Renovations are a hassle to deal with – but if you\u2019re well-prepared and organized, this can make the process more manageable and less painful.<\/p>\n
In this article, we share 9 things that you can do in order to prep for a major renovation. Read on to find out more!<\/p>\n
If it\u2019s just you and your partner at home, and you\u2019re both involved in making renovation decisions, it\u2019s easy to be on the same page.<\/p>\n
But if you have other people living with you (your parents, grandparents, children, etc), you\u2019ll need to make sure that they\u2019re aware of what\u2019s going on, and manage their expectations of the entire renovation process.<\/p>\n
For example, if your kids often have their friends over for sleepovers, they won\u2019t be able to do that whilst the renovation is ongoing. This might seem like a small thing, but make sure you communicate these early on, so you get rid of any last-minute stress or temper tantrums that might occur.<\/p>\n
If your renovations will last for longer than, say, 3 days, it\u2019s a good idea to inform your neighbours and give them a heads up.<\/p>\n
This is by no means necessary, but it\u2019s definitely a nice gesture.<\/p>\n
This is an important one – think about how your renovations will affect your day-to-day operations, and make alternative plans.<\/p>\n[\/spb_text_block] [spb_image image=”18065″ image_size=”full” frame=”noframe” caption_pos=”below” remove_rounded=”yes” fullwidth=”no” overflow_mode=”none” link_target=”_self” lightbox=”no” intro_animation=”none” animation_delay=”200″ width=”1\/1″ el_position=”first last”][\/spb_image] [spb_text_block animation=”none” animation_delay=”0″ simplified_controls=”yes” custom_css_percentage=”no” padding_vertical=”0″ padding_horizontal=”0″ margin_vertical=”0″ custom_css=”margin-top: 0px;margin-bottom: 0px;” border_size=”0″ border_styling_global=”default” width=”1\/1″ el_position=”first last”]\n
For example, if you\u2019re renovating your kitchen and you won\u2019t have access to it, how do you want to deal with your meals?<\/p>\n
If your home is going to be noisy and filled with dust during the renovations, and your kids\u2019 examinations are coming up, what\u2019s the plan? Should they head to the library to study?<\/p>\n
In extreme cases (for instance, if you\u2019re renovating your entire home), you might need to rent a serviced apartment or move back in with your parents (assuming they have space) for a bit.<\/p>\n
Again, think about these things early on and make the decisions you have to, so that you minimise stressful situations further down the road.<\/p>\n
Of course, all homeowners hope that things go smoothly with their renovations, and they won\u2019t need to pull out their contracts and pore over the T&Cs.<\/p>\n
That said, it\u2019s still a good idea to organize your contracts and receipts, to make sure you have everything handy in one place.<\/p>\n
This can be super simple – we recommend having a central folder where you file everything, plus taking pictures of your receipts and uploading them to cloud storage so that you have backup copies.<\/p>\n
As much as we\u2019d love to go off-grid during a renovation and come back home to a beautiful, brand new home, that doesn\u2019t often happen.<\/p>\n
In most cases, homeowners will have to drop in to check on the progress, or perhaps make some last-minute decisions or answer questions that the ID or contractor has.<\/p>\n
With this in mind, it\u2019s important to plan your schedule properly, and coordinate with your partner.<\/p>\n[\/spb_text_block] [spb_image image=”18066″ image_size=”full” frame=”noframe” caption_pos=”below” remove_rounded=”yes” fullwidth=”no” overflow_mode=”none” link_target=”_self” lightbox=”no” intro_animation=”none” animation_delay=”200″ width=”1\/1″ el_position=”first last”][\/spb_image] [spb_text_block animation=”none” animation_delay=”0″ simplified_controls=”yes” custom_css_percentage=”no” padding_vertical=”0″ padding_horizontal=”0″ margin_vertical=”0″ custom_css=”margin-top: 0px;margin-bottom: 0px;” border_size=”0″ border_styling_global=”default” width=”1\/1″ el_position=”first last”]\n
When is each person available? Who is responsible for what? Make sure you\u2019re on the same page, so that you won\u2019t need to scramble last minute.<\/p>\n
A contingency plan is basically your plan B.<\/p>\n
Say your ID tells you that the renovation works will be complete in 6 weeks, but the works get delayed and you still don\u2019t have access to your home.<\/p>\n
What happens then? Are there any major events (examinations, work appointments) that this will clash with? If you\u2019re staying with someone for the time being, will you be able to lengthen your stay or will this be too intrusive?<\/p>\n
