There is no harder time to have a home renovation underway than during the holidays. Contributing to the difficulty are your mixed feelings: there are times when you are very excited and times when you are just ready for it to be done and over with!
Emotions can and do run hot during a renovation, and the stress of the holidays can compound those emotions, which can range from simple annoyance to downright frustration depending on your personality and your contractor. So as we are quickly heading into the holiday season, we wanted to share our tips for managing your renovation over the holidays:
1. Talk to your contractor about your holidays plans.
As soon as you know what your holiday plans are, discuss the schedule of work to be done with your contractor. If you have company coming, let them know well in advance that it would be better not to be there on certain days. Be sure to have this discussion early enough so as not to negatively impact the work being done.
2. Set a realistic plan for working around holiday disruptions.
Work with your contractor to make a plan and a schedule so that you are both on the same page with what is realistic to get completed before the holidays and what will need to wait until afterward.
3. Be upfront and honest about your thoughts and feelings.
No one wants to add any additional stress to an already stressful time, so be sure that you are keeping the lines of communication open with your contractor. If something is not working, discuss your options and be willing to compromise to resolve the situation in the best possible manner.
4. Designate a place where all stock and tools can be stored and covered.
Holiday stress is bad enough without the additional clutter and mess of an active construction site. Talk with your contractor about setting aside a space for things to be safely stored out of the way before potential guests arrive. If everyone is on the same page, then stress can be managed better.
5. Be flexible and be reasonable.
Work to create a flexible relationship with your contractor and his/her team. Although you both may have the best of intentions, sometimes unavoidable situations arise and you both have to be flexible to resolve the situation.
The holidays can be stressful enough without the added stress of renovation project. But by following the tips in this post, you can successfully manage a renovation project taking place during the holiday season. If you have plans to renovate for the holidays, don’t forget you can contact us for a fast, free estimate.
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