Be Renovation Ready with These Sanity-Saving Tips

Let’s nail this renovation by starting off on the right foot. Before you go sledgehammering some walls, let’s get into the prep work that should be done so you can save your sanity. Renovating a home can be stressful and messy, but we can help minimize that.

Tip: If you can leave the house during the construction process, do it. Stay with family or rent a place if you can afford it. If not, then we highly recommend doing your reno in stages to minimize the impact on your daily living. Save your family some grief, and do not start construction projects in multiple rooms at a time (unless you have a team to get them all done quickly). Unfinished projects all over the house will only drive you and your family crazy.

Pre-Construction Tips

1. Protect the Floors.
   Unless the plan is to rip them up and install new flooring, you’ll want to protect the floors you have. Use temporary floor protection such as ram board or drop cloths inside the reno location (as well as a path from the entrance).  
2. Cover room entrances.
   Construction work is a messy job and all surfaces in your home will be covered in dust if you don’t try to contain it. Tape plastic sheeting over entrances to the room you’re working in. Be sure to still keep the area well-ventilated and open windows if possible.
3. Remove window coverings.
   Curtains and blinds will get dirty during construction, so be proactive and remove them from the space, if possible. Take the opportunity to clean them so they look fresh when they are put back up. If you can’t take them down, then cover or wrap them with plastic or drop cloth as best you can. 
4. Cover air ducts.
   Don’t forget about your ducting and furnaces. Construction dust and debris can harm your HVAC system. Cover the ducts and close them off at the vent. Book an HVAC cleaning for when construction is over. 

Be mindful of your health during this process with all the dust particles in the air in your home. Clean regularly during construction. We recommend using a shop vac, since fine dust can wreck your vacuum. Wipe down surfaces using a cloth and some powdered Tide® in warm water. 

Our #1 Tip: Plan for a post-construction clean in your contract and budget.

This type of clean is different from a regular house clean. It is highly recommended to hire professionals as they will have all the proper equipment and can get the job done right. 

Good luck with your home renovations! Grab a copy of our Home Renovation Guide to help you make your home selections and for room-by-room guidance.