Living Through A Remodel: Move Out or Stay In The Home ?

Living Through a Remodel: Should I Move Out or Stay?

If you’re about to embark on a remodeling project, you’re probably full of excitement…and a lot of questions.

At the top of your list: Can I live in my house while it’s being remodeled? Or would it be better for me to move out?

That’s actually a difficult question to answer because truthfully, it depends.

We’re going to talk through some situations and variables in this blog post so you know how to make the best decision possible for you and your family. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1: Can I live in my house while it’s being remodeled?

A1: It depends on the extent of the remodeling. If it’s one or two rooms, you can stay with some adjustments. For a whole-home or multi-room remodel, it might be better to move out temporarily.

Q2: What are the key factors to consider when deciding to stay or move out during a remodel?

A2: Consider the disruption to your private space, work schedule, meal preparation, and the duration of the remodel. Assess how these factors will impact your daily life and comfort.

Q3: How can I prepare for a kitchen remodel if I decide to stay?

A3: Set up a temporary kitchen with a folding table and storage bins. Plan easy meals using a microwave, toaster oven, or electric skillet. Budget for take-out and move your fridge to an accessible location.

Q4: What should I do to ensure my pets are comfortable during the remodel?

A4: Ensure your pets are microchipped and create a quiet, safe area for them. Take them out of the house frequently, and consider boarding them or having them stay with a friend if they are too anxious.

Q5: What are some storage options for my possessions during the remodel?

A5: You can store smaller items in other parts of your house or garage. For larger items, consider off-site storage, professional movers, or using PODS for convenient storage and delivery.

What Are You Remodeling?

Whether or not you can or should stay in your home depends on what part of your home you’re remodeling. Generally, if you’re remodeling one or two rooms, you can stay put as long as you’re willing to be flexible and prepare a little bit. 

• If you’re remodeling your bathroom (hall bath or master bath), you can usually stay in your home but will have to move out of your bedroom if the bath is ensuite. 

• For a kitchen remodel, you can stay in your home but you will have to meal prep or plan to each out for up to 2 months. 

• If it’s a whole-home remodel or a multi-room remodel, it becomes a trickier question. Sometimes you can stay in your home and other times, it would be better for you to find another place to live for the duration of the remodel. It’s a maybe.

Things to Consider

There are pros and cons to staying in your home and to finding another place to live. As you consider your options, make sure you think about the following issues:

Private Space

When you have a home renovation going on, you will of course have lots of people in your home. Contractors, workers, project managers, tradesmen–they’ll all be in and out as they complete their parts of the project. How will you and your family handle that? Are you fairly easygoing and won’t mind the extra people? Or will it feel like they’re invading your space? If it’s the latter, you’ll want to find somewhere else to live for the duration of the project.

Work Schedule

Will the construction being done on your home disrupt your work schedule? We are very careful to protect your home and keep the site clean and organized, but even so, a construction site will stir up dust and debris, and it will be noisy. If you work from home, this may significantly impact your ability to get your job done. 

Will it bother your family to have workers arriving in the morning and staying until evening? Will the constant stream of people be too disruptive to your daily routine? Or will you be able to roll with it, eyes fixed on the end result you’re waiting for?

Meals and Meal Prep

If your remodel includes the kitchen, meals can be tricky. There will be times when you don’t have access to a stove, kitchen sink, and oven. While there are ways around this issue (which we will discuss below), if the inconveniences are too much for you to handle, consider finding another place to stay. If you’re able to make some adjustments to your routine, you’ll be fine.

How Long the Remodel Will Take

It’s generally easier to bear with disruptions if we know how long we’ll have to do it. The length of time your remodel will take depends on what is being done, but your contractor should be able to give you a good idea. Factor that into your decision as well.

The Remodeling Roller Coaster

Doing a remodel on your home is likely to bring up some strong emotions–you may be surprised at the intensity of the excitement and apprehension you feel.

At McManus Kitchen and Bath, we work very hard to make sure that your remodeling roller coaster ride is as smooth as possible.

We do this by creating a detailed scope of work and by being in constant communication with you about what to expect and when.

While it’s very common to feel a sense of excitement at the beginning of a project and weariness as it progresses, we believe that your overall experience should be positive, and we do everything we can to make that happen.

You may love staying in your home while the remodeling happens so you can see the progress firsthand. Or you may find that the emotional ups and downs are too much for you and you’d rather return to a completed home.

Whatever ends up being better for you, know that we’re here to give you a great experience and a great finished product.

How to Prepare For the Remodel

If you decide to stay in your home, there are ways you can make it much easier on yourself and those you love.

Preparation, flexibility, and a good sense of humor are the most important factors in making your remodel as easy on yourself as possible.

Kitchen

The kitchen is probably the hardest room in your house to live without. Yet if you’re having it gutted and remodeled, there will be weeks when it’s not functional. What can you do?

Start by reading our Kitchen Remodel Prep Guide. You’ll learn how to consolidate your kitchen and the best ways to set up a temporary one.

