Where to stay when you need temporary housing during a home renovation

Renovating your home comes with a lot of excitement. You’ve likely planned and plotted for this for years, and the dream space you’ve been envisioning—whether that’s a chef-worthy kitchen or a primary suite that feels like a five-star hotel—is within reach. Still, anyone who has lived through a renovation will tell you, it’s not an easy thing to manage, especially if you’re planning on living in your home throughout the process.

The better solution? Finding a comfortable home-away-from-home that will allow you to manage the renovation easily while giving you reprieve from all the dust and chaos that comes along with a home redesign. While you may be able to book yourself into a hotel for a week for shorter projects, larger home renovations—which can take up to six months or more—require more stable living arrangements.

Key takeaways

• Home renovations displace homeowners for an average of 2.55 months, so temporary housing should account for timeline shifts, budget, and who’s coming with you, including pets and kids.
• Fully furnished apartments work best for longer renovations, offering a full kitchen, separate living space, and flexible lease terms, with 35% of Blueground renovation customers extending their stay.
• Extended-stay hotels suit shorter projects but offer limited space, while short-term vacation rentals provide flexibility with more variable quality.
• Staying with friends or family and RVs on-site are lower-cost options, but come with tradeoffs like limited privacy or space.
• Building in a buffer for timeline delays and prioritizing a real kitchen and proximity to home base can make the renovation period easier to manage.

Below, we’re diving into how to set up temporary housing during a home renovation, including where to stay during a home renovation, how to find the best option for your budget and duration, and how to make the move as seamless as possible.

First, figure out how long you’ll really be out

All home renovations are different, and the time you’ll need to be out of your home can depend on several factors, including permitting, your contracting team, and the scope of your project. According to Blueground, the average length of time homeowners were displaced during a renovation was 2.55 months.

The timeline your contractor provides is a good starting point, but keep in mind that finding a flexible arrangement is key—material delays, inspections, and surprise issues can further delay your timeline, and you don’t want to be left without housing. Before committing to a temporary living situation, consider the following:

How big is the renovation?

Refreshing your bathroom might take a few weeks; adding an entire second floor to your home will put you out for close to a year. Talk with your contractor team to determine an approximate timeline, and touch base with homeowners who have been through similar renovations to gauge how long theirs took.

What can you realistically live without?

No matter how good a place you find, temporary housing will almost always come with a few concessions. Before booking a temporary place to live, consider what you can do without for a short time. Can you skip a kitchen and commit to a month of takeout? Are you ok searching for homes with one less bedroom or working from a local coffee shop instead of a home office? Knowing where your flexibility lies is key to finding a sustainable but practical temporary living solution.

Who is coming with you?

When searching for temporary housing, make sure you find a place that accommodates everyone’s needs. If you have pets that need to come with you, you’ll need to find a home that allows them, even if it’s for an additional fee. Likewise, if you have children, you’ll want to search for family-friendly accommodations that suit their needs, like a backyard playground, a roomy tub for baths, or a spot close to their elementary school.

How close do you want to stay?

For some people, moving temporarily due to a renovation is a fun time to explore a different neighborhood or town. For others, being close is a must, especially if you plan to oversee the work on your primary residence daily. Decide how close you need to be to your home, and then search within that radius.

What’s your housing budget?

As you plan your renovation, you should build the cost of a temporary residence into the budget for your project. Temporary housing often comes at a hefty fee, especially if you’ll be searching for a whole home or fully furnished rental.

Renovation-specific things to keep in mind before booking temporary housing

Every homeowner—and every renovation—is different, but these considerations can make a big difference when it comes to finding a convenient, comfortable, and affordable temporary housing solution during a renovation.

• A real kitchen might be more important than you think. Sure, a few months of takeout sounds like fun, but between the added cost and the potential health burden (so many burgers and fries), splurging on a home with a proper cook space can pay for itself.
• Stay as close to your home base as possible. Properly overseeing a renovation is about more than popping by the site once a week. Large-scale projects often require dozens of micro-decisions a day, and you’ll want to be close enough to home to catch any issues or mistakes before they snowball.
• Think about routines, not just square footage. Life doesn’t just stop because your house is under construction. Things like school drop-off, work commutes, weekend BBQs, and dog walks will still require your attention, so choose housing that supports your normal life instead of disrupting it further.
• Build in a buffer. Anyone in the construction or design industry will tell you that projects rarely follow a predictable timeline. There’s a good chance that you may need to extend your temporary living arrangements, so try to book housing with flexible extensions to give you breathing room if your timeline shifts.
• Plan for your belongings. Many short-term rentals come fully furnished, which will certainly make your life easier, but you may still need to worry about the rest of your stuff. If furniture is staying in your house during the renovation, ask your contractor how it’ll be protected. If it needs to be moved out and you aren’t taking it with you to temporary housing, you’ll need to rent a storage unit for the duration of your project.

