Live In or Move Out: The Remodeling Dilemma

Debbie Weiner, of Designing Solutions in Silver Spring, Md., just completed two large remodeling projects in which her clients had no choice but to live through what she describes as “the early morning noise, the dumpsters tearing up the lawn, the dust, the inconvenience, the lack of privacy and the general hell that goes with major remodeling while living at home.” Plastic barriers between rooms help prevent dust from circulating throughout the house. Credit: Tri-Lite Builders Weiner says to minimize health-related problems, pack up clothing and bedding you won’t be using in space-saving, vacuum-sealed bags to keep them clean and dust-free. Cover ducts with plastic. And “turn off air conditioning and heating systems during the day, if possible, to keep air from circulating through the house,” she says. Insist your crew conducts daily cleanups. Linda Minde, co-owner of Tri-Lite Builders, a residential remodeling company in Phoenix, Ariz. Her crews not only put up plastic barriers between rooms and lay runners on the floor, they use portable scrubbers that purify the air of dust and chemical fumes. Exit Strategies The reality is that living day in and day out in a construction zone is grueling. It’s loud and dirty. Your quality of life suffers and, sometimes, so does your ability to function as a family. “If that’s more than people can handle, they’re going to have to move out,” advises Bettencourt. Some make their great escape to a relative’s home or at an extended-stay residence hotel. Others seek out long-term house-sitting arrangements or RV rentals. At a minimum, timing a vacation to coincide with the messiest part of a remodeling, the demolition, is a smart idea. Create a checklist if you do opt for alternative quarters. There are a lot of issues to consider, both big and small. How will a new address impact commuting distances to work and school? Will you need to forward your mail and phone calls? Stop your newspapers? Put a hold on your cable and find a new Internet service provider or go wireless? From Linda Minde’s perspective as a builder, working in an unoccupied home is a lot more productive for her crews. “We can tell a homeowner we’ll make it as easy and painless as possible, but the first few weeks are really bad,” she says. “We can get it done quicker if you’re out. We get in and we get moving.” She says it can also be more economical for the homeowner. The cost of paying for temporary lodging can sometimes be offset by a stepped-up construction schedule. And, she adds, there’s an emotional benefit of “not having to listen to it, see it, hear it or smell it.” Professionals say if you decide to move out, keep close tabs on the progress. Visit the property regularly to monitor the pace and quality of the work. Make sure you’re easily reachable in case there are any decision that have to be made quickly to avoid holding up any part of the process. And visit your home off-hours to make sure it’s properly secured. “Treat the experience as an adventure and know that one day, soon, it will end,” says Bettencourt. “Once everyone leaves, you’ll have the beautiful home you always wanted. There is a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.”

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