Should You Move Out During Your Adelaide Renovation? Here’s Where to Go (and How Not to Hate It)
When staying put is a hard ‘NO’, here’s how to choose between Airbnb, holiday home, friends, granny flat or garden cottage.
Part Two: When Staying Is Madness – Where to Live During Your Renovation
Sometimes the bravest, smartest reno move is to admit: “Nope. We cannot live through this.” Full-gut renovation, no kitchen, no bathroom, asbestos, toddlers, night shift, neurodivergent brains, pets – everyone has a limit.
When your Adelaide reno crosses that line, moving out isn’t defeat. It’s strategy. The key is choosing where to go so you don’t swap dust and noise for cramped, awkward misery. And yes – “Don’t Get Ripped Off By Your Reno” still applies here, because your budget has to cover both the build and your temporary life.
Following are five real-life “we moved out” scenarios chosen by our Plush Design Interiors clients when we were renovating their primary residence in Adelaide.
Read PART ONE : How To Live Through Your Renovation (if you choose to stay in your home)
The grown-up question: should you move out at all?
Before we get into the options, sanity check the situation.
Consider moving out if:
You’ll have no usable bathroom or toilet for more than a short stint
The kitchen will be out of action for weeks, not days
Noise and disruption will wreck your work, sleep or mental health
There are kids, pets, or family members who really cannot cope with chaos
It’s a full-home or structural renovation, not a quick cosmetic facelift
If you’re already exhausted before demo starts, take that as your sign. The money you spend on alternative accommodation might be the line item that saves your health, relationship and decision-making.
1. Airbnb: rent for your real life, not your fantasy life
Our Crafers clients chose this option : Airbnb can be fabulous – or a total nightmare – depending on how you choose. You’re not going on holiday; you’re maintaining a life.
Look for:
Full kitchen, real fridge, and laundry
Decent storage (wardrobes, cupboards) so you’re not living out of suitcases
A dining table or desk you can actually work from
Location close enough to site for easy site meetings and quick visits (and school runs)
Avoid:
Gorgeous but useless “design” places with nowhere to store actual belongings
Ultra-minimal spaces where your normal stuff will feel like clutter immediately
Places with vague “free Wi-Fi” and no details – you need solid internet, not a roulette wheel
Impossible scenario: you book a sexy-looking studio with a bar fridge and no table, then discover you can’t cook, work, or organise school lunches. Do not do that to yourself.
2. Holiday home: escape the dust and test-drive a new lifestyle
Our Hazelwood Park clients chose this option : If you have a holiday home, your reno is the perfect excuse to escape and see what life would actually be like there full-time.
Upsides:
You’re away from dust and noise but still able to drive back for site visits
You get a mini sea-change or tree-change trial run
It often feels more “you” than a rental because it’s already set up your way
Watch out for:
Longer trip times to site – batch site meetings and make decisions ahead of time
“Out of sight, out of mind” syndrome – insist on regular photo and video updates from your builder
Kismet moment: you may realise the long-term lifestyle you’ve been flirting with is either absolutely right – or absolutely weekend-only.
3. Move in with friends – but only with grown-up boundaries
Our Myrtle Bank clients chose this option (with two children in tow) : Moving in with friends can be brilliant if you treat it like a real arrangement, not an extended sleepover.
Talk about:
Timeframe: how long you’ll stay – and then add a buffer and say that out loud
Money: contribute to rent, bills and food in a clear, agreed way
Space: will you have a room with a door, somewhere to work, and somewhere to store your stuff?
Set house rules around:
Quiet hours
Kitchen use and clean-up
How much reno talk they can realistically tolerate
The goal is to leave still friends, not as “that reno guest who never left and always talked about tiles at breakfast”.
4. Granny flat or attached studio: the sweet spot
Our Tailem Bend clients chose this option : If you’ve got a granny flat, self-contained studio, or separate wing attached to your house, congratulations – you’ve hit the reno jackpot.
