5 Tips to Manage Your House Renovation Project Easier

 

Renovation can be an exciting project for any homeowner. But just like any home improvement project, it isn’t always a breath of fresh air. In reality, renovation can be messy, stressful, dusty, and at times, dangerous. If you’ve renovated your home before, you must be familiar with the actual scene: dust all over the place. Wet paint with suffocating smell, paint splatters, handyman tools scattered everywhere, muddy floors – it always looks like there has been a major disaster. Well, don’t lose hope. You can get it done with minimal mess, loss and damage. How? Check out these five helpful tips:

Secure everything first before getting started.

First things first. You want to make sure that the area to be renovated is free from anything that can hinder a smooth and organized workflow. That’s it – free from furniture, appliances, and all other things your workers will not need. You want to keep it bare as much as possible. If there are furniture or appliances that are built-in, the only workaround is to cover them with cloth or tarp. This way, they don’t get soaked in dust or paint splatter, or get scratched or damaged during the job. If you have a vacant room that won’t be affected by the renovation, move all furnishings and other stuff you can’t easily wipe clean in there. This will save you money, effort and lots of time having to clean all these items once the renovation project is done. Seal off work areas. Use plastic sheeting or tarps to separate work areas from where you will be living.

Prepare your cleaning supplies.

Before the project starts, you want to be prepared with all the cleaning tools you will need, from the vacuum cleaner to the scrubbers, cleaning solutions, cloths, rags, plastic sheeting, and more. Don’t forget to stock on sanitizing wipes to easily wipe clean any surfaces, especially your beloved furniture and appliances. Keep the air clean and circulating. Dirty air is a common consequence of most home improvement projects. Fortunately, there are ways to lessen if not fully prevent it. First, consider getting your home renovated during warmer months whenever possible. Summer renovations are ideal because they allow for a more thorough exchange of air within your home as you keep your windows open. Another way to ensure clean air throughout the renovation work is by sealing air vents, at least during the time when actual work is happening. Covering vents helps reduce a buildup of dust that are sure to spread around your home. Also, make use of dehumidifiers or air movers. Unnecessary moisture can lead to growth mold, especially when the renovation requires removing drywall. As this process requires water to remove dust, dehumidifiers will keep the everything dry during the process.

Don’t underestimate the power of vacuum.

The vacuum is one of the most powerful tools you could ever use to keep your home organized  and clean during a renovation work. It’s the most cost-effective way to keep the level of dust down. Vacuum as you see necessary. Don’t wait for the workday to end before you start controlling the dust. You can use a high-powered dust filter for better results. You can contractors if they have one as one of your considerations when selecting the one to hire for your project. Use the upholstery attachment on your vacuum to clean any upholstered furniture, such as mattresses and sofas.

Pick the right contractor.

This is one of the most important. Not only you have to consider the skills of the contractor you are hiring. You should also consider their work ethics and cleanliness. Doesn’t matter whether they are polishing the concrete, or cleaning the air, the contractors should have a cleaning plan in place, and won’t just leave your home with all the dirt scattered around. Professional workers clean as they go and see to it that their tools and equipment are properly organized or arranged
in the worksite before they leave. When selecting a contractor, check to see if a final clean is part of their service. If not, consider hiring someone to do it once the project has been completed.

Some More Tips to Reduce/Prevent Damage

1) Check on and change the air filters in your home. Painters often remove filters before working and forget to put them back on. A missing filter can damage your furnace.
2) Take down and clean light fixtures, as well as the blades of ceiling fans, if you have.
3) Clean the walls, including the molding. If they’re newly painted, dry-dust them.
4) Raise concerns immediately. If you notice any damage during the renovation work, let the contractors know. Renovating a home can be a messy and dangerous undertaking. Surely, you can’t prevent the dust, dirt and chaos, but you can definitely reduce and control them. With advanced planning and the right preparation, you can definitely ensure a smooth, clean and organized renovation project.