How to Renovate Your Home While Living in It: Tips from the Onelife Team
Moving out for a renovation sounds ideal until you price a six-month rental in Oakville… ha! For many families, staying home during a renovation is the practical choice especially from a budgeting standpoint, and with the right planning it's entirely doable. While it isn’t always comfortable and isn’t always right for every project, we’ve been through it from the builders’ side and from the homeowners’ side, and we have some tips for how to make it work.
First, decide whether staying is realistic
Whether you can live through a renovation depends mostly on scope.
Usually manageable: a bathroom renovation when you have a second bathroom, basement finishing, exterior work, and many additions where the existing house stays closed off until the final connection.
Doable with planning: kitchen renovations (with a temporary kitchen) and main floor changes where part of the home stays usable.
Usually worth moving out for, at least in part: whole home renovations, work that shuts off water, power or heat for more than a day or two, refinishing floors throughout the house, and work in older homes (where older materials need to be removed).
Your household matters too. Young children, pets, working from home and anyone sensitive to dust or noise all shift the balance. Many of our clients choose a middle ground: they stay for most of the project and book a few weeks elsewhere during the most disruptive phases.
Plan the work in phases
Phasing is what makes living through a renovation possible. Work with your builder to sequence the project so that, at every stage, you still have at least one working bathroom, somewhere to sleep, and some way to prepare food.
Ask for a phase-by-phase schedule that shows which rooms will be off-limits and when, and when water, power or heat will be shut off. Knowing that the kitchen is gone for a set number of weeks is much easier to live with than finding out on a Monday morning.
Set up a temporary kitchen before demolition
If your kitchen is part of the project, it’s important to set up a temporary kitchen before the work starts. We’ve helped set up safe and usable temporary kitchens in dining rooms, basements and garages (in the warmer months). Here’s how you can do it:
Move your fridge, or a secondary fridge, into the temporary space.
Rely on countertop appliances: a microwave, a single induction burner, a slow cooker, an air fryer and a kettle cover most meals.
Plan for dishes. A laundry sink or bathroom tub is not glamorous, but it works. Or opt for compostable plates if you don’t have a close connection for water.
Plan simple meals, and budget for a little extra takeout.
There is going to be dust
While crews do everything in their power to reduce dust, it’s just inevitable.
Construction dust travels further than anyone expects and settles into just about everything. Ask your builder how the work area will be contained. Good practice includes sealed plastic barriers with zippered doors, protected floors along the routes trades use, covered or sealed heating and air returns in the work area, and air scrubbers that pull dust out of the air. Keep in mind, dust moves fast and can seep through cracks, and there’s almost always more dust than you would think.
On your side, change your furnace filter more often than usual during the project, move electronics and soft furnishings away from work zones, and plan for a deep sweep and clean at the end.
Protect your routine
Renovations run on a schedule, and we understand that your household does too.
Ask your builder for typical site hours and the days that will be loudest, such as demolition and framing.
Then plan around them.
If you work from home, set up your workspace as far from the work area as possible and plan to work elsewhere on demolition days.
If you have pets, consider daycare or a stay with family on the noisiest days. Doors will be open, strangers will be coming and going, and this tends to disrupt most pets.
For deliveries and trades, agree on a dedicated entrance and where trucks and bins will go, so your own comings and goings stay easy.
Pack and store more than you think
Clear out the rooms being renovated completely, and pack up fragile items in the rooms next to them. Vibration from demolition and framing travels through walls, and dust gets everywhere. A storage unit or portable storage container can keep your belongings safe and out of the way.
Agree on how you'll communicate
Living on site means you'll see the project every day, which is both a benefit and a temptation. Agree on one point of contact, how often you'll get updates, and when you'll meet to review progress. Keep a running list of questions for those meetings rather than stopping trades mid-task—trust us, they will get work done faster, and will be happier campers on site.
Make your selections early. Delays on occupied renovations often come from late decisions on tile, fixtures or cabinetry, and every week of delay is another week of living with plastic walls.
Budget for the unexpected, including your own living costs
Opening walls can reveal surprises, especially in older homes, so a contingency in your construction budget is essential. Don't forget a small budget for living through it: extra takeout, laundromat trips, the occasional hotel night and the coffee you'll buy to get out of the house.
Schedule your escape days
Book time away during the hardest phases: demolition, drywall sanding and floor refinishing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I live in my house during a kitchen renovation?
Yes. Many homeowners do, with a temporary kitchen set up before demolition. Expect your kitchen to be out of use for most of the project.
Is it cheaper to stay in my home during a renovation?
Staying usually saves on rent, which is often the largest avoidable cost. It can add some time to the schedule, because daily cleanup, protection and phasing take extra work. For most smaller projects, staying still comes out ahead. For whole home renovations, the savings are often smaller than they look.
Will living at home slow down my renovation?
It can add some time, because trades need to protect occupied areas and work around your schedule. Good phasing and early decisions keep that impact small.
Should I move out for a whole home renovation?
Usually, at least for part of it. When most of the home is under construction at once, staying is often less safe, less comfortable and slower.
How do you keep dust out of the rest of the house?
Containment is the key. That means sealed barriers, protected floors, sealed heating and air returns in the work area, air scrubbers and daily cleanup. Keep in mind, dust travels fast and can seep through cracks. Even with stringent protection, there can still be dust. Ask any builder you interview to walk you through their approach to containment.
Planning a renovation you'll live through?
Staying home during a renovation takes planning, patience and a builder who respects that it's still your home. If you're considering a renovation in Oakville, Burlington, or Hamilton, we'd be glad to talk through whether staying makes sense for your project.
