Can I live in my house while it is being renovated?

Yes! Hanson Building has done many home renovations and extensions while the family continues to live in their home.

We have even put a second-storey extension up over an existing Box Hill South home, while a family (and their dog) continued living there! We have to be honest, we were a bit nervous for the couple of weeks the family lived under a tarpaulin roof, but they survived and the project was a big success.

Staying at home during a renovation or extension can have benefits – especially the cost saving of not having to pay for a rental property – and after years of experience, Hanson Building has some tips to make it an easy process.

If you are planning on staying while Hanson Building renovates or extends your home, these are our tips:

(1)    Make this decision as early as possible. Often project schedules will need to be developed to take this into account. For example, we might leave an existing bathroom in place right till the end of the build if we are changing or removing another bathroom to make sure your family has use of bathroom facilities throughout the whole job. The earlier we know your plans, the easier it is.

(2)    It is generally smooth sailing. Where possible, Hanson Building will construct a temporary wall or fence to keep everybody safe. This will also help keep the building site out of living spaces. We work sensible hours, there will be no banging or power saws going at 6am. You won’t find our staff sitting on your couch, we will keep to ourselves and treat your project as our workplace, not your home. 

(3)    Try and get your work done in warmer months. Especially in Melbourne, winter can mean icy winds, freezing mornings and regular wet weather. During the build, your home may be temporarily without insulated walls, entrances may be muddy, or you might not have a complete kitchen for a short time. Staying home while your house is being renovated or extended is often easier if you can easily cook on the BBQ and mild weather means it doesn’t become too draughty.

For more information on renovating or extending your Melbourne home, get in touch with Hanson Building via the contact form.