Your home renovation is the key to your dream home. Unfortunately, the road to that dream has a construction zone, and you'll need to find a way through it. Living through a renovation can be relatively easy if you have the option to live away from your home for an extended period of time, but that's not possible for most people. If you're going to be living in the middle of your reno, here are our top 5 tips for survival:
- Communicate with Contractors
You've discussed the work you want done with your contractor, but have you talked about how and when it will happen? Review your schedule – including your daily routine and special circumstances, like an event you need to attend or a vacation you've already booked – to see if the construction team can work around key dates or times. That way you won't be trying to rush out the door to work or school while workers are trying to bring supplies in.
- Define the Zone
What areas of your home will be affected? Sure, this may be a kitchen renovation, but will work crews need access to other areas of your property for plumbing or wiring? Make sure both your family and your contractor are aware of which areas are off-limits. You'll likely want to create a physical barrier to mark off the space so that you can feel slightly removed from the work that is happening.
- Pack Up
You'll want to de-clutter the area you're renovating – and any other areas that may be impacted by the zone you defined above – and then decide on storage for anything you're keeping but (hopefully) won't need during the construction. Packing for a renovation is similar to packing to move: keep a "survival box" with your essential items, and then make sure your storage boxes are well-organized and labelled. You may also want to consider packing away items that could be affected by the dust or vibration of construction.
- Plan for Everyday Life
Eating takeout food may be fun for a few days, but at some point during your home renovation you're going to want to go about your regular routine as much as possible. By planning ahead, you can have the supplies on hand to regain your sense of "normal" – whether that means preparing meals in a makeshift kitchen or having bottled water ready for cleaning up while plumbing is being worked on.
- Press Pause
The time frame will vary depending on the extent of the work you're doing on your home, but you'll likely need an escape from the craziness of construction. When you're feeling overwhelmed by the experience, it's okay to take a moment to slow down and reconnect with your family. After all, it's your dream home at the end of all this!
Did you know? There's a financing program that will let you borrow the bulk of the funds to pay for your home renovation while taking into account the increase in property value. Set up an appointment with one of our mortgage brokers today to talk about a Renovation Plus mortgage. Call us Toll-Free at 1-855-590-6520 or visit us at 307 Goldstream Avenue during regular business hours. We can also arrange an appointment evenings or weekends to work with you.
Auxilium Mortgage Corporation is based in Victoria, BC and works with clients locally and across Canada. The Auxilium team has over 100 years of combined financial experience and access to dozens of lenders to help you meet your goals.
This post reflects the best available information at the time of writing/last update. In order to ensure that you have the most up-to-date information, contact us to confirm the details for your specific situation.
Originally posted October 2017
Updated February 2020
