5 Things We Wish Homeowners Knew Before Renovating

December 1, 2023
6:31 pm

We’re just as excited as you about renovating your home! But, consider a few things before we begin pulling up your floorboards. Here are 5 things we wish homeowners knew before starting a renovation project!

1. Where to Go?

We do our best to be as quick and minimally invasive as possible during your home renovation. We always respect the boundaries of you, your family, and your home, but a full renovation could mean staying somewhere temporarily while we work on your dream home.

If the renovation is smaller, you’re probably okay not finding somewhere to stay. There are some cases, though, where even if we’re just fixing up one room, you’ll want to find a place to go. We’ll go over a few of those reasons in the next couple of paragraphs!

Kids and Pets

All of the noise, contractors, and environmental changes can bring your beloved pets a lot of stress. To mediate stress on your pets, move them away from the renovation area to a place where they can stick to their usual indoor and outdoor routines. Ensure your pet’s safety during renovations by separating them from potentially hazardous materials, tools, and work areas. This prevents them from getting into trouble, staying clear of contractors, and avoiding any risk of harm to themselves or others.

The same way environmental changes impact your pets, they can overstimulate your kids, interrupt their normal routines, and pique their curiosity! To keep your children safe, healthy, and out of harm’s way, you’re more likely than not going to need to get into a temporary living situation during your home remodel.

Working From Home

We all know that remote work has been on the rise since the pandemic. While a lot of people love a good WFH situation, renovating your home will interrupt your workflow – especially if you’re getting a new office space!

Where To Stay?

Now that we’ve gone over a few reasons people choose to relocate during a home renovation, here are some of our clients’ top choices of where to go during home improvement!

Extended Stay Hotels
Vacation Rentals
Friends or Family

2. Your Belongings

Just as you need somewhere else to stay, so does your stuff. Any home repairs or redesigns happen with some pretty messy work – especially during demo and installation! It’s a good idea to have a place in mind where you can store your items, big and small. Even though we take precautions to protect your home and belongings like taping and tarping, you might want to put sentimental and irreplaceable items in a safe place.

Places to Put Your Belongings During a Renovation:

Storage Units
Rentable Storage Containers
Family or Friends
Your Garage (unless you’re having work done on the garage, too)

3. Lifestyle

You may be renovating your home because you have damages in sore need of repairs, or you’ve outgrown your old lifestyle and decorative tastes. If you’re renovating because your family has grown (congratulations!) be sure to think about materials that are durable enough to withstand heavy use and accidents like flooring or countertops that can withstand stains and scuffs. You could even get creative with your layouts by incorporating custom built-ins or special nooks for pets, kids, and hobbies!

New Spaces for New Hobbies

Do you have any new interests or hobbies since your initial move-in? Consider dedicating areas to your new-found passions! Having a special place to escape to where you can express yourself is essential to any home, even if it requires modifying a guest bedroom or having dual-purpose spaces.

Great Ideas for Dedicated Areas:

Indoor Movie Theatre
Game Room
Music Studio
Custom Built-Ins for Collectibles
Craft Room
Cloffice (Closet Office)

A Dedicated Office Space

If you WFH, you could build a home office to do your job ergonomic and free of distractions. If space is an issue, decide whether you need a dual-purpose room, such as a “cloffice” or a guest room with a built-in murphy bed that allows you to have work space and guest lodgings.

4. Plumbing, Electrical, and Structure

For a home, it’s what’s on the inside that counts. If you are adding or removing walls, remember that pipes, plumbing, and electrical sometimes need to be rerouted to accommodate a new floor plan. Here are some things to think about before deciding on extensive changes to your floor plan…

What To Ask About Getting A New Floor Plan

Should I get an inspection before starting a home renovation?
Are my home’s damages caused by foundation problems?
Will rerouting plumbing or electrical cost more?
Will an open floor plan extend my timeline, cost more money, or be beneficial to my lifestyle?
Do I need to relocate appliances?

5. Finances

Before starting any renovation work on your home, you should contact your insurance company to check if your renovation qualifies for any financial assistance. If your claim is being undervalued by your insurance company, we have insurance claims assistance to help you get the compensation and repairs you need.

There are plenty of options, though, for funding your renovation. Some people take out a second mortgage, some people pull money from their home’s equity, and some people save for months or even years to pour love and dreams into their forever home.

At Distinctive Renovations & General Contracting, we specialize in offering unmatched home renovation services to our clients because we care about your future and your family. Call us today to get started on your dream home renovation!