In most cases, the answer is yes, you can live in your home while we build your addition. In fact, most of our customers live in their homes during construction, and our emphasis on livable remodeling is our way of making that experience as minimally invasive as possible.

Whenever possible, we try to isolate the new construction portion from the rest of your home and completing the breakthrough (the area where the new construction and exiting home meet) as late in the process as possible. By doing so we minimize dust, disruption, and construction traffic through existing areas of your home.

Depending on what areas your home addition includes, you may need to move out of specific rooms in your home. For example, if we are expanding your primary bedroom and bathroom to create a primary suite, you will need to move into a different area of the home while that work is being completed. Likewise, a kitchen addition almost always includes a complete, full gut kitchen remodel, so you would need to set up a temporary kitchen in an adjoining space, like the dining room, while construction takes place.

There are instances, however, when you really do need to move out of your home, at least for a short period of time. Examples might include adding a second story when the entire roof structure will be removed, or if the only bathroom in your home is out of commission as part of the addition. These scenarios are rare, and if this is something that may impact your project, your designer will talk through the timing and duration of the move-out period so that you can plan accordingly.

While living in your home during construction can take some adaption, many of our customers found it to be easy to manage, and some have even felt that it created a further sense of adventure.

Think of living through a major remodel as being a little bit like camping. Despite everyone’s best efforts to manage dust and disruption, there’s no escaping that there is an element of roughing it. If you feel that you would be especially sensitive to this, perhaps you would be happiest with temporary accommodations for a portion or for the entirety of construction. Your Designer or Superintendent can help you work through a realistic expectation for living in your home during construction so you can make the best decision for you.

While living at home during a major remodeling project like a home addition can be a unique experience, we think you’ll find that there’s nothing like touring your newly constructed space each night as you take in the changes and watch your home addition take shape.