Having your home renovated can be a stressful experience; having it renovated with children in the house can be pure chaos. Yet of course, renovating your current home is a very desirable option compared with selling up completely and moving elsewhere. Renovations will improve the value of your home, prevent you from going through the gruelling business of househunting, selling and moving, and cost less in the long run too. So how can you renovate your home with small kids running around? Kids, as we all know too well, are prone to accidents, slipping, falling and generally being unpredictable. Combine those factors with building work occurring in the same house, and you have got yourself a nightmare on a plate.
Or have you? Indeed, there are ways to renovate your home when you have kids, without living in constant anxiety and stress. Here’s how.
#Choosing the right construction company.
When choosing house builders, contractors and suppliers, it is essential you do the research – for obvious reasons. Ensuring that the builders you work with are supportive and understanding of your family situation is vital. Make sure to hire a responsible company who is not going to shirk on the responsibility of keeping the space safe and liveable for all your family.
#Introducing your kids to the new environment.
If your children are old enough to understand instructions from their parents, it is important that you introduce them to the new environment that will be happening in their home for a short time. Instead of skating over things and pretending everything is fine, having a chat with your children about the potential dangers of the equipment is a good idea. Laying down the law about going into certain rooms which contain sharp materials and all sorts of hazards is important for your children to get used to these new rules and regulations from day one.
#Considering renting while the renovation is taking place.
If your home renovation is going to be an entire-home project, it might be a safer and less stressful option to rent a home nearby for the months that the renovation will take. This will take the anxiety out of your day to day routine, worrying about what would happen if your child had an accident when construction was underway. In addition, you can avoid dust, dirt and noise disturbances – things which, as parents of young kids, are best avoided at all costs.
#One room at a time.
If you do decide to stay put during the move, it is important to take the renovation project slowly. Even if it inevitably means there will be construction happening in your home for a longer overall time, taking things one room at a time means that there will always be a space which is safe and clutter-free for your family to be in. This will help you keep the kids away from construction equipment, contain the dust and generally have more peace of mind while constructions are underway!
If you are considering a home renovation project with kids in the house, use this guide to alleviate your concerns and create an environment that works for everyone!