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Remodeling is disruptive, at best. How much inconvenience you and your family will have depends on the scope of your project.

A bathroom remodeling job may take several weeks. Building an addition to the house to accomodate the new bathroom could take several months.

Once the project begins, your house becomes a job site. That means noise, dust, dirt, strangers coming and going, and of course - inconvenience.

In any plumbing project there will be some point where the water needs to be shut off to the fixtures. If your house has only one shut-off valve, that means the entire house will be without water for a certain period of time. (this might be a good time to have additional shut-off valves installed)

A kitchen remodeling project will affect meal prepartions. Don't worry about washing dishes, use paper plates and cups. Set up a temporary kitchen in another room, and move the refrigerator, toaster oven, and microwave there. If the weather is warm, grill out and eat on the patio.

Delays happen. Materials can arrive late from the factory, or bad weather can be a factor. These are things your remodeler cannot control.

However, the biggest reason for delays (and cost over run) in a remodeling project, are the changes you make once construction begins. Above all, avoid the urge to change things as you go.

Two excellent sources for homeowners embarking on a remodeling project are:
How To Live With Your Remodeling Project - from the National Association of Home Builders, and The Homeowners Guide - by the National Association of the Remodeling Industry.

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