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How to Keep Pets Safe During a Home Remodel

October 13th, 2022 | 3 min read

By Aaron King

Young man and dog enjoying sunset together

How to Keep Pets Safe During a Home Remodel

“How do I make sure my pet is safe during my home remodel?” is a question we hear from our clients. 

We love pets at Custom Built. Our team members have pets of their own so we understand the fears and worries you may have about keeping your pets safe during a home remodel. We hear these concerns and we want to help.

In this article, we are going to show you how you can ensure your pets will be kept safe and comfortable during a home remodel.

What do you do With Pets When Remodeling?

There are several things that can be done to ensure the safety of your pets during any home remodeling project. We are going to provide you with some possible solutions to make sure they are safe.

Removing Pets From Your Home During a Home Remodel

For interior home remodeling projects that cannot be completely closed off, it is best to remove pets entirely from your home during construction. During a remodel, nails, screws, dust, and debris are common. Removing the pets from the home will ensure their safety.

This is most commonly accomplished in 1 of 2 ways.

1. Have a family or friend watch them away from your home

Throughout a home remodeling project, there can be loud power tools used, screws and nails dropped on the floor, harmful chemicals used, and construction workers coming in and out of a house.

If you are concerned for your pet's safety during a home remodel, it is best to have someone watch them during the few weeks your home is under construction.

It could be a close neighbor, family member, or friend; anyone you trust to watch your pets for a few weeks.

The benefit of this is that if you are in any way concerned about the safety of your pets, this completely removes them from potential harm or stress that may befall them during a home remodeling project.

2. Have a local pet daycare watch them during the day

If you don’t have family or friends available to watch them, you can contact a local pet daycare to watch them during construction days.

This has the same benefit as sending your pets away to a family or friend’s house as it completely removes them from potential harm. 

There are pet daycares that offer day-to-day services so you avoid spending extra money boarding your pets for multi-week home construction projects. 

You drop them off or have the daycare pick them up in the morning. Then the pets come home at the end of the day when our construction crews leave.

If You are Unable to Remove Pets From Your Home

We understand that not everyone has a place they can send their pets to during a home remodel. Fortunately, there are 2 options available for you to keep your pets safe and secure in your home during a remodel.

1. Cordon off sections of your home

For interior home remodels, such as kitchen, bathroom, basement, or home additions, it is possible to leave pets cordoned off in areas of the home that are not being remodeled.

For example, during a basement remodel, keeping the pets upstairs behind a closed door will keep them away from potential danger. 

This can also be achieved using a baby gate, if available, to allow them to roam around besides being locked behind a single door.

2. Hire a caretaker or dogwalker

Another thing to keep in mind is that while Custom Built loves animals, we will not do the day-to-day pet care they need. 

We won’t feed them, take them out to the bathroom, or take them on walks. 

You can, however, hire a local pet nanny or dogwalker to come and take care of them during the day. They can take your pets on walks, feed them, and take them out to go to the bathroom. 

Keeping Your Pets Safe During a Home Remodel

By reading this article, you now know ways to keep your pets safe and secure during a home remodel. Whether they are staying home or going elsewhere, you can have peace of mind knowing they’ll be kept safe while your home is being remodeled.

Have questions about the remodeling process or want to see if Custom Built is the right contractor for your project? Connect with our sales team and they’ll be happy to discuss your project with you.

For information about pet daycare services near you, rover offers boarding, daycare, and dog walking services that can fit your needs and offer services nationwide.

Want more information about how to get your family through a remodel? Here is an article to learn about what to expect and how to get through a kitchen remodel.

Going with another contractor for your remodeling project? That’s ok! Here is an article outlining questions you can ask any remodeling contractor to properly vet them.

Image attributed to freepik

Aaron King

Aaron has been in the building industry his entire life. He worked in his family’s housing business growing up in Dewitt, MI, and for nearly 40 years, built homes in the Mid-Michigan area. He has also worked with the Greater Lansing Home Builder’s Association since he was 18 years old.