If you are in a position where a house renovation is likely to happen in the foreseeable future, then you might have already thought about how you can cope with the mess that’s about to ensue.
Don’t stress yourself out as we have some helpful tips to minimise debris build up and the amount of work that needs to be done to clean it all up.
Talk to your contractor about details and site preparation
I am sure that you have a contractor already, or at least you have spoken to one. Let them know about the specific changes you want to have done in your house. They can more or less give you an estimate of how messy things can get. Generally, contractors work with you in helping protect other areas of the house from damage, but not necessarily from dirt and dust.
Be specific with your contractor about how you want things to play out during the renovation. Don’t be afraid to voice any concerns you may have. Have a clear and honest conversation about what you expect from the contractor in terms of cleanliness.
Staying in or Temporarily Move Out? You Decide
Depending on how big or small the renovation is, you do have the option of staying put or temporarily moving out while the construction happens.
If you are renovating just one part of the house, site preparation will be an important aspect to consider not just on your end but to the contractor as well. It might actually cost you more if you plan to stay instead of staying away for the duration of the renovation. Workers have YOU now to consider whenever they work; they will have to set up protective barriers like tarpaulin and such before a day’s work as well as take them down before they head home. You’ll end up paying for the extra time it will cost them to do those things.
If you plan to move out for the time being, workers don’t have to be bothered by the mess and whatnot and leave the construction as is. They can easily continue working the following day, picking up where they left off.
For whatever reason, discuss these things with your contractor when you have a proper sit down with them.
Protect Other Parts and Items of the House
Whatever you can do to protect your home, do it! Remember that it is not the contractor’s responsibility or job to protect your furniture or other home areas. Try to minimise the mess by following our tips:
● Take out everything from the room. Not only are you preventing dust and dirt from getting into your belongings, but you are also protecting them from possible damage.
● Cordon off the area by placing a thick tarpaulin from ceiling to floor, creating a temporary wall between the site and the rest of your house. You are free to put another layer of tarpaulin if there will be sanding involved as dust particles might be released into the air. If you want to protect your flooring from scratches and other sort of damages, placing a double layer of construction paper will help. There are also plastic screens that come with zippers for easy access for the workers.
● If you have a large furniture in the room that you simply can’t take out, completely cover it with plastic. You don’t want dust and dirt to get into the cracks and crevices of the furniture. The dust could dull the shine of the surface area.
● If the renovation is in an inner room of the house, place a canvas or tarpaulin on the floor leading up to the site. I’m sure unsightly footprints isn’t exactly what you want to see on your hardwood floor.
● Talk to the contractor about daily clean ups. This will ensure that dust and debris don’t build up in your house. Ask about their practices and again, don’t be afraid to be open about cleanliness.
● Open the windows whenever possible for proper ventilation. As long as the weather permits it, keeping the windows open helps the dust and debris from staying put inside your home.
● If the construction site is anywhere near a closet, put masking tape on all the gaps. You don’t want to have to deal with a dusty house AND wardrobe afterwards.
● No matter how vigilant you are in trying to keep the house clean, there will always be specks of dust lying around somewhere. Try this tip whenever you clean: vacuum the dust off first and then wipe. Constantly wiping the surfaces of objects, especially those made out of wood, will dull its shine.
● Do you have an air purifier? Now is the perfect time to use it. With the construction site involving all sorts of changes within your home, trying to keep the air free from hazardous air particles shouldn’t be much of a challenge. This, along with keeping the windows and doors open, should be enough to ventilate the construction site and its
surrounding area.
A Word From Pristine Home, The Expert in Home Cleaning:
Renovations last for quite some time. Aside from the daily cleanup that you expect from the contractor and his workers, have a weekly or fortnightly scheduled visit from us. It is always a good idea to have a clean up done by professionals especially when you are doing a remodelling for an eventual house sale. Kick it up a notch by acquiring our Moving Out cleaning service as we will cover the entire house, from top to bottom, making it perfectly presentable to any possible buyers.
These are just some preventive measures you can easily employ when a home renovation is on the horizon. Call us at Pristine Home when the renovation is over as we have a specific type of service that will guarantee a clean home. Easily book a cleaner in less than a minute and have peace of mind knowing that your house will be in good hands with us at Pristine Home.
