Renovating your home is an exciting time that brings with it the promise of bigger and better things for you and your home. However, it is a big undertaking that requires a lot of consideration and careful planning to ensure everything runs as smoothly as possible. To help you with some of the practical aspects of undergoing an extension or renovation project here are some practicalities you may want to consider.
Your things
When you are renovating it will require a lot of logistical considerations. You will have a lot of stuff that you will need to move from one room to another. That will need to be relocated to make room for the renovation project to get under-way. Here are some practical ways to deal with moving your belongings and making space;
- Declutter. When you are clearing out the room or rooms where the work is due to take place it provides the perfect opportunity to go through everything you have and get rid of things you no longer want or need. Why stop there? If you can, why not expand your decluttering to your entire household to free up as much space as possible. Starting with the spaces where the renovation is due to take place collate all of your things and sort them into piles; sell, donate, recycle and keep. It can be quite therapeutic as well as practical.
- Use storage. If you are hard pushed for storage space during your renovation project then consider using storage units. These units offer up a great cost-effective and practical solution to house your belongings while the renovation works take place.
- Protection. There may well be items that remain in rooms or in the vicinity where the work is being carried out. Ensure that any remaining items are thoroughly covered and protected to avoid any potential damage during the process.
Your living arrangements
Depending on the nature of the renovation you may also need to consider your living arrangements. If you are undergoing a kitchen extension project for example you may be without a functioning kitchen for some time. This means no running water, no cooking facilities and potentially no refrigeration. If you have a young family this may not be wholly practical. In this instance consider whether you can relocate your kitchen temporarily to another room, be it the dining or living room, for example. Alternatively, it may be that you are better placed moving out for a short time period while the most disruptive elements of the work take place.
Your timings
Getting the timing of the work right is crucial. It is of course a difficult task as many elements of building work, from the supply, logistics to the work itself is fluid and subject to constant change. That said, you need to try to devise a basic time frame in which different stages of the work will be completed. This will help you plan for the different workforces that you will need, your budget and of course how long you can expect the project to take.