Standing Into Danger: Ten Tips for Surviving a Major Renovation Without Killing Each Other!

A year ago, Terry and I took the plunge and decided to renovate our main living space.

Knowing that neither of us had the skills nor the desire to do the work ourselves,

we knew we had to hire a contractor.

We had delayed taking this step too long, paralyzed by horror stories

about shady contractors and shoddy workmanship.

Our number one concern was finding an experienced,

knowledgeable, and honest contractor.

Worries, the Stuff of Nightmares!

www.renovation

Now, a year later we have a beautiful new space, after renovating

our kitchen, our living room, the dining room, two bathrooms,

two bedrooms, a hallway, a stairwell, and a deck.

And we survived the process without killing each other!

We're thrilled with the results!

#1 Before ~ Sorry About the Mess! 😂

Cleaning, Sorting and Packing

#2 Before ~ Sorry About the Mess! 😂

Cleaning, sorting, Packing

#3 Before ~ Our Breakfast Nook

Always a Bit of a Disaster

After #1

After #2

After #3

After #4 That Breakfast Nook Repurposed as an Exercise and Open Area

Since we survived, I'm sharing some tips for getting through a major renovation.

#1: Understand what you are getting into.

There are many factors to consider before undertaking a major renovation, among them:

whether or not you will hire professionals
the cost
how long it will take
whether you stay in your home or move out during the renovation
what to pack and where to store the things you pack
the design and materials
the disruption to your lives, especially if you have children and/or pets
how to handle disagreements over decisions you must make.
the impact a renovation may have on your relationship with your partner

So, before you commit and start demolishing your home's interior, understand what you are getting into.

Demolition Underway ~ No Turning Back Now!

April 14, 2025

#2. Remember You Love Your Spouse or Partner.

A renovation is one of the most stressful things you can undertake, often resulting in conflicts over control, money, taste, and managing the inevitable anxiety that surfaces during the process.

There are countless decisions that have to be made, and no decision is worth harming or risking your relationship. Never forget that you love each other and that must take priority over everything. I love Terry. He loves me. Bottom line.

Terry and I

Byodo-in Temple Grounds, Oahu, Hawaii

March 15, 2025

#3. Communicate.

The stress of upheaval, constant dust and disarray, and the coming and going of workers at all hours can ignite your emotions. You always need to remember that comments made under duress may not reflect how you or your partner really feel. 😂 Wait for a calmer moment and talk and listen to each other.

#4. Compromise.

There is no hill worth dying on, if you put your relationship first. Really, is your kitchen hardware, the tile in your shower, or the pattern of tile resurfacing your fireplace the be-all and end-all? Be open with each other and work together to solve problems that arise. Each of you should be willing to make concessions.

Before

After

#5. Complement each other.

Complement each other generously. Appreciation calms stressed-out emotions.

Great Job, Babe! You Make Delicious Air Fryer Chicken

Under Challenging Conditions!

April 17, 2025

#6. Be Kind, To Your Spouse or Partner and Yourself.

A major renovation is a marathon. Things will never go exactly as planned. Have empathy, compassion, and respect for each other and yourself. Many mornings when I woke up and crawled out of my futon on the floor, Terry handed me a fresh cup of hot coffee, a simple thing, but so appreciated. And I actively looked for ways I could be kind to Terry every day.

Yes, You Can Survive Living Like This for Four Months

if You Are Kind to Each Other.

#7. Be Flexible.

Nothing goes perfectly according to the timeline you have worked out with your contractor. In our case, somehow the carpet didn't get ordered. The world didn't end. The renovation took longer than we expected. It's no big deal, especially looking back. 😂. So go with the flow and don't get bent out of shape. If you can, take a break and go somewhere fun ~ which for us is Las Vegas!

Almost Nothing Beats Meeting a Special Friend, Jon, in Las Vegas

8 East, Fremont Street, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

July 1, 2025

#8. Keep your end goal in sight.

Our contractor told us that we would love them in the beginning and wish they were long gone near the end. We did love Tivoli Renovation, Inc. in the beginning, and we were glad when they were finished. But we always appreciated the skilled workers and their conscientious attitudes. During the challenging times Terry and I focused on our end goal to pull us through.

Looking back, I remember all the great people who made our renovation a success. Really, a great contractor who stands by his work is worth the cost!

How did we find them? Word of mouth through Terry's pickleball friends. And, very importantly, we went and looked at their work in a home that had recently been renovated by them.

Al Straarup, Our Contractor, Mapping Out Our Kitchen Island

April 16, 2025

Al and Logan Finishing the Very Last Thing ~ Grab Bars in Our Master Bath Shower

September 7, 2025

#9. Stay Positive!

You can overcome any obstacles you encounter together. There are always unexpected glitches. Roll with them. You'll get there in the end, and when you're enjoying your new renovated spaces, it will be well worth it.

My Sister Donnie and Terry Enjoying Our New Kitchen

November 18, 2025

#10. Take Many Photos During the Renovation.

A good friend of mine, Julie, gave me invaluable advice. She said to photograph everything along the way. When all is done, you may not remember where things are behind the walls and under the floors. A photo can help you locate electrical wiring, plumbing, and other details in the future if you need to. And take some photos to remember all the great people who worked on your renovation.

Some of the Kitchen Wiring

Mauro, An Artist with Tile

Juan, a Skilled Painter with a Great Sense of Humor

June 6, 2025

A huge thanks to Kim at Kitchen Creations, Jessica at The Floor Club,

and Lacey at Aurora Winnelson for their expertise and excellent design work.

Al Straaup certainly knew who to recommend to help us with design and materials.

We still have art to hang and a few old things to replace with new,

but we are enjoying every minute in our new living space.

If anyone has a tip to share, I'd love to hear it.

You never know, we might want to renovate more in the future.

Wishing all my blogging buddies a great weekend!

Enjoy the holiday season!

Till next time ~

Fundy Blue

Standing Into Danger https://selkiegrey4.blogspot.com

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Friday, December 19, 2025 🤞

Standing Into Danger

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Friday, December 12, 2025

Ten Tips for Surviving a Major Renovation Without Killing Each Other!

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