就像生活中的任何事情一样，重塑项目也会有起有落。 Certain phases seem to go a mile a minute, while others feel like they’ve lasted a lifetime and a half, all while it looks as though nothing is being completed. Fear not — this is pretty typical. And, while every project is different, a good portion of renovations have four major phases, what I’m calling the Honeymoon, the Midproject Crisis, the Renewal of Vows and the Happily Ever After.

For now, let’s take a closer look at the Honeymoon phase of renovating.

蜜月1: 本土装饰有限责任公司， Houzz上的原创照片

After weeks of searching for 你所在地区的装修商, calling references, checking out their Houzz profile and working toward an agreeable price, you say, “I do,” sign the contract, finalize the design and begin work in two weeks. There’s a little nervousness in the air, but as you enter the Honeymoon phase, the mood is mainly one of excitement.

拆迁开始

几个星期过去了，开始工作的日子到了。 防护用品放置好，开始拆除。 Demo，亲爱的Demo。 通常情况下，拆迁是改造过程中移动最快的阶段之一，但它让人觉得很多工作几乎是在一夜之间完成的。 Cabinetry is removed, walls are torn down, appliances are taken away and, in a matter of days or weeks (depending on the size of your project), you’re staring at a blank canvas.

在那之后，任何必要的框架和结构工作将开始。 Framing usually isn’t as exciting or fast-paced as demolition, but still, there is visible progress almost daily. 在这一点上，你和你的伴侣都飘飘然。 The rate of work is astounding, and you’re still very excited (although maybe a little less nervous now) about the entire project.

蜜月2: Blondino设计公司， Houzz上的原创照片

前方减速带！

然而，就像蜜月旅行中的航班延误一样，有一些障碍会减慢这一阶段的速度，特别是在演示过程中。 If you’re living in an older house, there’s the possibility that when your walls are opened, asbestos or lead could be discovered, which will need to be dealt with before work can continue.

另一个常见的阻碍是建筑许可的延误。 Going through government-mandated processes can be tricky sometimes, especially if you or your building professional don’t have everything you need to get the green light from your municipality the first time around.

更多的阻碍可能来自于拆除后变得明显的结构元素。 例如，假设你要把一扇门移到餐厅的另一面墙上。 Once the demo crew opens up the wall where the new door will be installed — surprise! — there are plumbing pipes running the height of the wall. 重新配置设计以满足这些新需求将增加演示阶段的时间。

Don’t panic. These delays happen often, and it’s worth accounting for and accepting these hurdles before you even begin to think about renovating.

蜜月3: 吉姆·施密德摄影， Houzz上的原创照片

顺势而为

To help your honeymoon run more smoothly, here are a few tips I’ve learned from witnessing hundreds of remodels (and even surviving a couple myself):

• 拥抱变化。 真的。 给零钱一个大大的拥抱。 从个人层面去了解它。 Because no matter what room you’re touching (whether it’s the kitchen or a teensy guest bath), it’s likely that you use that room daily. The sooner you accept that this room (major or not) will be unavailable for a period of time, the sooner you’ll be able to adapt your daily routines to fit around it.
• 爱你的微波炉。 这尤其适用于厨房装修。 一旦演示完成，您的主要烹饪和用餐区域将消失。 在你的项目开始之前，在家里找一个没有动过的房间，做一个迷你厨房，包括微波炉、烤面包机和咖啡壶等必需品。把它想象成你在大学宿舍或公寓里的迷你厨房，沉浸在怀旧之中。
• Don’t worry 太 much. I know this sounds hard — OK, really hard, especially for control freaks like myself — but 信任你的建筑专业人员 to know what they’re doing (even if you do come across one of the aforementioned speed bumps) will really help you keep your head on straight. And if you do have questions or concerns …
• 沟通! Communication has proved time and time again to be one of the biggest parts of a remodel — and a successful marriage. 我再怎么强调也不为过。 Talk with your contractor, talk with your significant other — talk, talk, talk. 问框架问题，提出预算问题，思考油漆的颜色。 无论你在想什么，把它从你的脑海中释放出来，对每个人都是有益的（尤其是你自己）。

蜜月4: 杰夫·赫尔摄影， Houzz上的原创照片

请记住：改造的蜜月阶段绝对是一个过程中有许多高峰和低谷的最高点之一，所以试着享受它。 No matter what you may encounter during demolition and framing, it’s likely that the mood of everyone on board — you, your contractor, your family and even your pet — will be very positive.

相关: 买房前要问的15个问题

You’ve just embarked on a new journey, and the excitement of watching the image of your new home come into focus just adds fuel to your fire. 享受签订合同后的幸福，也许你可以和你的另一半一起享受一杯你最喜欢的饮料，同时你们两个想象着你们新撕裂的家将形成的新空间。 享受它吧，因为前面的事情有点不确定。

考虑到这一点：当感觉什么都没有发生时会发生什么？ 还在做功吗？ 悦博体育还按计划进行吗？ 稍微紧张一下可以吗？ Read more in the upcoming article in this series, “The Midproject Crisis.”

汉娜·卡斯珀（Hannah Kasper）， Houzz