Surviving A Remodel: How to carry on during a major home remodel.
Renovations aren’t easy, especially if you don’t have untold millions to spare and/or can’t retreat to a second home to escape the construction dust, discord and debris. “If you can’t move out, you really need to approach a renovation with the right attitude,” says Charles Price, owner of Renovation Express. “It’s never going to be like an episode of ‘This Old House,’ but it’s also not going to last forever. So you need to go into this with the idea that it’s a fun and exciting adventure that will have its share of disruptions.”
So if you have to live amongst your renovation, here are some pointers on how to do it and survive emotionally and financially.
Be Realistic
The National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI) says to keep in mind that a renovation is an ongoing process that might last longer than expected. And sometimes things just don’t go as planned either. That’s why it’s important to select a contractor that you can imagine dealing with in the event things don’t go as planned.
Blake Brewster of Brewster Builders in Avondale Estates says homeowners need to be realistic about whether they can actually live among a project. SawHorse’s Carl Seville agrees. “You have to know who you are,” Seville says. “I’ve had clients that are perfectly happy having anyone in their house at any time of day or night. Others can’t tolerate any disruption. So it depends on how well you can tolerate the stress.”
The stress is a key reason why NARI says it’s critical to spell out the entire process–from start to finish–with your contractor. Ask them exactly what will be done and when. Find out how long each task will take to complete, and keep an open mind about deadlines. Something that is scheduled to take a few weeks could end up lasting much longer.
Know Your Bank Account
It is important to be realistic about how much renovation you can afford. HomeBanc’s Mark Scott says there are three ways of paying for or financing a renovation.
1. Save and Pay: This is where you simply save up and then pay for a project. It’s appropriate for minor cosmetic work like painting and wallpapering, redoing hardwood floors or replacing carpet.
2. Home Equity Line: This option allows you to keep your existing mortgage and add a second mortgage or equity line. Financial institutions generally provide equity lines for, at most, a small fee.
3. Renovation Refinance: This final arrangement allows you to refinance your home under a construction loan large enough to pay off the existing mortgage and pay for the renovation at the same time.
Have a plan
Brewster says it’s also important to get a plan drawn by an architect or space planner to ensure the project stays on track. It’s also important to deal with the project manager throughout the course of the renovation.
“That ensures things are going the way clients expect it,” Brewster says. “People get in trouble with verbal plans and when they don’t specify what they’d like. The plan keeps things on track and makes sure there are no surprises.”
HammerSmith’s Warner McConaughey says you should plan
everything up front, right down to the paint colors. “Everything you order has a long lead time,” he says. “So you might as well get it all planned and wait to do the demolition until everything is ordered and ready. There shouldn’t be a lot of change orders along the way.”
NARI also says to consider the small things—such as children and pets—during a remodel. Dust and debris can impact them too, while the commotion can cause them undue stress.
Cleanup is another point to consider. Will your contractor clean up daily, weekly or just at the completion of the project? If you don’t know the answer, find out. And be sure your ideas of what is clean are the same. Seville says it also helps to pack up delicate items that can break or collect dust.
Know your escape routes
McConaughey says one-third of his clients actually move out during renovations. If you don’t have that luxury, you may have to contend with a temporary kitchen and/or bathroom. Price says be prepared to take up microwave cooking, paper plates and going out to dinner a lot.
While it may seem like the ideal solution to avoid displacement, phasing projects usually doesn’t work. “It’s really best to plan the project from the beginning to the end and just do it quicker” McConaughey says. “When people move back into a space, they want the entire space.”
The bottom line is any major remodel is going to be an inconvenience. You need to have a plan and know what you’re getting into to determine whether or not to stay in the house during the project. If you do decide to stay, just remember the final product will be worth any hassles you have to endure during construction.
One Atlanta resident who recently survived her own major kitchen remodel agrees. “Washing my dishes in the bathtub and making coffee in the bathroom sink was well worth the beautiful new kitchen we ended up with,” she says.
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