Why We Recommend Moving Out During Your Home Renovation
Renovating your home can be exciting. You’re finally making changes to the place you’ve lived in for years, creating a home that is going to suit your lifestyle better and bringing that vision you’ve had to life!
But living in your home while that work is happening is a very different experience. At Stony Creek, one of the recommendations we make to clients undertaking a renovation is to move out for the duration of the build. While it may seem inconvenient to leave your home for several months, it can make the renovation so much easier for you, your builder and the trades working on your project.
Here’s why we recommend it.
Renovations are disruptive
Even a well managed renovation comes with disruption. There will be noise, dust, deliveries, tradespeople coming and going, temporary changes to access and stages where parts of your home aren’t usable.
If you remain living in the property, you’re experiencing disruption every day.
For smaller projects, it may be possible to live comfortably in another part of the house. However, larger renovations can affect kitchens, bathrooms, living areas, bedrooms and access throughout the home. What might have seemed manageable at the start can become increasingly difficult as the project progresses.
Moving out gives you somewhere comfortable to live while the work takes place, rather than trying to work around a busy construction site.
It allows the builders to work more efficiently
It’s really important that a construction site can function as a construction site. When a family is living in the home, our team needs to work around personal belongings, furniture, daily routines and the safety requirements of the occupants. There might be areas that need to remain accessible or times when certain work cannot be completed because someone is using the space.
When the house is vacant, our trades can generally work more freely and efficiently. They can move materials through the property, access different areas as they need and complete tasks without needing to work around your daily life. This can help keep the project moving and reduce unnecessary interruptions.
Your belongings are better protected
Construction is messy. Even with careful preparation and protection, dust and debris can travel through a home during demolition and building works.
Moving out gives you the opportunity to remove valuable, fragile or sentimental belongings from the construction area. Furniture can also be stored safely rather than having to keep moving it around as different stages of the renovation are completed.
Your builder will still take appropriate measures to protect areas of the home that are being retained, but having fewer personal belongings on site makes that process much easier.
Safety is another important consideration
A construction site is not an appropriate environment for everyday family life. There may be exposed surfaces, tools, building materials, temporary structures, open areas and other hazards that are managed by the construction team but can be difficult to navigate around as a resident.
This is particularly important for families with young children or pets.
When you move out, the construction team can focus on maintaining a safe and compliant work environment without also having to accommodate people moving through the site throughout the day.
You get to experience the renovation without living through it
There is also a mental benefit to moving out. Renovating a home is a major undertaking, and even when everything is going according to plan, construction can be stressful. Living amongst the work means you’re constantly reminded of what still needs to be completed.
Moving out creates some separation between you and the construction process. You can visit the site at agreed times, meet with your builder when decisions need to be made and see the progress without spending every day surrounded by dust, noise and trades.
Then, when the renovation is complete, you get to return to a finished home rather than gradually watching your house transform around you. It is so exciting turning up to see your newly renovated home completed!
It can make decision making easier
Renovations often involve decisions as the project progresses. While the major design and material selections should be established before construction begins, there can still be details to resolve along the way.
Being away from the site can actually make some of these decisions easier.
Rather than making choices based on how you’re coping with the disruption that day, you can focus on the bigger picture and the finished result. A good builder will keep you informed throughout the process and communicate when your input is required.
Plan your temporary accommodation early
If you decide to move out, it’s worth treating your temporary accommodation as part of the renovation plan.
Think about where you’ll live, where you’ll store your belongings, what you’ll need access to and how often you want to visit the site. If you’re renting another property, make sure the lease period allows some flexibility around the construction timeline.
Most importantly, discuss your plans with your builder early. Understanding the expected construction program will help you make practical arrangements and prepare for the transition.
A smoother renovation
Every renovation is different, and there are certainly projects where living on site may be possible. However, for substantial renovations, moving out is often one of the best things you can do to make the construction process smoother.
It gives your builder and trades the space they need to work efficiently, reduces disruption to your household, helps protect your belongings and allows you to step back from the day-to-day realities of construction.
At Stony Creek Construction, we always say good renovation outcomes start with good planning. That includes the design and construction, as well as thinking about how you’ll live during the process.
Moving out may feel like an inconvenience at the beginning, but when you return to your completed home, you may find that giving the renovation room to happen was absolutely worth it.
Let’s chat about your renovation
Get in touch with us today.