Should you move out during your home renovation?

This is a dilemma that most homeowners face when they are planning their renovation project. There are pros and cons to both sides. If you move out, it will have a big impact on your budget, but if you stay, living on a building site could push you and your family to their limits.

Here are our top 5 Things to consider.

It can be difficult to live on site if you don’t have heating or hot running water.

Scale and scope of the project

If you are renovating a couple of rooms, chances are that it’s not going to take that long or be too disruptive. Full house renovations, on the other hand, are a completely different story. This is when it’s worth considering either moving into a rental property, moving back in with parents (which isn’t going to suit everyone) or living on site in a caravan (watch an episode of Grand Designs if you need to be reminded of the reality of this!)

Trade will have to spend time clearing up if you are living on site during the build

Timescale and budget

If you want a large renovation project to move on quickly, without delays, moving out could help to keep things on track and may save on labour costs. Making sure that all the services are running, (and we are talking the basics here), such as heating and running water, could mean that it takes the trades longer to complete their work, as they will need to reconnect everything at the end of each day. This will inevitably slow things down, so end up costing you more in the long run. There may also be days when it isn’t possible to get everything up and running again.

The obvious cons of moving out and renting, is that it will eat into your budget. Every penny that’s spent on rent could have been used for the build. Some people see this as wasted money, while for others, it’s money well spent.

It can be hard living on site without a bathroom

How you use your home

If you work from home , it can be more stressful if you decide to stay put. Nobody is going to be impressed by the sounds of a pneumatic drill vibrating through your screen during a video call.

As well as the noise and disruption, there’s the dust to deal with. And this gets everywhere. Cleaning at the end of each day can begin to feel like an endless and very unrewarding chore. The knowledge that it’s all going to reappear and need clearing up again the following day, can make life feel like Groundhog day.

On the other hand, if you are living on site, you will be able to keep a watchful eye on the builders and will be on hand to answer any queries. You will also be able to spot if something isn’t quite what you were expecting and then make amendments before the work goes too far to change.

A stunning new staircase is worth all of the disruption but a temporary staircase that’s required before and during construction may not be suitable for children

Family life

Adding pets and children into the mix can make things more stressful and chaotic. Kids are usually pretty accommodating and seem to just get on with things. It’s the parents who bear the brunt of it. Not being able to find shoes, school books covered in dust, and then having to deal with questions from builders, just when you’re about to leave for the school run, are just some of the things you will need to contend with.  I’ve been there, so really do appreciate just how hard and exhausting it can be.

Safety is also a consideration, as the builders will need to make sure that all machinery is secure, everything is tidy at the end of the day and that there are no hazardous materials lying around.

There can be a lot of trades on site at the same time

Tolerance levels

Be realistic about what you and your family can deal with. Building work is not for the faint hearted, so if you’re not so keen on roughing it, a nice, clean and quiet rental property could be the answer. Also, find out how disruptive the work will be. Speak to your builders to find out how they can make life easier for you.  Creating a temporary kitchen, finding a short-term home for the washing machine or sealing up rooms to contain the dust, are some of the options to consider.

If you do decide to stay, work out a plan with your builder, so the order of works and timescale are crystal clear. I’d also recommend providing tea and coffee making facilities, rather than making it for your builders. It’s amazing how many cups of tea they can drink, how many trades can be on site at once and how disruptive making endless cups of tea can be to your day!

Whether you leave or stay at home, is just the start of the many decisions you will have to make during your renovation journey. If you are already feeling daunted about what lies ahead, why not check out our Design Solutions renovation package. This is tailored to each project, so you can decide how little or much help you need, and the package is priced accordingly.  

Read my previous blog post on Everything you need to know before you hire an interior designer, to find out what to expect.