How to Stay Sane During a Major Home Renovation
By Wendy Gilbert

Nervous about how your Egyptian cotton fingertips are going to look after a major renovation? Worried about who is doing what where in your house?

Relax.

First, hire someone you really trust, check their references and then, well, make it easy for them.

If you can't quite bring yourself to hand over the keys, be prepared to be on site and then out of sight. No one likes having someone peeking over their shoulder while they are working, and contractors are no exception.
Be Patient.

Most projects take longer than projected for one reason or another. Blame it on the weather, your thirst for an eco-friendly result or just plain bad luck. Consider a project that ends nearly on time, a pleasant and unexpected surprise.

Marie Baity, owner and lead designer for A Designer's Touch, Churchville said that hiring a contractor that you can trust is important for peace of mind. "Having a major home renovation done is one of the most stressful things you can do."

Another key to reducing the stress caused by a major household renovation is to keep the work schedule moving. "You have to walk a fine line between your schedule and providing access to the property," Baity said.
If you run out to the grocery store and the contractors can't get in, they may leave your site to work on another job. "If they can't have access, everything gets pushed back. It becomes a real domino effect all down the line."

One scheduling setback will not only delay your project completion goals, but the next homeowner's project as well.

If the renovation project is really big, consider going on vacation. "If you trust the people you have hired and have confidence in them, feel free to give them a set of keys to your house. With cell phones and the internet, it is easy to stay in touch," Baity added.

Changes in the economy and increases in product choices have created another hitch in the system as well. "Almost everything we order is made to order. It used to be mostly stock. With all the finishes available and style changes, you can't count on it being in."

"You end up waiting a month for something you used to get in a week," Baity said. As a result, she doesn't even start a major kitchen or bath renovation until everything is in.

"Every little thing seems to take forever, so you need to be patient. Just a few years ago, if your order was backordered, it would arrive on the next truck." Now most suppliers don't keep stock piled up in a warehouse, so the lead times are longer.

In addition to perpetual patience, homeowners need to be flexible and creative during kitchen and bath renovations.

"When you have somebody in your house, you have to be prepared for that," Baity said. If the master bath is undergoing a renovation, be prepared to share a hall bath with the children.

"Move the fridge and the microwave and create a mini kitchen in the garage. Use paper plates and napkins and plan to eat out a lot," she advises. "Pretend you are camping out in your own home and focus on the end result."
Expect the unexpected.

There is always going to be something that happens that is unexpected. Sometimes it is a little thing; some times it is a big thing. Inspections can hold up the project just as easily as a box of broken tile.

A good contractor will be able to handle anything that comes along. No matter what happens or how long it takes, the end result is almost always worth the trouble and the wait. "When it's all done you will be very happy you did it."

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