Angie's List

PHILADELPHIA (CBS 3) ― With the housing market the way it is these days, more and more people may be opting to remodel rather than move. In today's Angie's List report, 3 On Your Side's Jim Donovan has some advice on keeping your sanity during a remodel.

A home remodel can quickly start to seem like a home invasion, and it can turn your family's daily routine upside down.

"Many people underestimate the actual stress and restructuring of their lives that comes with remodeling," said Angie Hicks, founder of Angie's List.

Angie recommends that right from the beginning that you have a plan.

"So if you're going to be remodeling something like a bathroom that's going to interfere with your daily activities, you need to think of plan B," said Hicks. "If it's your only bathroom, are you going to be staying with your neighbors or at a hotel and how are you going to get around that construction period."

From the beginning, establish ground rules around your home and project site. In order to keep the dirt to a minimum during a remodeling job, talk to your contractor. Explain to them what your expectations are for how the worksite should be left each day and what areas of the house are off limits. You really want to try to contain the dirt as much as possible even though you're going to have above normal amounts of dirt in your house during that time.

More Tips:

Map out your routine. If it's a kitchen or bathroom project, determine how you are going to re-route the family during mealtimes, as well as the "getting the kids out the door in the morning" routine.

Set limits. Before the work begins, talk with your contactor about the areas of your home that are off limits, as well as agree on the hours the crew will actually be onsite. Another important point is to establish whether the crew will have access to a bathroom in your home, for their use. If not, you need to discuss whether or not a portable toilet will be leased, and how that cost will be covered.

Designate storage space. Agree with the contractor on where supplies and tools will be stored. You don't want to constantly be walking over or moving supplies to get to things you need on a regular basis. As well, it will help ensure that supplies and tools don't come up missing or lost.

Agree on the meaning of clean. Expect a significant amount of dust and dirt throughout any remodeling project. However, you should establish with your contractor what the ground rules for cleaning up the worksite at the end of each day. Just because the crew will be back "first thing in the morning," it's not OK to leave out trash and supplies.

Protect your children. Talk to your contractor to make sure workers act and dress appropriately. As well, a construction site can be a fascinating place for your children. Let them watch from a safe distance, but prohibit them from playing in the work site and let them know that tools and supplies aren't toys. A pile of dirt can make for fun playtime adventures for your kids, but if it's spread across your yard, it's not very useful to your contractors.

Think of your pets. It's not unusual for homeowners to acquaint their dogs with the crew at the beginning of a project. If the remodeling project is going to be especially noisy or stir up a lot of dirt and dust, you may consider boarding your pet for at least a few days during the heavy work period.

Create a united front. Don't let the stress of remodeling drive a wedge in your family relationships. Think of yourself as a team. If big issues come up on the project site, discuss them later, when you have a chance to reach an agreement without "airing" your dirty laundry in front of the work crew.

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