Home renovations are inherently noisy. With hammers hammering, drills drilling and workers scurrying in and out of your space, the noise, hustle and bustle of it all can be overwhelming. During a home reno, your first instinct is probably to find a different place to stay, but, this may not be necessary. In certain situations, staying at home is the best choice. Plus, you get to avoid costs associated with finding temporary accommodation. Here are a few things to consider when deciding whether or not to stay at home during your renovation:

1. Safety

There are different types of home renovations – some safer than others. The safety level of your renovation is a huge factor when deciding whether to stay put or move out for the time being. Major roof remodeling, wood floor refinishing and asbestos or mold removal are examples of projects that definitely require moving due to health and safety concerns. In cases like these, there’s really no decision to make. Always prioritize your health and safety above anything else.

2. Timeline

 Before packing your bags and hurrying into a hotel, you want to consider the timeline of your renovation. Some projects can be completed in less than a month, so you’ll be able to have your space to yourself in no time. However, for bigger renovations like kitchen remodels which take over a month to complete, you may want to look into housing options as it can be difficult dealing with the noise and clutter for an extended period of time.

3. Project scale 

It’s important to think about the scale of your renovations. Some projects like a complete home remodel, make it practically impossible to live at home while they’re being worked on, while others only place little restrictions on your movement within the home.

4. Access to necessities 

Regardless of the scale of your renovation, you have to consider the access you have to necessities such as your bathroom, kitchen or even your home office. As a general rule of thumb, when a home reno restricts access to any part of the home you consider an integral part of your day-to-day routine, it’s probably best to live elsewhere for the time being.

5. Effects on project outcome 

Some homeowners choose to stay at home during a renovation to avoid excess costs. However, in some cases, trying to avoid these costs can actually affect the project outcome. Living at home could extend the timeline of your renovation as workers have to adjust their schedules to accommodate your daily routine – and the longer the timeline, the higher your budget. If your presence in the home stops workers from doing their work efficiently, moving out may be a better choice. Your bank account will thank you for it!

6. Personal boundaries

As previously mentioned, renovations come with a lot of noise. Depending on the project, you may have restricted access to various parts of your home. Also, different tradesmen coming in and out of your space could impact your privacy.  It’s up to you to decide whether or not you can deal with the impacts of a home reno on your day-to-day life. This may even be the biggest factor to consider.

Deciding where to stay during a home renovation isn’t as cut and dry as it seems. However, if your project has a short timeline, is small in scale and affects small unintegral parts of your home, then it’s okay to live in while renovations occur.

Thinking of renovating your home? Get in touch with us today!