Timing Your Home Renovation: Should You Move Out During the Process?

Doing home renovations can be a great way to improve your living space, but should you still live inside the house when it comes time to do the actual renovations?

In today's article, we'll go into the pros and cons of staying inside your home while the renovations occur, and what to consider when making the final decision.

If you're ready to learn more about timing your home renovation, read below!

Factors to Consider

Scope and Scale of the Renovation

The biggest factors in deciding whether you should move out during the renovations are the scope and scale of the renovations. Are you going to renovate the entire house, and will it require part or even most of the house to be unavailable during the renovation?

The bigger the scope, the more likely it is that moving out during the process is going to be the right move. Not only will it make it easier to access the entire home with nothing in it, but it will also reduce the potential for collateral damage to your belongings and furniture.

Duration of the Project

The length of the project is going to be a major factor. If you're only going to be doing renovations for a month or so in one corner of the house, then staying at home is going to be the best choice. However, if the project is going to be a fixer-upper from top to bottom, then staying inside the home becomes less attractive.

Renovations like adding in a home extension can be costly and take a long time, so planning ahead is going to be paramount to deciding if you will be living inside the home or not during the renovations. 

Areas of the Home Being Renovated

A cause for concern is going to be if the family can stay home while it's being renovated. If the renovations are going to take place in the bathroom, kitchen, and bedrooms, then it won't feel like living in a home and may cause unneeded stress.

Not having a bathroom available while it's being worked on can make for unlivable conditions. If there is no other option, then taking showers outside during the day may be possible, but depending on the time of year (winter months), this isn't feasible.

Budget Considerations

Home renovations can be costly, and if you have spent most of your budget on the renovations and don't want to spend more, then living in the home is going to be necessary. Some tasks like painting may require you to leave the premises for a few days to avoid the harsh smell, but living inside the home while it's being renovated is possible.

When It's Necessary to Move Out

Unfortunately, it will not be possible in every instance to stay within the home during renovation. Major renovations like water or fire damage restoration, major plumbing overhaul, mould removal, or extensive structural work may require you to move out.

In these instances, it may make sense to contact Reno local moving companies to see what the quote would be to move your belongings in and out of the home being renovated. You can also opt to keep your belongings in storage, so you can free up space inside of the home while major renovations are being done.

In some instances, you can keep your belongings inside of the home while you move out for a few months. However, when doing major renovations, keeping your belongings in the home is not going to be a great idea. Renovators may damage your furniture incidentally, and your personal belongings may get damaged or stolen.

When It's Possible to Stay in Your Home

Single-room renovations are a good example of when it's going to be a good idea to stay inside the home. Even if one room is being renovated, your children can share a room, or you can have them sleep on the sofa for the time being.

Kitchen remodels may be a cause for concern, but with good planning and a little bit of ingenuity, you can rely on ready-prepared meals or eat outside of the home while the renovations are being done. The microwave can be a lifesaver when the kitchen is preoccupied.

Flooring updates can also still be livable if you go room by room, and plan where you'll be sleeping. If you plan not to move out your belongings, you'll need to shuffle your furniture in and out of each room until the flooring is fully renovated. If you have a garage or basement, they can be temporary safe havens for your belongings while the floor is being fixed.

Conclusion

Staying at home while you renovate is possible in many scenarios like a single room renovation or minor work. However, bigger jobs like structural renovations or even painting the entire home may cause a scenario where living at home is not going to be a viable option while it's being renovated.

If you decide to move out of the home while it's being renovated, consider leaving your items in storage while you wait for the renovations to finish. Call your local moving companies and get quotes so you have an idea beforehand, and call months ahead to get a better discount.

Do NOT wait until the last minute to book movers, as it's going to be a higher price than if you were to book a slot in advance.