Living In A House While Renovating
I’m currently in the position of living in my house while renovation work is taking place, therefore I thought it may be helpful to provide some insight and tips for anyone contemplating whether to live in their house whilst renovation work is being done.
You can live in your house whilst renovation work is being done but it’s really beneficial to have an understanding of what you may experience beforehand. There are numerous advantages to staying in the house you’re working on including saving money on renting accommodation elsewhere, being readily available to oversee and answer queries on building work, plus maintaining a level of security for your home. It’s also worth being aware that many standard home insurance policies do not provide cover for properties unoccupied for more than 30 days, therefore unoccupied home insurance cover may be required if you move out while the renovation work takes place.
By providing the following insight I hope to help prepare you mentally for what it’s like to live in your home while renovating and, whilst the reality of living in your home during a renovation is not all rainbows, these tips from my experience will show it’s definitely doable.
1. You Come To Terms With The Fact That The Dust Will Always Win
At the start, whenever we saw any signs of dust we’d clean it straight away only to wake up the next morning to find another layer of dust had settled in the same place. It’s no exaggeration that the dust gets EVERYWHERE and you quickly learn that you need to get used to living with it.
If possible, and for your own sanity, it’s best to wait a while for the dust to settle before attempting any cleaning. It’s a constant battle during the destruction phase of using dust sheets to cover and block out what you can but, rest assured, some of the dust will always find a way to get through. So don’t stress too much about it.
2. You Become A Project Manager
One of the big benefits of living on site during a renovation is being able to keep track of build progress.
It’s really important to have a plan in place prior to any work starting. It will pay dividends to speak to your builder in depth before work commences to grasp how the work will be planned out, and have a weekly catch-up to discuss what has been done and what the plans are going forward.
By living on site you’re simply more accessible for builders to ask you questions that can support keeping work inline with budget, timescales and your desired aesthetics when it comes to the design of your home.
Unexpected issues will always arise so it’s always good to be in the position to evaluate and discuss solutions with your builders in a timely manner, plus you gain insight on why a certain approach was taken and how your home has been constructed.
3. You Quickly Learn That Work Will Take Longer Than Expected
The reality is there have been times when I’ve felt defeated or fatigued, sometimes at the same time, because I don’t seem to be getting through my to-do list as quick as I’d like and work is taking longer than anticipated. Sometimes it can feel as though the end is nowhere in sight, but you keep chipping away at the plan and arrive at instances where things begin to slot into place.
I’d always advocate having a plan for your project, especially when working within a budget, but know that there will always be unexpected challenges that you can overcome. Be adaptable (within reason) to ensure work keeps moving forward, as well as ensuring you’re communicating clearly with trades, and you will make progress – take it in your stride one day at a time.
I also vouch for giving yourself a break when you can. By taking the time away from the renovation to recharge, it can really help refresh your perspective and help you feel energised towards the project again.
4. You Surprise Yourself With What Can Be Cooked Using A Small Stove And Microwave
Say goodbye to luxuries such as your oven, hob and dishwasher and welcome in washing plates basically wherever there is running water, and creating inventive meals using very little equipment.
It’s of course easy to purchase ready meals but where’s the fun (and nutrition) in that. You’ll feel victorious after successfully cooking a healthy, hearty meal using only your little stove (at least at the start anyway, I won’t lie to you, the novelty can soon wear off) and you’ll never take a dishwasher for granted again.
It may be worth spending a little on a small electric hob (they sell them in IKEA for £35) or a camping stove if electricity isn’t available. You’ll surprise yourself with how quickly you can adapt and the whole process will only amplify the gratitude you’ll feel when standing in your newly renovated kitchen.
5. Layering Up Becomes A Way Of Life
On numerous occasions I’ve sat on work video calls wearing my coat with thermals underneath, and on a exceptionally freezing cold week in February, when our boiler wasn’t working, I was able to see my own breathe in the house!
This is my way of saying thermals and layers of warm clothes are a must because, regardless of what time of year you’re living on site, you can predict that the British weather will be unpredictable and freezing cold days will occur.
6. You, Rightly So, Celebrate The Small Wins
The joy, gratitude and pride that you feel when you start seeing incremental parts of your project come together is difficult to translate into words. It really is amazing to see your home start to take shape and transform into the vision that you’ve hoped for.
Be sure to take a minute to celebrate these incremental steps (no matter how big or small they are), before you move on to the next task. This approach and mindset will really help to keep spirits up during the process - it will be worth it in the end!