Should I Move Out During a Remodel?

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Moving out during remodeling is a big decision. It means leaving behind everything you’ve worked so hard to build. But should you move out? Or stay put?

In most cases, moving out during your remodel is the best option. This gives contractors and other workers the space they need to get work done without worrying about stepping over you and your belongings throughout the process. However, you may decide to complete the remodel on your own. If this is the case, you might get away with staying in your home until the remodel is finished.

The renovation process is exciting but it’s also going to affect your life in big ways.

And along with all the excitement that comes with your remodeling project, there also comes a lot of stress that needs some creative problem solving in order to get the project done.

You may be thinking about staying in your home while your contractor is doing the work, but is that really the best idea?

Maybe you’re thinking of moving out during your remodel.

So  should you move out during your remodel or not?

In this post, I’ll explain the pros and cons of moving out during a remodel and help you make the decision yourself.

By the way – before we get too far along here, if you want to connect with other homeowners and builders and get more great ideas for your home to make your space the best join my free private Facebook group, Remodel Reality here.

Is Living in a Home During Remodeling Doable?

Whether you have friends or family in the area that you can stay with, or you own an RV, there are a number of options available to you during your renovation project.

Living at home while you’re in the process of remodeling your home isn’t impossible.

However, moving out during a remodel could be the best option. If not for the workers and their ability to get the job finished, then for your own health and wellbeing not having to be around a lot of chaos!

Using a temporary space like a short term rental or even a vacation rental property could do the trick.

With that said, moving out entirely isn’t necessary if you’re only working on a small-scale project, like a single room in your home.

On the other hand if you’re doing a major renovation like several rooms, or doing kitchen remodeling, which will completely take your kitchen out of operation, you may find yourself in need of some temporary space where you can stay while the work is getting done.

When Should You Consider Moving Out During a Remodel?

Trying to decide whether or not to remain in your home during a remodel can be stressful, what with trying to find temporary living quarters and all.

Not only that, but depending on the size of the project, potential setbacks can cause the project timeline to extend. When that happens, you then have to worry about whether or not you can continue staying in your current temporary living situation.

And as someone who stayed in their home during the process, you probably have no idea how disruptive it can be.

The disruption to even the most basic parts of your daily routine is significant.

Sure you can move into your spare bedrooms so you’re out of the way, but if your remodeling company is working in your kitchen, what are you going to do?

Setting up a temporary kitchen in a bathroom, even just to wash dishes, is not a good idea – been there, done that.

So you have to think about how much of your life is going to change when you evaluate what you want to do.

What Are You Going To Do With Your Stuff?

Your stuff – your furniture, bookshelves, plates, cookware, etc. is all going to be in the way, especially if you’re doing a major remodel.

And your remodeling company is going to need room to work.

Plus, you don’t want to get your expensive furniture covered with all the dust and grime, or get a bunch of dirt all over your stuff.

We were cleaning books for what seemed like weeks on our bookshelves and occasionally, we’ll still find something that seems  like it’s covered in dust.

Instead, consider moving your stuff into a storage unit.

There are a lot of different storage options available, like renting a pod to stay on site where you can store your stuff.

Another storage option is to rent a self-storage facility. These facilities allow you to store items in climate controlled units, and generally offer better security than a portable storage container like a pod.

Who All Is Moving With You?

Another factor that needs to go into consideration is who lives with you.

Sometimes it’s not easy just to pack up and leave.

If you have children or pets, moving out temporarily can be a challenge.

The biggest challenge comes with pets.

If you’ve got dogs or cats, or both, then finding a short-term apartment rental, or an extended stay hotel can be a lot more challenging.

Not to mention, that whatever housing solution you find, you are going to be roughly doubling your living expenses during that time, and that can put enough strain to break most people’s budget.

Nevertheless, you need a living space, so it’s vital that you look at all the options we cover here so that you can make an informed decision.

A safe, clean space is vital to your overall mental health – whether you’re staying at home or moving out.

The Upsides of Living in Your Home During a Remodel

As stressful as it sounds to live in your home in the middle of a remodel, there are some positives that can be attributed to this choice.

Not only can this choice allow you to save money in some instances, but you also get to be there throughout the entire process. You have the ability to see the work being done and to notice and speak up when something doesn’t seem right.

You can’t underestimate how important monitoring the work on your home is.

Potentially Saving Money

If you live somewhere without a lot of family or friends who could house you and everyone else in your home for an extended time, staying in your home during the process can save you money.

Keep in mind that you’re already spending a lot of money on your renovation project: full-scale remodels may cost as low as $15,000 while larger projects can cost up to $200,000 or more.

With that in mind, it may not be feasible to spend another huge amount of money to rent a room during your renovation process in a vacation rental, AirBnB, or an extended-stay hotel.

