Living in the house while it is being rebuilt

For single-room work, staying put is normal. For a whole-house renovation it is a real decision, and the honest answer depends on whether we are touching services and structure at the same time.

What makes it workable

A sealed dust barrier with its own zip door, not plastic sheeting taped to a frame. A working bathroom and a temporary kitchen that are never both out of service on the same day. Agreed working hours, and a crew that actually keeps to them.

When we tell people to move out

When the heating, the water and the electricity all come off in the same phase. When there is asbestos or lead to remove. When there are young children and the only route to the one working bathroom runs through the work zone. We say this at the quoting stage, not halfway through.