Live in the House During Construction or to Lease Somewhere for Part or All of the Process?
Some people choose to stay in their homes to save the added costs of leasing for months. As leasing could easily be $40,000-$70,000, it is a substantial amount that they may prefer to use for the actual remodeling. Also, there is an advantage to being close at hand during the remodel as many concerns and questions can arise.
However, very careful consideration should be given to the added stress that may result from living in a constant construction zone. Being totally unprepared for the reality of having a primitive kitchen set up in one of the baths, workers arriving at 7 a.m., constant dust even if plastic barriers are taped up, etc., can come as a very unwelcome experience.
If children are involved, the potential stress level may be magnified. In such cases, advance planning and allocation of more funds for temporary housing may be essential for family health and harmony.
Find a Rental Home Nearby
One alternative is to find a rental home that is relatively near the home being remodeled and with enough space to handle the needs for many months. The initial estimate of time to complete the remodel may be substantially shorter than the actual time it takes due to delays and changes along the way.
Therefore, it may be wise to find a lease that can be somewhat flexible in length, offering a premium to the landlord if need be in order to get a more flexible term commitment. It may also be worth considering a nearby apartment complex that could have large enough units available for lease.
We have had clients who decided to minimize the leasing costs by living in their home for several months while a major addition was being constructed. They then moved out for a few months while the final construction including a new kitchen was being completed. This served both purposes of saving leasing costs while reducing the potential stress of living in a construction zone.