Live in house during renovations or move out?

[juliusjnr]

We're planning on starting building works first half of next year which will take about six months. Doing a two storey side and back extension, lots of internal reconfiguration.

In early stages of talking to builders, one has said works will take six months and if we moved out that can really get cracking but said they'd obviously work around us if we stayed.

I think there would be a point that we'd have to vacate for a couple of weeks at least when house would be totally unhabitable.

Closest family is 45 mins drive away, dc1 leaves for school early so would involve getting up really early and leaving for school even earlier to catch bus from here. Not impossible but exhausting.

No family or friends closer to ask to put us up.

Other option, going into rental for six months , additional cost of between 6k-9k rent during the build.

All.dependant on quotes from builders as to if we could incorporated into our budget but what have others done during major building works?

I've lived in building sites with kids and it's hard if you let it get you down, it's dusty and cold and things take more effort.

In our current house we rented for 6 months whilst loft, bedrooms and bathroom were made ok, have moved back in whilst rest of work goes on. (At least a years worth) renting was expensive and hard but house was not livable so didn't have any choice.

If you have bedrooms and workinh bathroom it's doable. And it'll be well worth it in long run.

WE renovated last year, walls knocked down, extensions added, new bathrooms, kitchen etc we tried to live in it but in the end it was all too much and we moved out which was a lot less stressful as you have no privacy at all otherwise

Thanks Mayhemmumma, I think we'll have bedrooms and bathrooms for a bit but don't have a schedule of works yet.

I think preference would be rented, builder says they could save about four weeks on building time if we were out. I guess for them if they've got a free run on an empty house they can work.much quicker without restrictions.

Thanks Tara, sounds similar project to us. Mayhemmumma if you don't mind me asking what work is going on for another year, sounds like major work! I'm guessing once the structural stuff is done you can go back in and do the more cosmetic work whilst living there.

if you can possibly rent then rent: the builders may get on faster (and of course they will say that they will) but more importantly you will preserve your sanity. Make sure you rent very close to the building works though so you can pop in very regularly - daily or more if you can.

Same as others - if you can get somewhere else do it, well worth it particularly over winter.

Thank you for the comments. Need to wait for quotes from the builders to see how the finances would work. It's funny as I remembered this evening my dad saying a while back, " you might need to budget for renting somewhere" and it's my parents I'm thinking we'd move in with. Haven't asked them yet, my dm would love it but not so sure about my dad now.