Can we stay in Airbnb for a month while renovating

[imip]

This time last year we had architects plans finalised, a propspective builder ready to quote and then Covid happened!

We have two children with SEND and our changes included making a bedroom for all our children (4 all together and converting our open plan space to closed space (sadly) precisely to accommodate for their needs. The builder came to quote yesterday and we hoped that we’d be able to organise restarting later in the year. Unfortunately he’s book for the rest of the year but could do it now. We’d need to move out for a month. I’ve been looking at the guidance and nothing seems to stop us from doing this, building works can continue, home moves can continue. We’d want an Airbnb for a month so we didn’t have to move flats.

Is anyone in a similar position and have any advice? I don’t want to wait another year for the work as our kids are getting older and need their own space and home schooling and WFH makes it all the more necessary that the work needs to be done. Dh will stay mostly at our house for cats and I’d be on my own with dc WFH and homeschooling. 1 dc currently in school atm part-time as a vulnerable student. I can handle this for three weeks and the week of half term knowing that we can get 2/3 of the work done in that time.

I don’t know but following with interest!

You’re allowed to move house and you’re allowed to stay away from home if your home is undergoing maintenance or works. You aren’t mixing households and presumably you’ll be keeping to the “stay at home” restriction when in the AirB&B. It’s fine.

Four weeks seems very quick for this much work. Is it realistic?
Presuming it is, I'd go for it!
Rather than AirBnB which is difficult to negotiate outside stated rates, I'd ask on local chats if anyone who rents AirBnB has one available for 4 weeks. They'd jump at the chance as business can't be good now.

Check that everything you need is available. We are currently renovating and there are serious supply chain issues at the moment, which have affected all sorts of unexpected things.

Also expect delays. Our builder has had workforce/other suppliers delay and cancel for lots of virus-related reasons.

Good luck. I cannot wait for ours to end. Still 10 weeks to go

Yes, works overrunning is a real risk, I would be prepared to stay out for longer, but only a couple of weeks.

Builder says as long as building merchants are open he will be ok. The main risk is the boiler, but the job is largely moving walls and turning a staircase, no bathroom/kitchens (that project has to wait, unfortunately) so we are hoping that won’t be such an issue. But we do really need to think this through.

We’ve looked at places to stay and in our area they are really expensive. We are thinking of moving an hour or so away. If we were in tiers, I think this would be problematic, but seems to be ok in national lockdown. I guess we would need a plan on what would happen if builders had to stop working and if we ran out of supplies. Could the house be made good to still live in.

I’m not worried about school though, I think that won’t be an issue until March and the builder is largely free until March.

@Ginflinger I am a little worried about it massively overrunning. As long as the new boiler can be sorted (moving it into the loft) then no other vital utilities should be impacted. I guess we should prioritise those things.

I hope your work is completed very soon!

We have several air bnb.’s two currently occupied. One with a family in similar circumstances to you and one being let out to a film crew longish term. We applied to the local authority for permission to open and it was fine.

@imip you could consider calling around your Airbnbs for a good long-stay deal - i imagine there's not a lot of other business around at the moment. Thank you and good luck to you too!

Definitely ask for a better rate for a months stay. Most Airbnb owners would bite your hand off for anything at this point.

Also try openrent for short term.

Depending on where you live holiday let agencies might operate too

Just to say re over running. We are currently in month 7 of an 8 month build. It was going really well until November. Now we expect to be 4-6 weeks late as people get COVID or have to isolate. Not the builder’s fault at all, just the current reality.

We had to move out for 3 months. We did look at Airbnb but it was soooo expensive!
Found a short term rental in the end.

However I would suggest you ask on social media and your kids school WhatsApp groups (if your school has WhatsApp groups) as there are often people who know of somewhere.
Good luck xx

Thanks so much all. Just waiting for the quote to come back now. I think we are going for it. He has a big job starting March, so I assume he will want to be finished by then. Appreciate your advice because inside I’m really panicking!

Friend of mine is spending a month in an AirBnB while his bathroom is being renovated. Go for it.

Currently in our Airbnb whilst our extension progresses. 4 weeks here then on to a sykes cottage for 3 weeks. Sykes confirmed we met the criteria, airbnb never queried it.

Do it my love, I'm currently doing the same! Moved towards the end of lockdown 1, again just before lockdown 2 and my place is finally almost ready (long story ha).

Although I'd say book for two months because these things can and do often overrun x