A little reality

I noted in my recent post about the noise and smells of the reno, which can be intense. I also noted the last-minute prep and the space restrictions.

I did not mention how hard this is on each of us individually and as a family and I feel that’s important to share. Back not so many years ago, we were avid DIY home improvers. We know the work involved and the difficulty it puts on life. We didn’t eat well, but we did eat. We had no experience having a contractor coordinate and do the work. That would seem to simplify matters, but having professionals means we have no (direct) control over what we have access to, when, or how. Professionals are also doing things better, which means sounds and smells are more intense than our DIY projects. Of course, we are doing this for better results!

Having professionals do the work also means it can be difficult to know where to be (or more importantly, not to be); how and when to make meals; and how to deal with the intensity of the noise and smells while both of us work from home.

Please know that we have no complaints at all about our contractors, rather I am hoping to share with those considering a major renovation what it might mean to your life, particularly if you work from home and are in your 60s or older. I read a lot of blogs about people with children doing renovations and being a parent of a young one certainly has many challenges. Older adults, like us, have other challenges. We, like me, can have mobility difficulties that make alternative routes in and around the house a bit more challenging. Others, like Dan, likes his routines, which are constantly disrupted. We can roll with those—to a great extent.

And yet, it is not easy. Dan adapts by cooking food that comforts him and I dislike, intensely. I eat less, which makes me sleep poorly. (We are working on a balance.) Dan works hard to exercise Saoirse outside, but she is still disturbed (greatly) by the sounds of workers, their work, and being much more isolated than she is used to. To be honest, Saoirse adapts a bit more than we do.

We focus on the outcome and are truly excited about the progress of the functioning core of our house.

But our back yard, which had been an oasis for us, is the main construction zone and is a mess of sawdust and detritus that we can’t clean—or relax in—for months. We will have to abandon our bedroom in a few weeks. Eating is a constant challenge and a source of friction for one who wants comfort and ease of preparing, and another who needs to eat frequently and healthfully. Comforting the dog who has no idea what the hell we are doing is, quite honestly, sad.

We do not regret this for a second, but if you want to do a major renovation, I hope that you will consider that your life will be impacted much more than you think.

We will have a day’s pause Friday and then the weekend to settle back in to sleep and relax a bit before construction begins again. And we will be excited for the next step!