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How to Prepare for a Remodeling Project
Living in your home during a major renovation project can
be very stressful. Properly preparing your home for the renovation will make the
disruption less stressful and easier to deal with. The following are some tips
you can use to prepare your home for a major renovation.
Exterior:
 | The area affected by the construction will always be
much larger than the actual addition. |
| Notify your landscaper of the starting date and the
affected areas of property. |
| Relocate any plantings you wish to save, as there is
usually collateral landscaping and lawn damage. |
| Relocate/store patio furniture, portable BBQ, toys,
swing sets, etc. |
| Make sure there is a wide, clear path from the street
to the construction site for equipment, material deliveries, etc. |
| Notify your sprinkler company of the construction;
discuss capping sprinkler heads, relocating lines and/or shutting down zones
during construction. |
| Notify your security company of the starting date and
the expected duration of construction. Inform them that your general
contractor may need to coordinate with them during the electrical
installation. Consider creating a temporary access code to be used only during
construction. |
Interior:
| Preparing an alternate eating area during a kitchen
renovation
 | Choose a room away from the construction to set up a
temporary eating area (den, dining room, etc.) |
| In this room set up kitchen table and chairs, along
with whatever small, portable appliances you’ll be able to use: microwave,
toaster oven, hot plate, coffeemaker, garbage pail, etc. |
| Have the refrigerator relocated as close as possible
to this room. |
| Stock up on paper towels, plates, cups, napkins,
plastic bowls, plastic utensils, microwaveable dinnerware, plastic garbage
bags, disposable plastic storage containers, etc. |
| Cover all other furniture in the room with plastic
when not being used. |
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Packing up your kitchen
| Stock up on cartons, packing tape, newspaper, sheets
of plastic, and large plastic bags. |
| Remember, you may not have a stovetop, oven or
dishwasher during all or part of your renovation. You may not even have a
sink, however, some contractors may be able to provide you with a temporary
sink. |
| Pack up as much as possible that will not be needed
during construction: china, glassware, pots, pans, utensils, trays,
appliances, dinnerware, cookware, tupperware, etc. Wrap these items in
newspaper, place in cartons and seal well with tape. |
| Remove and pack up all wall hangings: pictures,
shelves, window treatments, clocks, etc. |
| All counters should be completely clear and all
drawers and cabinets completely empty. |
| Relocate all moveable items that cannot be packed:
bottled water dispenser, baker’s rack, butcher’s block, plants, etc. |
| Keep several large cartons to hold food items from
the pantry you’ll be able to use during the renovation: breads,
microwaveable foods, cereals, snacks, condiments, etc. Move these cartons to
the temporary eating area. |
| Keep a smaller box for items out of the “junk
drawer”, menus, light bulbs, scissors, etc. |
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Preparing the rest of the house
| Dust travels everywhere! |
| Get in the habit of closing every door in the entire
house (all floors) every day. |
| Computers should be relocated far away (with a surge
protector plug!). Cover all computers when not in use. |
| Relocate telephone and answering machine. |
| Roll up all area rugs. |
| Take down and pack up window treatments, pictures,
sconces, mirrors. |
| Pack up pillows, knick-knacks, fake floral
arrangements, clocks, pictures, ashtrays, and lamps wherever possible. |
| Make sure all electronic equipment (TV/VCR/DVD,
stereo equipment, etc.) is sealed tightly with plastic. |
| Cover as much furniture as you can with sheets of
plastic (including the garage). |
| Store cartons far from construction (attic, basement,
etc.). |
| Avoid the garage for storage; if possible you should
clear it out as much as you can. It will be used for storage of equipment,
material deliveries, etc. If you have open shelving in the garage, cover
this with plastic also. |
| Cover stacked, sealed cartons with plastic. |
| Use this opportunity to clean out and purge! |
| Consider how to best relocate and secure all pets,
especially dogs; care must be taken to protect them during construction. |
| The more you can remove and protect before
construction begins, the easier it will be to put everything back after
construction. |
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