DH and I have typically done any remodeling we wanted before moving into a new for us home, or moved out for a major remodel. We recently bought a home and moved into it without doing anything to it beforehand. We are considering three different options and would appreciate your input on whether it would be advisable to move our things, ourselves and our dog out of the home under these scenarios:
Option 1 - Upgrade electrical/lighting/fans involving some cutting into drywall. Demo insides of all closets. Remove all window coverings. Patch, paint entire home, rebuild closets to our liking and install new window coverings. Leave kitchen and bathrooms alone other than lighting improvements and perhaps upgrading appliances.
Option 2 - in addition to Option 1, remodel kitchen and bathrooms with new cabinets/countertops, appliances, and re-tile showers/bath surrounds. Minor layout changes to kitchen and baths.
Option 3 - complete gut job including all of the above as well as removing and replacing tile flooring throughout home, removing/relocating a few walls, and completely customizing the home to our liking.
We bought this home for the neighborhood, view, and location. Plus it has good “bones.” None of the finishes (floors, cabinets, countertops) are what we would have chosen. We’ve looked into refacing cabinets and replacing countertops, but the cost of that would be not that much lower than just getting new cabinets, and wouldn’t allow us to improve the layout. Initially we were leaning towards Option 1 for now and doing more work later, but then we realized that new window coverings and light fixtures would likely need to be taken out if we do a more significant remodel later. So we’ve stopped unpacking and shopping for lighting and window coverings until we figure this out.
I know if we choose Option 3, we have to move out. Removing the tile floors, moving walls, etc. is way too messy to live with. I’m feeling like Option 2 would be difficult to live with, but perhaps doable as many people have bathrooms or kitchens remodeled without moving out of their homes. Option 1 feels like we could probably live in the home throughout the process, although it would still be pretty dusty and messy.
For those of you who have lived through remodels, what do you think about trying to live in the home during the various options?
Option 1 - Upgrade electrical/lighting/fans involving some cutting into drywall. Demo insides of all closets. Remove all window coverings. Patch, paint entire home, rebuild closets to our liking and install new window coverings. Leave kitchen and bathrooms alone other than lighting improvements and perhaps upgrading appliances.
Option 2 - in addition to Option 1, remodel kitchen and bathrooms with new cabinets/countertops, appliances, and re-tile showers/bath surrounds. Minor layout changes to kitchen and baths.
Option 3 - complete gut job including all of the above as well as removing and replacing tile flooring throughout home, removing/relocating a few walls, and completely customizing the home to our liking.
We bought this home for the neighborhood, view, and location. Plus it has good “bones.” None of the finishes (floors, cabinets, countertops) are what we would have chosen. We’ve looked into refacing cabinets and replacing countertops, but the cost of that would be not that much lower than just getting new cabinets, and wouldn’t allow us to improve the layout. Initially we were leaning towards Option 1 for now and doing more work later, but then we realized that new window coverings and light fixtures would likely need to be taken out if we do a more significant remodel later. So we’ve stopped unpacking and shopping for lighting and window coverings until we figure this out.
I know if we choose Option 3, we have to move out. Removing the tile floors, moving walls, etc. is way too messy to live with. I’m feeling like Option 2 would be difficult to live with, but perhaps doable as many people have bathrooms or kitchens remodeled without moving out of their homes. Option 1 feels like we could probably live in the home throughout the process, although it would still be pretty dusty and messy.
For those of you who have lived through remodels, what do you think about trying to live in the home during the various options?