Live In or Move Out: The Remodeling Dilemma

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If there’s one thing that can mar the excitement of a home remodeling project it’s the nightmare of living through it. Just ask the Gargers of Hicksville, N.Y. A planned 16-week renovation of their 3-bedroom Cape Cod-style home turned into a 14-month ordeal. Portable scrubbers purify the air of dust and chemical fumes during a remodeling. Credit: Tri-Lite Builders The low point? Pick one. It could have been when the entire family—husband Tom, wife Dolores, two children and two dogs—was forced to sleep in a single room for nearly four months. Or when Tom became trapped behind a cascading pile of boxes in a storage shed for 20 minutes before managing to crawl out. “It was moments like that I had to keep a good humor about things,” he says. Deciding whether to live home during a renovation or move out is a tough call. The disruption of relocating to new surroundings, coupled with the added expense, is enough to make many homeowners put up with the challenges. Others, however, can’t wait to get as far away from the dust, drilling and distractions as possible. “Despite the inconvenience of living through a remodeling, the one huge advantage is that you’re able to monitor the contractor’s progress every day,” says interior designer Linda Bettencourt, owner of Center Stage, Inc. in San Francisco. Bettencourt has lived through two renovations of her own and says being on site to address issues as they arise can save time and money. “Requests come up,” she says. “Things happen. It’s good to communicate with the contractor on a regular basis. Homeowners get into the most trouble when they’re not there. That’s when the timeframe and budget can go out the window.” Live-in Strategies The Gargers briefly considered renting a house during their massive renovation. After all, they were increasing the size of their home by 75 percent. In the end, they say it was lucky they didn’t move. The renovation was scheduled to take 16 to 18 weeks. It took 14 months. “We’d be bankrupt,” says Tom on the prospect of paying rent on a second residence. Homeowners who decide to move into temporary digs need to factor in additional housing expenses above and beyond the cost of remodeling. And think worst-case scenarios, advises Dolores. “The rule of thumb is to double what the contractor says. But having lived through it, I’d say quadruple it and then double it again,” Dolores says. To preserve your sanity, have your contractor set up at least one sealed-off construction-free zone, and make it your go-to place to escape the chaos. Workers swarming your home feels very invasive. Set ground rules on crew access so you know when the house is your own and when the workers take over. “Nothing is worse than emerging from the shower to see a contractor on the roof through your skylight,” says Bettencourt.

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