Tips For Maintaining Your Sanity During Home Renovations

 When you're in the middle of a home renovation, or even a simple makeover or DIY project, it can sometimes feel like a life or death situation.

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Dealing with contractors can be an art form in itself. Communication is the key. Try some of these tips to deal with the contractors: contractors, electricians, local plumbers, and any other people working in your home to keep your renovations as stress-free as you can.

Be nice

Difficult situations almost never get better as a result of you getting angry or nasty. In fact, in most cases, the opposite happens, and things just go from bad to worse. Being nice is by far the best option.

Get everything in writing

Getting the plan, price, timeline, shopping list, or expectations in writing will eliminate a lot of misunderstandings.

Double the timeframe

Even if you plan it, you are not the one who will do the work. Double the time estimate you’re given, and if the job finishes early, you will be happily surprised, but save yourself the frustration and disappointment if things take longer.

Insist that things are kept clean

Renovations are dusty and messy. Be realistic about this, and take steps to keep the mess as under control as you can. Lay down cardboard to protect your floors. Move furniture out of the way, and cover anything that can’t be moved in dust sheets. Hang plastic sheeting in doorways to stop dust from getting into other rooms. Ask your contractors to keep things tidy, and clean up when they’re done working for the day, especially if you’re still living in the house while work is going on. 

Clean up after yourselves.

Your contractors are only responsible for so much cleaning. They should sort out their own tools, and the mess they’ve created, but it might be easier if you expect to do most of the cleaning yourself so you don’t get annoyed if things are left messy.

Be a tattle tale when you need to be

Save complaining for the important things. The last thing you want is to be thought of as the person who complains about everything. Let a few things slide but speak to the contractor when you need to.

Stay calm

Deal with day-to-day communication in the right way. You want to keep your working relationship with your contractor and anyone else working in the house productive and intact all the way through the work, so communication is key. Who in the house is the best at staying calm in tough situations and getting their point across? This is the person who should be the main contact for the builders. 

Don't allow the work at home to hurt your relationships at home

This is a difficult part of the process. Frustrations run high during renovations. People react differently orr don't react at all to something that’s annoyed you. Keep a running dialogue, try to keep your sense of humor, focus on the big picture, and remember why you are doing all of this work.