communication process transparent and consistent.

• Each one of our projects is fully supported by an on-site project manager. This individual acts as your central point of contact, ensuring smooth communication throughout the project. They proactively address your concerns, manage the project timeline, and anticipate potential disruptions, minimising surprises and allowing you to plan accordingly. 
• Our project management team is supported by our in-house admin and support team. This team is based in the office and available to discuss all aspects of your project. Our admin team sends a weekly project update outlining what was completed this week and highlighting what is coming up the following week. 
• Before commencing your project, we will give you an overview of our project management software so that you can monitor your project in real-time. 
• We will schedule key site meetings and review points depending on your availability. These are usually weekly, depending on your schedule. 

Maximise your Comfort and Safety: We will work with you to choose a room least affected by the renovation to serve as your temporary haven. This could be your bedroom, study, or even a conservatory. We will set up a temporary kitchen and make this as comfortable as possible for you. 

• We will help you declutter the renovation zone by removing unnecessary furniture, belongings, and electronics. This minimises dust accumulation, provides better access for our team, and reduces the risk of damage to your possessions. 
• We will protect your home with dust sheets and plastic sheeting and use air purifiers to minimise dust and debris in your designated living area.
• We will discuss designated "off-limits" areas with you and ensure these zones are marked and inaccessible to pets and small children. 
• We recommend you prepare for noise by investing in earplugs or noise-cancelling headphones. Use white noise machines to mask construction sounds, especially during children's nap time. Schedule regular escapes to libraries, cafes, or parks to de-stress away from the construction zone.
• Our project manager will give you and your family a full safety briefing before construction begins and our admin team are on hand for any queries you may have.

Working with us

While living on-site during a renovation can offer some financial advantages and allow closer collaboration with the builder, it's not for everyone. Carefully consider your tolerance for disruption, the needs of your family (including pets and children), and your ability to adapt to a constantly changing environment. It's essential to weigh the potential benefits against the inevitable challenges before deciding.

Remember, your comfort and well-being are paramount. If the thought of living through a renovation fills you with dread, explore alternative options such as temporary accommodation or renting a furnished property for the project's duration. 

Whatever you decide the team at Danesfort will be on hand to make the process as smooth and enjoyable as possible. Get in touch with us to start planning your dream home.