If you’ve ever lived through a major renovation, you know they’re not for the faint of heart. While the end result is always worth it, it’s important to know that you are going to experience some degree of frustration and burnout if you live in your home while it’s being updated. You’re almost guaranteed to regret the decision at some point, but thankfully that usually happens when the finish line is near!

When our clients are trying to determine if they should stay put and weather the (dust) storm or pack up and move to temporary housing, we try to prepare them by posing these important questions:

Is it a large-scale renovation?

If you’re updating almost everything, especially elements like plumbing and electrical systems, windows, and flooring, we suggest relocating – at least while the dirty work gets done. Major kitchen and full-scale bathroom renovations can also be tough to live through, though not impossible. If more than 50% of the home will become a construction zone, moving out is likely the best choice for your family – and your sanity. If you’re simply updating finishes – painting kitchen cabinets and installing a new backsplash or updating a bathroom, it’s easy to keep the construction contained and should only take a few weeks to complete, making it much easier to live through.

Is it really going to save you money?

You’re likely thinking of staying put as a cost saving measure. Think about the spaces you’re updating. If you are doing a large-scale renovation and the contractors will be forced to work in phases to ensure you’re never without a working bathroom, or that the jobsite is left spotless at the end of each day, the renovation is likely to go longer than it would otherwise which means extra $$$ and prolonged suffering.

Have you been through a renovation before?

If you’ve lived through home updates before or you’re someone who likes projects and DIY, you may be better prepared to live with the chaos and mess that renovations can bring. For someone who has never lived in a construction zone and doesn’t know what to expect, the upheaval can be a bit harder to cope with.

How will the stress impact your family?

You know your family’s needs better than anyone else. If you have young children and/or pets, or are particularly sensitive to stress, it’s probably worth the added expense to relocate during your renovation. Build the expense into your renovation budget and plan accordingly.

If you’re the type of person who thrives on the adrenaline of watching a big project come to life, you may find the process exhilarating.

If you’ve decided to stay put, check out this post that includes all of our tips for living through a renovation.