How To Survive A Remodeling

For some people, if you’re looking for a contractor for kitchens and baths in Bowie for remodeling, the task is straightforward; you only have to worry about finding the right contractor to get the job done. This is especially true if you’ve just bought a home, but haven’t moved into yet, or are a property investor, and don’t plan to inhabit the property you’ve just purchased. As long as the contractor has access to the home, your only worry is coming in to inspect the final results when they’re done.

But what if that’s not your situation? What if you’re looking for a contractor for kitchens and baths in Bowie because you want to remodel your home while you still live in it? This is a much more complex—and potentially inconvenient—situation, and there’s much more planning involved. Here are a few tips for surviving the experience!

The Auxiliary Kitchen

Once you know how long a kitchen remodel is going to take, and the work starts, your first order of business is securing a substitute kitchen if you still plan to do some cooking at home during the remodeling. Depending on your home situation, you may want to simply move certain appliances like the fridge into the garage to continue to store chilled food. If you have hot plates, microwave ovens, Instant Pots, air fryers or other appliances move them to an alternate room. The basement is another possible substitute area, especially if you want easy access to a sink.

The Auxiliary Bathroom

If you have a spare bathroom that’s not being remodeled at the same time, this isn’t as much of an issue, at least for toilet access. However, if you’re going “all in” and having every bathroom remodeled at the same time, you’ll need to make arrangements for toilet and bathing access.

If you’re on good terms, asking a favor from nearby friends and neighbors is one way to solve the issue of toilet use and bathing. However, if that’s not an option—or you live in a rural area, where neighbors are far away—another possibility is renting a portable toilet suite. These can be as simple as plastic booths similar to those found at temporary events like fairs, or more elaborate trailers that even include showers.

Dust

No matter how good the contractor for kitchens and baths in Bowie is, dust is always going to be a consequence of the tearing down, building up, drilling, installing and other activity. If you’re living in the home while remodeling is going on, make sure to set up plastic sheets and other barriers to prevent dust from the work areas spilling over into other areas of the home.

Pets

Finally, if you have pets, you may want to consider temporarily “rehoming” them. There will be open doors, strangers, and much unfamiliar activity. Depending on the temperament of your dog, cat or other pet, this could be an extremely traumatic experience, and you don’t want them attacking the contractor! Take your pet’s behavior into account and adjust accordingly.