How to Prepare Your Home for Major Renovation

Embarking on a major renovation project means only one thing for most people – complete and total chaos! And, in the middle of all that chaos, it’s very easy for them to lose sight of what it is they are actually doing there in the first place – building their dream home. Construction is indeed a messy business (to say at least)! And there will be a mess at every turn, clouds of dust kicking up from every possible crevice, and maybe even some tears, headaches, and tantrums. However, if you take the necessary steps to properly prepare your home for a major renovation project, it will not only be stressful but an exciting time as well. Whether you have just bought a new home or plan on remodeling your current one, keep reading to learn how to prepare.

 

1. Don’t skip the permit

Preparing your site for a major renovation project will probably require that you obtain a permit. It’s true that nobody likes having to deal with extra paperwork and shell out extra cash. But, in the long run, you will be doing yourself a favor. After all, you will be giving up an hour of your time and filling out a check for a few hundred bucks. And that sounds a whole lot better than a multi-week, multi-thousand-dollar reconstruction, doesn’t it?

You will be accountable for paying the permit fee. But it’s your general contractor who handles everything from submitting your final renovation plans to pulling the necessary construction permits. For this reason, it’s important to check if your contractor is fully licensed, bonded, and insured before enlisting them.

2. Keep the house secure

To properly prepare your home for a major renovation, make sure to update your home’s security system on time. Completing this kind of work on a home usually opens it up to a few risks. For starters, burglars could easily take advantage of a dark, empty site during the night. Moreover, if you plan on adding windows and doors, you will be providing just what they need – more potential points of entry. Beyond that, it might be hard to track everyone who passes through the house. Even if you completely trust the company and individuals you’ve hired to help you complete the project, it’s always a good idea to put yourself at ease by keeping a close eye on your renovation project. For instance, you might want to consider adding some of the common security elements such as:

• An in-home safe to protect your valuables;
• A home surveillance system to record everything that happens on-site;
• Keypad locks or smart locks to limit workers’ access;
• A video doorbell for monitoring deliveries if you are away;
• Etc.

Caption: With smart locks, you don’t even have to pass the codes around. You can lock and unlock them via your phone.
Alt-text: An image of a smart lock and a mobile phone.

Finally, as a person responsible for the site, it’s important to have proper insurance. Renovation insurance should cover your property but also protect the people involved during the renovation.

3. Clear as much space as possible

You probably know just how messy the whole remodeling process can be. So, try to clear as much space as possible before the whole chaos ensues to at least take a bite out of it. And when we say “as much as possible”, we mean – well, pretty much everything! The area needs to be completely empty for the remodel to both allow the crew plenty of space to work and protect your belongings. Plus, the cleanup will be a breeze. So, make sure to:

• Completely clear out your cabinets, shelves, closets, countertops, etc.
• Remove carpets, curtains, appliances, hardware, and anything else prone to damage or collecting dust.
• Finish off any leftovers, empty the pantry, and clean out the bathroom toiletries.
• Box up all the knick-knacks, as well as fragile or expensive items.
• Take photographs and any other decorative pieces attached to the walls of both primary and secondary zones down.
• Remove floor mats and other tripping hazards.
• Move the furniture out of the renovation areas in case you plan on replacing the flooring.

Caption: It is best to keep your belongings away from the construction site.
Alt-text: Man and woman carrying their belongings in boxes.

4. Develop a functional appliance plan

As you can probably already tell, any major home remodel comes with a significant shift in lifestyle you need to prepare for. This especially goes if you are renovating your entire home.

For instance, kitchen renovation requires tearing out cabinets, taking off countertops, and ripping up floors. That means that your beloved kitchen appliances will have to be boxed up and moved somewhere safe so construction can take place. This requires you to prepare everything on time, that is, before the start of the renovation, which will include important steps like disassembling and cleaning each of your appliances, removing all loose parts, and gathering packing material. You should also plan where and how you will eat during the process of construction. And, make no mistake, after a couple of weeks of eating out, you and your family will start to crave home-cooked food. So, think about bringing in some temporary alternatives like a countertop-sized oven and a mini-fridge to store the simple necessities. Place these in a room as far away as possible from the construction dust and debris.

Fit dust containment into your budget

Dust will be pretty much everywhere, all the time – and it is potentially hazardous. That is why it’s crucial to have a talk with your contractor early on about their plan for keeping your home sealed up and free of toxins. For instance, a negative air machine, zip closures, and plastic covers are some of the must-haves for your home remodel.

Keep your negative air machine running

Furthermore, in such a scenario, you will find negative air machines to be a key piece of equipment. The air in your home will instantly become filled with toxic debris. And that’s when the neg-air machines come in. These not only clean the air and trap the particles but also create positive or negative air pressure on-site. It is crucial to leave these running during the entire renovation project and a few days after completion.

Zip-lock the renovation area

Homeowners agree that zip closures are a bit more costly than simply hanging plastic. However, as they later come to realize, these are also very effective in containing the renovation project in its own little bubble and thus worth every penny.

Cover everything

It’s not unlikely for homeowners to keep bulky pieces such as beds, mattresses, wardrobes, and library cabinets on-site during the remodel. So, to prepare your home for a major renovation project, wrap whatever items and furniture pieces are left in the house in plastic. If you want to go the extra mile to protect your furnishings, you can wrap them in old sheets first and then lay the plastic coverage.

All in all

As you can see, there are many tasks to take care of when the time comes to prepare your home for major renovation. However, the most important part is finding reliable contractors that you can depend on, so make sure to reach out to them on time. This way, your remodeling project will be a dream come true!