Seeing as how renovations often get delayed these days, making a plan B is the wise thing to do!<\/p>\n
Time to Marie Kondo your home!<\/p>\n
After every renovation, there\u2019s always a ton of cleaning, packing, and organizing involved.<\/p>\n
To make your life easier, go through all your belongings and get rid of anything that you\u2019re no longer using. With fewer items around, it\u2019ll be much easier to get your home back into livable condition once your renovations are done.<\/p>\n
This is the tedious part – you\u2019ll need to pack up your items (that are in the room that\u2019s being renovated) into boxes, and move them out of the way.<\/p>\n[\/spb_text_block] [spb_image image=”18067″ image_size=”full” frame=”noframe” caption_pos=”below” remove_rounded=”yes” fullwidth=”no” overflow_mode=”none” link_target=”_self” lightbox=”no” intro_animation=”none” animation_delay=”200″ width=”1\/1″ el_position=”first last”][\/spb_image] [spb_text_block animation=”none” animation_delay=”0″ simplified_controls=”yes” custom_css_percentage=”no” padding_vertical=”0″ padding_horizontal=”0″ margin_vertical=”0″ custom_css=”margin-top: 0px;margin-bottom: 0px;” border_size=”0″ border_styling_global=”default” width=”1\/1″ el_position=”first last”]\n
If you still need access to a few essential items during your renovation, one good way of keeping them on hand is to store them in a movable trolley or rolling unit. You can get one of these for cheap from IKEA, and they\u2019re lightweight and easy to move around.<\/p>\n
(On a side note: if you have any valuables at home, consider moving them to a storage unit or asking your friends or family to safekeep them for the time being. You know what they say – better safe than sorry!)<\/p>\n
During a renovation, you\u2019ll have loads of people moving in and out of your home. As such, you\u2019ll want to be extra careful about security.<\/p>\n
If you have a digital lock, you can program your lock to give your renovation team a special passcode (that\u2019s different from your regular password) during the renovation period. Once the renovation is over, you can reprogram the lock to remove that code.<\/p>\n[\/spb_text_block] [spb_image image=”18068″ image_size=”full” frame=”noframe” caption_pos=”below” remove_rounded=”yes” fullwidth=”no” overflow_mode=”none” link_target=”_self” lightbox=”no” intro_animation=”none” animation_delay=”200″ width=”1\/1″ el_position=”first last”][\/spb_image] [spb_text_block animation=”none” animation_delay=”0″ simplified_controls=”yes” custom_css_percentage=”no” padding_vertical=”0″ padding_horizontal=”0″ margin_vertical=”0″ custom_css=”margin-top: 0px;margin-bottom: 0px;” border_size=”0″ border_styling_global=”default” width=”1\/1″ el_position=”first last”]\n
For those who have smartphone controlled locks and\/or CCTVs, you can also use these to monitor the goings-on at home.<\/p>\n
Renovation areas are dangerous for children – that much is obvious.<\/p>\n
If possible, try to call in a favour and leave your kids at your parents\u2019 or friends\u2019 during the renovation.<\/p>\n
But if that\u2019s not doable, make sure you put up child safety gates at all entrances surrounding the work area. Do tell your contractors that you have kids around as well, and ask them to keep the safety gates closed at all times.<\/p>\n
If you\u2019re a sentimental person who likes to reminisce, we recommend taking pictures and videos of your original set up before you renovate.<\/p>\n
A decade down the road, you can reminisce how your home used to be like when you were at that particular stage in your life.<\/p>\n[\/spb_text_block] [spb_divider type=”thin” text=”Go to top” top_margin=”0px” bottom_margin=”30px” fullwidth=”no” width=”1\/1″ el_position=”first last”] [spb_text_block animation=”none” animation_delay=”0″ simplified_controls=”yes” custom_css_percentage=”no” padding_vertical=”0″ padding_horizontal=”0″ margin_vertical=”0″ custom_css=”margin-top: 0px;margin-bottom: 0px;” border_size=”0″ border_styling_global=”default” width=”1\/1″ el_position=”first last”]\n
Want to check out home renovation projects for more inspiration? Browse home design ideas<\/a> on Hometrust, or click the button below to get connected with expert designers.<\/p>\n[\/spb_text_block] [\/spb_row] [spb_boxed_content type=”whitestroke” custom_bg_colour=”#f2f2f2″ box_link_target=”_self” padding_vertical=”4″ padding_horizontal=”5″ width=”1\/1″ el_position=”first last”]\n If you are reading this, you are probably wondering how you can create your dream home.<\/p>\nRenovating soon? Let Hometrust recommend the best interior designers.<\/strong><\/h2>\n