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Survive and Thrive

We know most homeowners can agree that the best way to get through a home remodel is to relocate to a luxurious beach house in Hawaii. We also know a month or longer tropical getaway is not in the cards for most of us. Yet, you have finally decided the time has come for your much-needed and overdue home remodel. How will you survive balancing home life with all the dust and hard hats? We know it is this that seems more daunting than the remodel itself, but don’t worry, we have a few tips to make sure you can survive, even thrive, during a remodel.

Set boundaries

As the contractors set up their own “Caution: machinery-in-use” signs, set up your own “Do not disturb” signs for the parts of your home that aren’t under construction. You want to keep your private space private. Having distinct spatial separation allows you to have a space to escape it all and clear your head as well as somewhere to maintain a normal home life. Most importantly, try if you can to set a specific schedule for start and stop times. You may need some flexibility with this, but essentially, it’s about having a clear understanding between you and your construction workers. You don’t want to deal with the sound of saws before your morning coffee or after a long day of work. Maintaining clear boundaries gives all parties the time and space needed to stay sane and get the job done.

Check-in regularly

Along with establishing clear perimeters, you should set aside time to discuss the project with the general contractor, and the project managers. Making yourself available at specific scheduled times allows you to prepare mentally for any and all discussions. You’ll prevent yourself from having to make hasty decisions that you might regret later.

Working with a full-service interior designer/design project manager makes checking-in even more straightforward. Interior designer/design project managers, like Johanna, are on the project from inception to completion. Johanna has oversight of the entire design process and manages – this alongside the general contractor – through initial design, selections, installation, and can alleviate much of the stress. Every design project Johanna/IDC Interior Design Consulting manages starts with scheduling regular meetings with the client and the general contractor. The key is to meet before the project begins the construction. Then, subsequent meetings with vendors and contractors discuss decisions on selections, progress reviews, projections and goals, project perimeters, and ward-off any issues that might cause you even more stress or unnecessary expenses. Without regular meetings, things can slip through the cracks, designs misunderstood, communication breakdowns.  Such as finding out your dream backsplash has a 12-week delivery time when you really need it in 6. Having a dedicated time that everyone commits to mean fewer surprises… both pleasant and unpleasant.

Let the professionals be the professionals

There’s a reason you hired professionals, and you should leave all major concerns up to them. If you foresee yourself worrying more than you should, consider working with a design professional. With Johanna/IDC Interior Design Consulting, we don’t just help you with color selections and furniture placement. We have years of expertise in spatial planning, knowledge of electrical, plumbing, and understand structural issues and how to overcome them in your design. We can connect you with the right company to take out a load-bearing wall or install gas lines for your new pizza oven/outdoor kitchen. Your remodel can be much more seamless and enjoyable when you have someone like Johanna/IDC Interior Design Consulting to do the leg work, manage the routines, and alleviate chaos.

Rediscover where you live

Have you been meaning to try out the new Chinese place that just opened? Visit the local theatre? Check out the newest thriller from your library? Now is the perfect time to embrace what your community has to offer. The more time you spend outside of the home, the less time you’ll spend focusing on every little part of the remodel. Wondering why the contractor hasn’t done something yet or question is that part finished, are they leaving it like that? After a long day of venturing out into the world, you’ll be happy to come home and head to bed, not worrying about whether or not the countertops have been installed yet.

Consider making an adventure out of your short-lived upheaval, much like a recent client of Johanna/IDC Interior Design Consulting. When taking on a much-needed kitchen remodel, this family decided to set up camp, literally! They used their camping equipment, plasticware, BBQ, and made the most of their backyard with outdoor dining and cooking. Knowing their remodel involved stripping down to the original frame, re-plumbing, and re-wiring, they planned to survive and thrive by turning the experience into a mini staycation!

Accept that life will be in flux for a while, but it is only temporary

Remodeling your home doesn’t mean your life has to end, it just means you have to temporarily remodel your life. From ordering take out to spending time at friend’s houses, try to enjoy the shakeup in your daily routine. By embracing the adventure of it all, you’ll have fewer gray hairs and much more fun. Plus, in the end, you’ll have exactly what you wanted all along, a brand new beautifully remodeled home.

The main tip

Call Johanna for expert advice on how to prepare for your remodel with a project management style that is designed around you! Your end result will be the one-a-kind-design you will thrive in for many years to come.

Contact Johanna today for your initial consultation.

Johanna G. Seldes, ASID IDC/Interior Design Consulting is a full service, award-winning Tampa Bay interior design firm that works with custom home builders, remodeling companies and individual clients. We provide interior design project management services throughout the entire construction process, including preconstruction design, selections, and installation.