Everything is peachy when you are thinking of remodeling your backyard, maybe you want to impress your family and friends during an event you host or maybe you want to look out your window and take in the beauty of your backyard. Well you know what they say, “Rome was not built in one day” beauty takes time and patience and in this blog post we will talk about how to stay “sane” or comfortable during a construction project.
Depending on the size of your project construction can typically last one week or up to six months, maybe longer…. so what do you do? Well here is what you can do! With my experience with home owners and projects that were up to eight months long I have asked and received some answers on what they did.
1. Walk the dog!
This probably makes sense, but you might forget! I have seen dogs rip up couches or think of the living room as a restroom. Many homeowners will go to work and forget to take their dog to potty in the morning. Usually the dog will be inside the house for eight hours because we will be doing construction, so you can imagine all that pent up energy! I would recommend walking them once in the morning and at least twice in the evening, this will help with their energy levels as well as your living room floor. Bonus! You will be much healthier getting those steps in!
2. Visit family!
Construction can be one week or several months! During one of my projects in 2021 which lasted up to six months, the homeowner found a way to leave the house with his family every weekend. He once told me in the middle of the second month that he needed to find a new hobby or just go on a vacation with his family, keep in mind this was 2021 and everyone was working remotely.
So one day he came up to me on a Friday and said that he is going to go insane if he stays another day in his house! We were going to work the weekend there too, so he decided he would visit his family and go hiking. By the time we were done remodeling their backyard which took six months they would stick to their new routine every weekend! They would either go hiking to a new trail, or go to a family event or to their friends’ parties.
3. Take morning walks!
I vividly remember a project that we did in 2022, we started to demo and the homeowners were not used to the noise! They were caught off guard from the noise but knew it had to be done so their backyard patio would be completed. The demo lasted one whole week! The wife and husband would go on morning walks together and make it their routine to go everyday.. I think they became early birds! Anyways morning walks can wake you up and start your day right. Check out this Youtube video explaining it all! New study reveals the benefits of walking l GMA – YouTube
4. Stay busy!
While construction is being done we recommend staying busy. Maybe you need to run a few errands you have been holding back or maybe you want to start your new side hustle! The goal is to stay busy, if you work from home maybe changing the scenery will help. You can go to a library or a coffee shop and get a little peace and quiet while your own little Rome is being built! So what do you think? How will you stay busy? Lets try some little side hustles you can do, maybe you can get a little extra for more remodeling? Let’s check out some side hustles you can do on the side! 10 HIGHEST PAYING Side Hustles You Can Do From Home – YouTube
5. Watch a couple of funny shows!
Who doesn’t like to watch a good show? While we are in the process of remodeling your dream backyard, you might not be able to use your pool or go outside while construction takes place. So we have compiled a list of some great tv shows you should try to watch! Alright, 1. The Office, 2. Game of Thrones, 3. Friends, 4. Parks Recreation, and finally Vikings Valhalla! Here is what I recommend, if you haven’t seen The Office, it’s a must! I promise you that watching any of these shows while construction is taking place will feel like a vacation. You will forget we are even working in your dream backyard, and when we finish, it will be like an early Christmas present! By the time we finish you will take your ipad outside and enjoy your backyard while watching your new favorite show. Here is another article with more tv shows. You are welcome! The Best TV Shows of 2022 | Den of Geek
6. Find a new hobby!
Now this would be for construction longer than three months. Believe me I have been on both sides. I am the contractor that remodels your dream backyard and makes your vision a reality but I am also a homeowner. I once remodeled my front yard and let me tell you I was so used to parking in the driveway that I would forget and park my car in my driveway that had the concrete already demolished so there was only dirt there but everything was level. My crew would hate this! What can I say I am human too! I would go to work in my company and would get calls about how I would want the design to look like and what plants I wanted in the front yard from my other crew. The project took around two months to complete including weekends. Anyways, I personally have compiled a list of activities or hobbies to do specifically if you have a project longer than three months. 1. Hiking, 2. Weight lifting, 3. Painting, 4.Shopping!, 5. Cooking, 6. Watching tv shows, 7. Going to amusement parks! Let me know which one of these hobbies you will take up on a project longer than three months! Here is a different article on different types of hobbies you can try! Bored? 50 Inexpensive Hobbies You Can Start Right now – Lifehack
7. Think of your next project!
Usually when you are remodeling your backyard you start to notice your whole house as a whole. We have had multiple experiences where clients remodeled their whole backyard making it look brand new that they decided to have their whole house renovated. Just in case you don’t want to have your whole house renovated at once, we have seen that home owners find it helpful thinking of their next project. It keeps them busy and it makes their creativity flourish! Maybe you are in the process of remodeling or building a brand new outdoor kitchen but the materials you have chosen don’t really match with the house color, well you can go online and check out different paint options for your house to match the outdoor kitchen. We have experienced it all. Where home owners change their house color to match their new concrete patio or flagstone patio, believe me when I say this…. Your OCD will come out and you will think of ways to make your house different or stand out! So you can occupy your time by being a temporary house designer!
So to sum everything up, there is a way to make your life and your families life easier while construction is taking place in your house. I have personally been on both sides and know how it feels to have construction in your house for more than a month, but in the end it’s all worth it. Just remember why you wanted to start your project in the first place and it will be easier. Your house will look much better than before and your backyard will be unique compared to everyone else! There is a plus side to all these benefits, your investment in your home will double your house value so when you think you are going insane because of the construction noise just remember it’s going to be all worth it! Knowing what to do in the middle of the process can help you adjust and be a little more comfortable, who knows maybe you will pick up a new hobby!
