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How to Prepare Your Home for Renovations

So you’ve finalised the design, signed the contract and are now counting down the days for construction to begin. Before the first hammer comes down, there are a few things you need to do to prepare your property for renovations. Big or small improvements, this list will ensure that both your home and your family will be ready for work to begin.

Preparing for renovations

1. Dust Protection. Renovations inevitably produce mountains of dust. If you remain living in the home while the work takes place, or if you have furniture around, go out and purchase some plastic dust covers. Tape up all entrances adjacent to the work area and cover all surfaces. You’ll be surprised how far dust can travel and you will thank yourself later! NOTE: Protect yourself and the environment by purchasing eco-conscious drop sheets made from recycled plastic. We source these ones, but you can find similar products in most hardware stores.

2. Preventing Breakages. The impact of tools used during construction will potentially cause vibrations throughout the home. To avoid items falling or getting damaged, empty walls and shelves in adjacent rooms of the home, packing away all trinkets, picture frames, vases etc. before work commences. If there is not enough space in the house to move furniture or items to, consider renting storage space or borrowing a friend’s garage to store them during construction.

3. Plan Ahead. Renovations are messy, noisy and often unsafe, especially for children. Therefore, we highly recommend clients of major renovations to move out of the home during the peak of the work if possible. We do appreciate however, particularly for smaller renovation work that a client may need to continue to live in the space. If that’s the case, working with the builder to determine timing, areas that will be impacted and creating solutions for how you will function day-to-day while the work is happening, is necessary. You may need to create new spaces in the home for kitchen and bathroom activities, prepare an ‘oven-free’ menu plan, or create an outdoor shower. Plan well in advance, consider the bare minimum you need to function and pack the rest away. Prepare for disruption to your usual routine and expect that it will feel a little like camping during this time. However, with the right planning, it can also be a fun and enjoyable experience.

4. The Fur Kids. It is really important to consider your pets during a renovation. Their usual routine will also be disrupted and they may not be as adaptable as their human family when it comes to loud noise and strangers in their home. Consider asking family or friends to mind your furbaby during construction or consider boarding or a pet hotel where they will be safe and comfortable until work is complete.

5. Contingency Plan. Attitude is everything during a renovation. While the builder will do their upmost to forsee all possible plot twists in advance, the truth is that anything can be discovered when pulling a home apart, ahead of improvements. From asbestos to rotten foundations, these discoveries can lead to additional costs during the project. Hopefully you won’t have to use it, but if you do, at least you’ll be in a better place. It will also ensure that you’ll be in a position to ensure works can continue as planned and not be held up while you try to locate the extra cash and keep stress levels at bay.