There is also a point at which moving out for a few weeks costs less than the delay caused by working around an occupied house.
Containing the mess
Proper dust separation with sealed screens, floor protection along the route in and out, and dust extraction at the tool rather than a sweep at the end make an enormous difference.
Agreeing a single access route and keeping it protected also prevents the slow damage to hallways and stairs that shows up at the end of a long job.
Kitchens, bathrooms and utilities
A temporary kitchen with a sink, a couple of appliances and worktop space in another room is worth setting up properly rather than improvising.
Agree in advance how long water, heating and power will be off at each stage, and when they will go off, so it is planned rather than discovered.
When to move out
Whole-house refurbishments, projects removing the only bathroom or kitchen for an extended period, and works with significant structural disruption are usually faster and cheaper with the house empty.
Speed is the real saving. Unrestricted access can compress a programme substantially, and that reduction sometimes covers much of the cost of being elsewhere.
Common questions
Can I stay in the house during an extension?
Usually yes. Extensions are largely built outside the existing envelope until the connection is made, which is the disruptive week.
How long will I be without a kitchen?
It depends on the scope, but the period should be stated in the programme so you can plan a temporary arrangement.
What are normal working hours?
Typical weekday daytime hours, with local authority noise restrictions applying to noisy work. We agree the hours up front.
How do you control dust?
Sealed screens, protected access routes and on-tool extraction, with a clean-down at the end of each day in occupied areas.