• Set up a folding table and some bins somewhere else to serve as a temporary kitchen (the bins are for storing food items).
• Make a list of easy meals that you can cook in a microwave, toaster oven, instant pot, or electric skillet.
• Include a line item in your budget for take-out.
• Move your coffeemaker into your bathroom.
• Purchase some disposable plates, cups, and eating utensils.
• Move the fridge into the garage or somewhere else so it can still be used.
• Read the Kitchen Remodel Prep Guide for more ideas.

Bathroom

If you’re remodeling your primary bathroom, you’ll need to prepare for that as well. Our Bathroom Remodel Prep Guide will walk you through the details you need to know.

• Move your commonly used bathroom items into another bathroom. 
• You can also set up a space to get ready (hair and makeup) in your bedroom or a spare room, so sharing a smaller bathroom will be easier.
• Box up your other bathroom supplies and move them out as well.
• Read the Bathroom Remodel Prep Guide for more ideas.

Caring For Pets During the Remodel

If you have furry friends living in your home, you’ll need to take extra care to make them feel safe and comfortable with the work going on around them.

• Make sure they’re microchipped in case they get out.
• Give them an area of the home that is out of the way, quiet, and full of their comfort items.
• Make sure to get them out of the house (on walks, on car rides, etc) as much as possible to give them a break.
• If they’re really anxious and can’t settle down, consider letting them stay with a family member or friend, or board them somewhere, for the duration of the remodeling project.

Storing Your Possessions

Whether you stay in your home or move out temporarily, one thing you will need to do is find a safe place to store your items.

Cabinets are being removed, walls are being demolished or erected, plumbing, electrical, and flooring are being installed–and everything needs to be out of the construction zone beforehand. You have some options.

In the Kitchen

• You can box up smaller items and store them elsewhere in the house or garage.
• Store food items in plastic tubs (to keep out pests), and other kitchen items in cardboard boxes.
• Move items that you use every day into your temporary kitchen space.
• Make sure you go through and declutter things you don’t need. It’ll be much easier (and more fun!) to move into your new kitchen with only items you want and love.

In the Bathroom or Closet

• Store items you use every day in another bathroom, a guest room, or an office. Set up a “getting ready” space with everything you need in one place.
• Move daily toiletries into another bathroom.
• Box up the rest of the items in your bathroom or closet and store them elsewhere.
• It helps to clean and wipe down bathroom items before you store them. This makes moving everything into your new bathroom a dream!
• Again, declutter as you pack. It’s a great time to get rid of expired toiletries and make-up, things you don’t use, and clothes you don’t wear.

Larger Items

If you have a lot of furniture to move out, or if you’re doing a whole-home or multi-room renovation, chances are you’re going to need more space to store your items.

If you have the room, you can move everything into your garage. But you may need an off-site storage location.

Hiring Movers

Consider getting professional movers to take your items to a storage facility. This is not as costly as you migh think and it takes a lot of stress off your shoulders. 

If you want to save money and don’t mind the work, you can rent a moving truck and move your possessions to the storage facility yourself.

Another option is to use PODS. You have a storage pod delivered and you fill it. Then they take it back to their storage facility. When you’re ready to unpack, they deliver it back to your driveway for you to unpack. It’s easy and convenient and often cheaper than renting a moving van and storage unit.

Moving Out

If you’ve decided that moving out of your home is the best option for you and your family, the challenge becomes, where do we move to?

You want to find a place that offers short-term accommodations and is flexible in case you need to add on an extra week or so.

Make sure they allow pets, if applicable. Finding temporary housing can be a challenge, but again, you have options.

• Can you stay with a family member or friend for at least some of the time? You could potentially stay with a few different people if you don’t mind moving around a little.
• Consider Airbnb, VRBO rentals, and Furnished Finder as short-term rental options. Some apartments also offer short-term leases.
• If your family can fit, extended-stay hotels are sometimes perfect for situations like this.
• Corporate housing is another viable option to explore.
• If your remodel is extensive and will take a longer time, consider renting an apartment. This gives you the added benefit of being able to move some of your furniture and possessions into it, so you won’t have to store as much off-site.

Other Factors

What if the remodel takes longer than expected? Sometimes that happens. It’s good to have a backup plan: either a space you can rent for longer if the need arises or a second option to move to.

For example, if you can’t rent your Airbnb longer than the original timeframe, can you then move into an extended-stay hotel?

Obviously, having to switch locations isn’t optimal, but it’s better to have a “just in case” plan in place beforehand than to try to figure it out on the fly.

The expense of staying elsewhere should be factored into your remodeling budget. Make sure you consider those costs when deciding on your budget, and talk to your contractor about your options before you begin.

Summary

The question of whether you should move out or stay in your home during a renovation is situation-specific and highly personal.

Think through what your family needs, what your budget can handle, and what makes the most sense for you.

Talk to your contractor and get a feel for how long the project will likely take and how disruptive it will be to your life at home.

Be proactive and make a plan, and then keep your eye on the prize: a gorgeous, newly renovated home that will be worth all the hassle.