What's the Best Time of Year to Renovate a Kitchen or Bath?

“Our clients frequently ask us what time of year is best to renovate a kitchen or bathroom,” says Monarch designer Kevin Samson. “There is no standard answer to that question, as every client has a slightly different requirement or reason for choosing a date.”

Before the renovation scheduling begins, your Monarch designer reviews the particulars of your kitchen or bath project so you know exactly what to expect during the entire renovation.

“By asking a few questions at the beginning of the planning process, we’re able to work together to determine an ideal project date,” explains Kevin. “Sometimes clients want to upgrade their kitchen or bath prior to hosting an event in their home and this can determine the date the project will start or finish.” The warmer months are a popular time to renovate because clients are able to cook outdoors and spend more time outside, away from the ‘job site.’

“Families with younger children often prefer to have their home renovated during the school year, as it is less stressful on the family if the children are in school during the day. One of my clients has completed three projects with Monarch, and each time they’ve asked for them to be performed during the winter months,” says Kevin. “Their reason for the winter time frame is so they can enjoy their home during the summer without disruption.”

Are you considering a kitchen or bath renovation? Monarch has been making homeowner’s kitchen and bath dreams a reality for over 30 years. Drop by our showroom or call us at 905-686-2001 to book a consultation with one of our design team.

7 Tips for Keeping Your Marriage Together While Tearing Your House Apart

Whether you’re doing it yourself or hiring professionals, renovating can be a major cause of relationship stress.

From the overwhelming number of decisions that have to made, to the high – and sometimes unpredictable—cost of many reno projects, couples undertaking a major renovation together have their work cut out for them.

As we head into the height of renovation season, here are 7 Tips for Keeping Your Marriage Together While Tearing Your House Apart:

1. Be very clear with each other about what you expect.

As is the case with most aspects in life, effective communication is the key to happiness. From the overall scope of the project and the amount of money you’re willing to spend, to specific design details and your living arrangements during the renovation, communication is critical to a successful project you can both relax and enjoy once the work is done.

2. Set a realistic budget.

Make sure your renovation is within your financial means. If you can’t afford your “dream” reno, then be prepared to make compromises in the quality of the materials you choose (ie. laminate instead of hardwood flooring, for example). If you are not willing to compromise, then keep saving and plan to renovate at a later date. If you decide to go ahead with your project, be sure to build in a 20 per cent contingency for “surprises” along the way.

3. Avoid decision fatigue.

Although you’re probably excited by the thought of choosing all the design elements that will make up your new space, there may come a time when making even one more decision is one decision too many. Do yourself and your partner a favour and make the majority of the decisions (tile, flooring, finishes) before the renovation begins.

4. Don’t renovate on a tight deadline.

Perhaps you’re sprucing up your home for a major holiday, a big family function or as you prepare to sell. A tight deadline is a recipe for disaster and just adds stress to an already stressful situation.

5. Hire a full-service company.

Not only is it crucial to keep the lines of communication open between you and your partner, it’s makes sense if the company you hire is a full-service company that provides complete project management. That way, you deal with one person, and the company deals with all of the contractors required for your project. When you coordinate the various contractors yourself, you may receive inconsistent or conflicting messages. If your contractors are receiving conflicting messages, your frustration and stress will multiply as the job gets delayed or executed incorrectly.

6. Keep one room as a sanctuary.

No matter how hard you try to keep your house free of dust and dirt, it’s going to get messy. And the bigger the renovation, the longer you’ll have to live with the inconvenience. Having one clean, organized room in your home to escape to will help maintain your sanity and make a huge difference in your family’s ability to cope with the chaos that surrounds you.

7. Maintain some form of normalcy.

Don’t play down the importance of taking an occasional break. If possible, plan a night away at a hotel or an evening out with friends. The endless cycle of decision-making, cleaning and running around can put an incredible strain on your relationship. Avoid letting your renovation define your whole life.

What's Monarch's Secret to a Stress-Free Kitchen or Bath Renovation?

At Monarch Kitchen and Bath Centre, we understand that major renovations -- particularly those which involve the kitchen area -- involve a large amount of upheaval and stress.

We've found that one of the largest stress factors for homeowners during a renovation is dust management. In other words, finding a way to keep the dust generated during the tear down and rebuilding process confined to the space. 

Our team works hard to alleviate as much of your stress as possible. In the picture below, you'll notice we have completely encapsulated the renovation area: all doorways leading out of the kitchen are closed off and all cold air returns blocked.

If you look at the opening on the left, you will see a zippered door which allows the homeowners access to their living room and temporary kitchen in the dining room.

Monarch Kitchen & Bath Centre uses zippered plastic "doors"
to keep renovation dust from spreading throughout your home.

Another zippered door (not pictured) closes off the space and restricts access to the upper level; this ensures dust does not enter the sleeping areas of the home.

This dust management system has proven very effective in keeping the dust particles within the work area, and minimizes the effects on the rest of the home.

“We now do this for every renovation project that we undertake," says Monarch president Neil Samson. "We care about your home and your well being." 

Are you considering a kitchen or bath renovation? Visit our new website at www.mkbi.com to learn more, or call 905-686-2001.