Ask anyone who has had an extension, or any significant building work, done on their property, and they’ll tell you it’s tough going. The end result is beautiful and they love it, but those few weeks or months of “in progress’ are a real killer. Not because the builders were difficult or did a bad job – but because building work is inherently disruptive. Wert coming into your home and ripping out walls, cutting off access to certain spaces and even shutting off power and water at certain times. We know it can be inconvenient for you, but it’s all part of how we do our jobs! There are some things you can do to make life a little easier during this time though, andwe’ree going to share them with you today.
Move Out, If You Can
Depending on the type of building work you’re having done, it may be in your best interests to move out for a while! Some small extensions aren’t too disruptive, but wrap-around extensions and full renovations can cause chaos. It’s often less chaotic to move into a hotel or a short-term rental, or even crash with family/friends while the work is being done. This means the builders can work more quickly and effectively (without having to work around you), and you won’t be living with the stress 24/7.
Clear The Space
Whichever area of your house is having work done, do some prep to get it ready. Give the area a thorough de-clutter, and clear away as much of your stuff as you can. Pack away ornaments, clocks, photos and anything else you want to keep safe. Put them in storage if you can. Then, pack anything you might need from the area while the building work is going on. Think plates, cutlery, mugs, shampoo, soap, the TV remote. Put them into transparent storage boxes so that they are easy to find while the building work going on. If you’re not keeping all of your furniture for the area, now is the time to get rid of it. Ideally, you want the rooms being worked on to be completely empty before the builders arrive.
Plan For The Day-To-Day
In most cases, any building project will require you to live in fewer rooms than usual, and those will need to be ‘ ” ‘multi-functional. So think ahead about what you will need in your day-to-day life and make sure you have an alternative. Where are you going to cook, wash clothes, bathe? Most people will set up a mini-campsite in their living area with a camp stove, microwave and kettle. We’ve seen washing machines relocated to garages and sheds, and friends or neighbours loaning the use of their showers. Be prepared to eat a lot of ready meals and slum it for a little while, knowing the end result will be worth it.
Dealing With Dust
With building work comes dust – a lot of it! Especially during the demolition phase. Cement dust is the worst culprit, as it tends to settle on everything. No matter how much sweeping, mopping or dusting you do, while there’s building work, there will be dust.
That said, make sure your builders are using dust sheets and room dividers where possible to prevent the spread of too much dust. Protective sheets are important too, and should be draped over any furniture that is too big to move, or that’s fixed in place. And remember, its your builder’s responsibility to clear away the worst of the debris at the end of each day – either by handling it themselves or asking you to get a skip.
Assign A ‘Builders Entrance’
No matter how clean we try to be, building is often mucky work. The last thing we want is to be tracking all of that dirt through your home every day – and we’re pretty sure you don’t want it either! So to minimize movement through your home, assign a ‘builders entrance’ for us to use when going in and out of your home. This is usually the back door or a side entrance, but it means you don’t have to worry about us moving dust and dirt through your home.
And finally- ask! We know we’re disrupting your life, and so we want to make sure we aren’t making things worse for you. At DNA Brickwork we work to the highest standards, and are always sure to clean up after ourselves every day -not just at completion. And if you need help making temporary adjustments, like moving that washing machine, we’ll gladly lend a hand. To find out more about how we work, just get in touch with the team today.