It’s the sweet spot:
Close enough to the action for quick decisions and daily site checks
Separate enough to sleep, shower and eat without stepping over drop sheets
To make it work:
Treat it like a tiny home: edit your belongings ruthlessly
Soft furnishings, rugs and curtains will help with noise and comfort
Be crystal clear with tradies about what’s “work zone” and what’s private area
You get the control of being onsite with the sanity of not literally living in a construction zone.
5. Garden shed glow-up: the garden cottage move
Our Aldgate clients chose this option : One of my favourite client stories? Turning a humble garden shed into a garden cottage for the duration of a full-home renovation – we added a bathroom and kitchen to the open plan bedroom/living space. This renovation is still continuing, as of publication of this blog, so our clients are living in the cottage which will eventually become guest accommodation.
To pull this off:
Insulate properly, add safe electrics and decent flooring
Include a compact kitchenette with bar fridge, bench, microwave, washer/drier combo, kettle, dishwasher (a dish drawer, in this case) and a single or twin cooktop
Bring in a comfortable bed, smart storage and flattering lighting so it feels like a retreat, not punishment
The beauty is in the afterlife:
It can become a gorgeous guest suite
A teen den or studio
A home office or creative space
This is your “impossible scenario flip”: what starts as survival housing becomes a long-term asset that adds major lifestyle value and resale appeal.
“If you scrolled too fast” recap – Part Two
Moving out for your reno isn’t defeat; it’s a strategic choice.
Airbnb can work brilliantly if you choose for function (storage, laundry, kitchen, Wi-Fi), not just pretty photos.
A holiday home lets you escape the dust and test-drive a different lifestyle.
Staying with friends can be gold with clear boundaries, timeframes and money chats.
A granny flat or attached studio is the ideal halfway house: close to site, far from chaos.
A garden shed can transform into a garden cottage you’ll love long after the reno is done.
Through all of it, “Don’t Get Ripped Off By Your Reno” keeps you financially sharp while your life is temporarily upside down.
If you’re looking at your renovation plans and thinking…
… “There is no way we can live through this,” you’re already on the right track. The next step is choosing the right temporary home and making sure your budget and brain can handle it.
Start by grabbing “Don’t Get Ripped Off By Your Reno” so you’re crystal clear on what you’re paying for, what’s included, and how long this circus might really last. Then book a design power session with me so we can match your reno scope, family, lifestyle and budget to the smartest living option – whether that’s Airbnb, holiday home, garden cottage or granny flat.
Love, Penelope xx
Interior Designer + Author of ‘Don’t Get Ripped Off By Your Reno’ and ‘A Home With A Pulse’. Both available on my e-book interior design and renovation resources page on my website.
Plush Design Interiors uses AI‑generated imagery to help illustrate design concepts and possibilities in a fast, flexible and cost‑effective way. These images are inspirational visualisations only and may not represent final selections, exact colours, finishes or products available in Australia. All real‑world Plush Design Interiors work, including all design, specifications, selections and purchases, are curated by a human interior designer and are confirmed with clients using accurate samples, supplier information and detailed documentation before any work proceeds.
FAQs – Should You Move Our During a Renovation?
1. Should I move out during my renovation?
You should seriously consider moving out if you will lose key amenities like your kitchen or bathroom for weeks, or if noise and dust will seriously affect your work, health or family.
2. Is Airbnb a good option during a renovation?
Airbnb can be great if you choose a place with a proper kitchen, laundry, storage, solid Wi-Fi and a practical location for site visits, not just pretty interiors.
3. Can I live in a granny flat while my house is being renovated?
Yes, a granny flat or attached studio is ideal because it keeps you close to the site for decisions while giving you a separate, functional living space.
4. Is moving in with friends a bad idea during a reno?
It can work well if you agree on timeframe, money, space and house rules up front, so everyone knows what to expect and the friendship survives the process.
5. Can I turn my shed into temporary reno accommodation?
With proper insulation, safe electrics, basic kitchen facilities and comfortable furniture, a shed can absolutely become a cosy garden cottage for the duration of your reno.
6. How do I choose the best place to stay during my renovation?
Consider your budget, length of the project, family needs, distance to site, and what amenities you need day-to-day, then weigh that against options like Airbnb, holiday home, friends or on-site studios.