In this case, you could find some other creative ways to continue living at home without being in the way of the contractor and laborers.

Being There Throughout the Entire Remodel

Another potential pro comes from being able to watch the entire process unfold in real time.

When you’re able to watch the work being done and you can see exactly how the remodel is coming together at any point.

This also means you’re easier to reach when a contractor or another worker has questions throughout the process.

The Downsides of Living in Your Home During a Remodel

Although there are upsides to remaining in your home during a remodel, those upsides can also cause problems too.

For example, moving out of your home temporarily during the remodel allows the contractors to finish their job quicker, which can actually save you money in the long run.

Along with that, staying in your home means you could potentially be exposed to harmful substances as well as cause added stress and overwhelm.

Potential Exposure to Harmful Substances

There’s a lot of stuff that gets stirred up in the air during the renovation process, and it’s not all just dust from saws.

Let’s say you’re remodeling your home and you unknowingly have black mold growing in your walls.

If you aren’t aware of the issue and you stick around while there’s active demo, that mold will agitate and release spores into the air you breathe.

In turn, this can cause you to become severely ill. In some cases, you may even die from the exposure.

For that reason, you should make sure your home is actually safe to stay in during the remodeling process.

But it doesn’t have to be just toxic airborne particles like black mold.

You could potentially develop sensitivities to all the dust in the air, or even have a reaction to certain chemical compounds that are used during the construction process.

The fumes from different kinds of adhesives and cleaners can be overpowering, not to mention paint fumes and the accompanying chemicals that painters use during their work.

Living Around Chaos Can be Inconvenient and Overwhelming

Health and safety concerns aside, staying in your home can also cause an inconvenience for all parties involved in the remodel.

As beneficial as it can be to be able to watch contractors do the work you paid them for, they may get irritated or stressed out if they feel like you’re hovering over their shoulders the entire time.

You may also get to a point where seeing the outcome of a day’s worth of renovation work becomes monotonous and you aren’t able to see the area with fresh and sharp eyes anymore.

Where to Go When Your Home is Being Remodeled

If you do decide to leave your home during your remodel, there are a few options you have to choose from.

If you have friends or family in the area who can accommodate you, that’s a great way to save on potential room and board costs at an AirBnB or hotel.

However, we know that isn’t always an option.

As I mentioned previously, it also depends on who you’re moving out, but there are a variety of options/

Extended-Stay Hotels

One great option is to move into an extended stay hotel. These are great options that are specifically designed to accommodate people who are going to be living the hotel life for several weeks or months.

Vacation Rentals

If you live near an area where there are many unoccupied vacation rental properties, this could be a great option. We live in the Florida panhandle and there are numerous vacation rental properties available, so this could be one of those times where you make lemonade out of the lemons of the renovation process and transform your transition time to a family vacation time.

RVs & Campers

Another option is to rent an RV and stay on your property while the remodeling work is going on. That way you’re close enough to what’s going on, but can be removed from the moment-to-moment experience of living through your renovation project.

Airbnb

Did you know that Airbnb has an option for monthly or long-term rentals? This would be a great way to get temporary housing that would feel more like life at home.

Go On Vacation

If you can manage it, you may also choose to use this time to go on a much-needed vacation. Whether it’s completely across the country or a few hours in one direction, getting away allows you to step back from the stress for a little while and enjoy the world around you.

Creative Options For “Moving Out”

If you don’t want to move out entirely, there are a few unconventional alternatives.

For example, if you’re the outdoors type then pitching a tent in your backyard allows you to be away from all of the chaos without actually leaving your property. These alternative methods are great for anyone who doesn’t fully trust others to be in their home without them there.

Final Thoughts

There are several factors you need to consider when it comes to choosing to move out during your remodel, or stay put.

There are a wealth of temporary housing options if you have the money in your budget, and there are pros and cons to both staying put and moving out.

Next Steps

Want to join others who are creating the most amazing home redesigns & renovations and get more tips, tricks and hacks on how to make your home the best it can be?

Join my brand new free private Facebook group, Remodel Reality to connect with other people like you to make your space the best!

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Rob Orr

Me and my family have lived through a nightmare of a remodeling project gone wrong, making countless mistakes including placing trust in the wrong hands. Despite these setbacks, we took matters into our own hands for many aspects of the remodel, ensuring quality workmanship guided by expert advice. Through my personal experiences, I've created RemodelReality.com. My mission is not only to share the pitfalls we encountered but also the successes we achieved by combining our efforts with trusted professionals. By sharing both the highs and lows of our journey, I aim to help others navigate their own remodeling projects with greater confidence, ensuring they benefit from our lessons learned.