Renovating a Kitchen While Living in the House

Most homeowners renovating a kitchen don't move out for the project, and it's entirely doable — but the kitchen will be out of action for a stretch, and it helps to plan for that rather than assume you'll manage day to day without a plan.

Set up a temporary kitchen before demolition starts

A folding table, a microwave, a kettle and a couple of days' worth of dishes in another room goes a long way. If there's a laundry, garage or spare room nearby, that's usually the easiest place to base a temporary setup for the weeks the real kitchen is offline.

Expect the disruption to be worse for a shorter stretch than a low-level mess for longer

Demolition, plumbing and electrical work tend to be the noisiest and dustiest stretch, but it's also usually the shortest phase. Cabinetry installation and finishing take longer but are far less disruptive day to day. Knowing which phase you're in helps set expectations for family members or anyone working from home.

Protect the rest of the house from dust

Ask your contractor how they're containing dust and debris to the work area — dust sheets, sealed doorways, protected flooring in walkways. This matters more in an occupied home than an empty one, since the rest of the house still needs to be livable throughout.

Agree on working hours and access upfront

If you're home during the day, agree on start times, access to water and electricity, and how the team will let you know about anything that comes up. Clear expectations set before work starts make the weeks of disruption far easier to live with than sorting it out as you go.