The house is an older one in Salt Lake City. The exterior is beautiful, the landscaping immaculate, but inside is an entirely different story. The 1970’s home has rooms that are too small, walls that simply need to go, and flooring that needs to be either refreshed or replaced.
The owners are ready. They have drawn plans, connected with contractors, and the work is about to begin. However, there is one small detail they have not yet figured out: they still have to live somewhere, and the work will be ongoing for a few months. How do they cope with their remodeling project?
Sound familiar? If you are going to undertake any kind of a facelift for your aging home, whether that is on the outside, inside, or both you need to come up with a plan. What will your strategy be for coping with your remodeling project? Here are a few tips:
Determine the Schedule
Since you are already undergoing the expense of a remodel, you probably can’t afford to live somewhere else for three months in addition to this. So instead of throwing up your hands and surrendering to chaos, instead determine a schedule.
Have the remodelers do one section or room at a time, so that you still have livable space and can function. Set a daily schedule that works around when you will be at work or otherwise occupied so you can be out of the house while work is going on. When setting this schedule, keep your neighbors in mind as well.
Trucks coming and going, tools running, and men working are not the most pleasant things to wake to. Make sure the schedule keeps noise to a minimum either early or late.
Protect your Stuff
If contractors will be working in your living areas or where you have a lot of furniture, you will need to come up with a plan to protect it. Simply putting it in your garage may not be the best options. Contractors will be coming in and out, and unexpected damage can occur. In the meantime, you may want to rent a space for storing your furniture and other items until the work is done.
Think of these same factors for protecting and storing art, electronics, and more. The most careful of contractors still create dust and other debris as part of their process, and it can’t be prevented entirely> Even if they clean up thoroughly, art and other valuables can be susceptible to these things.
In some cases, you can get away with using heavy drop cloths or other covers instead of resorting to storage, but it is up to you to determine which of your items, if any, can endure your remodel and remain in your home. Often renting a storage area temporarily is worth it for the peace of mind it provides.
Make an Eating Plan
At some point, the kitchen is probably on your remodel list. However, you still have to eat, and going out every night can be both expensive and not the healthiest. If you can, you should develop an eating plan while your remodel continues.
- Put a Microwave in an Intact Room: If you have a spare bedroom or even room in the master, put a microwave and cart there so that you can heat up food when needed.
- Pre-Make Meals or Buy Pre-Made Healthy Food: Prepare food before the kitchen is torn apart that you can heat up easily in a microwave or even just using a hotplate. Be sure to make enough to last the duration of the remodel.
- Have A Refrigerator, Freezer, or Both In The Garage That You Can Live Out Of Temporarily: A place to store your food is as important as having the food ready. If you are getting rid of or selling your old appliances and having them replaced, keep them in the garage until the remodel is complete, and then get rid of them.
- Have a Coffee Plan: If you are a coffee drinker, you need to have both a source of water and electricity where you can make coffee. Even if that is in your bedroom, using that as a temporary location works.
- Treat Yourself to a Night Out Occasionally: All that food prep and pre-made food can get old after a while. Treat yourself to a night out and a good meal a couple of times a week until the kitchen is done can really help your mood.
Having a food plan is one of the most important things to consider when coping with a remodel, as it is something you do more than once a day.
Going through a remodel is like moving, sometimes like moving twice or three times in a single project. It can be stressful, but in the end the results can be well worth the time, effort, and expense. Just make sure you have a plan for coping before the first hammer is swung.