The best temporary housing options during a renovation

There’s no one-size-fits-all solution for where to stay during a home renovation. Below, we compare the most common options to help you find the right arrangement for your needs:

Fully furnished apartment

Best for: Renovations lasting longer than 30 days, kitchen remodels, whole-home renovations, families.

If you plan to be out of your house for an extended period of time due to a renovation, a fully furnished home or apartment will offer you the closest thing to normal life. Rather than squishing into a hotel room or hopping between friends’ houses, you can find a spot that offers amenities like a full kitchen, in-unit laundry, and room for your kids or pets.

Furnished apartment providers like Blueground are particularly appealing for homeowners in the midst of a renovation because they’re designed for extended stays rather than vacation. Available in major cities around the world, Blueground apartments make it possible to stay close to your renovation site while enjoying flexible lease terms and temporary living situations that feel almost like home. In fact, 35% of Blueground customers doing a renovation ended up extending their stay longer than they originally planned and booked for.

Pros:

• Full kitchen
• Separate living spaces
• Laundry available
• Can be tailored to your family size or needs
• Flexible stay lengths
• Wide range of locations

Cons:

• Higher upfront costs
• May require a minimum stay

Extended stay hotel

Best for: Short renovations lasting a few weeks, solo homeowners who don’t want any frills.

Think of an extended-stay hotel like the middle ground between a traditional hotel and an apartment. Many extended-stay hotels offer valuable amenities, like kitchenettes, laundry services, housekeeping, and Wi-Fi, making them convenient for shorter periods of time. The only downside? They’re still hotel rooms, so you probably won’t have enough space to comfortably house a larger family, cook elaborate meals, or bring along your beloved pet.

Pros:

• Easy booking
• Amenities included
• Flexible timeframe

Cons:

• Limited living space
• Less comfortable for families
• Expensive for longer periods of time
• Some places may not allow pets

Short-term vacation rentals

Best for: Renovations where flexibility is important, anyone looking to explore a new area temporarily.

Vacation rentals, like Airbnb or Vrbo, offer many of the same benefits as fully furnished apartments, including full kitchens, flexible sizing, and a real-life feel. If you’re looking for somewhere to stay for a few months, particularly if you’re flexible about location, a short-term vacation rental can be a worthwhile solution.

That said, there is a bit of risk involved with a vacation rental. Since many are managed by individual owners, you may run into inconsistencies when it comes to the quality, amenities, or communication involved with your rental or host. If your renovation runs long, you may also need to relocate if your rental has another booking.

Pros:

• Fully furnished
• Wide variety of home sizes and locations
• Good neighborhood options for “real life” feel

Cons:

• Quality can vary
• Not as much flexibility
• Pricing can fluctuate

Staying with friends or family

Best for: Short-term projects and homeowners with family or friends nearby.

If you are undergoing a quick or light renovation, bunking up with a friend or family member may be a worthwhile solution to consider. Not only will this dramatically reduce costs, but it can help ease the stress of a large-scale home project, especially if you’re staying with someone you’re comfortable with. That said, even the best relationships can get strained after weeks of proximity and limited privacy. Carefully consider who you contemplate living with, and make sure they understand what your needs are before they agree to let you move in.

Pros:

• Low cost
• Familiar environment
• Flexible arrival/departure dates

Cons:

• Limited privacy
• Relationship strain
• Harder for long-term renovations

RV or trailer on your property

Best for: Rural properties, large lots, and homeowners who want site supervision daily.

Own a big property or already have an RV or trailer for vacation purposes? Consider relying on that space as temporary housing during your renovation. Doing so will keep you close to the project and will keep other aspects of your daily life predictable, such as your neighborhood, commute, or school district. Even so, living in an RV for months on end is certainly not the right solution for everyone. There are still logistics to manage, including utility hookups, zoning regulations, and available parking space. Plus, living in a confined area can be difficult, especially if you have children or pets.

Pros:

• Lowest cost (assuming you already own the RV or trailer)
• Instant access to your renovation
• Maintains many of your daily routines

Cons:

• May require utility hookups
• Limited space
• May not be legal
• Difficult for families or urban homeowners

Temporary housing options at a glance

Relocating for a renovation will definitely not be your favorite part of homeownership, but with the right strategy in place, you can find temporary housing that will make the experience much easier and more comfortable. In many instances, fully furnished apartments, like those found through Blueground, offer the best balance between flexibility, comfort, and practicality, allowing you to keep tabs on your renovation without putting your life on hold.