What Is the Best Season for a Home Renovation?

Fall is the Best Time to Renovate

The peak season for renovations during this season is between May and July. This is because contractors and window and door companies aren’t busy, and the weather isn’t too hot or too cold. A majority of homeowners prioritize home improvement and remodel projects for the long, sunny days of spring and summer. While this does make a lot of sense, that doesn’t mean you can’t get just as much done in the offseason! Fall especially can be a great time to start minor and major renovations to your space alike.

Here are a few of the benefits of having your remodeling work completed in the fall:

It’s a quieter time of year.

During the spring and summer, it seems like there’s a concert, graduation party, wedding, or family vacation around every corner. When summer dies down, and the quiet days of fall set in, there are fewer distractions and inconveniences to affect your home renovation process. As kids and teachers go back to school, there are usually fewer people in the house and the surrounding neighborhood, making it easier for your contractors to complete their work quickly.

You’ll probably get a better deal.

Because fall typically is slower for the remodeling industry, many contractors have less work. As a result, you’re more likely to find lower rates this time of year. The decrease in demand often makes materials cheaper as well, bringing your total cost down even further. Plus, with fewer clients, contractors are better able to accommodate your schedule.

Bring your dream space to life just in time for winter.

You’ll be spending a lot of time indoors in the coming months, so what better time is there to focus on transforming your home interior into the ideal winter haven? Remodel and redecorate now, so you can enjoy the cozy home you’ve always wanted by the time the snow starts to fall. Fall renovations will also help get your space in tip-top shape for hosting holiday guests!

Fall weather is ideal for renovation work.

Contracting work can take longer when you have to work around the scorching summer heat or freezing winter temperatures and snow. The temperature, humidity levels, and overall conditions of fall are optimal for the maximum number of workable days and productivity. These factors will also help keep your brand new materials, such as fresh paint or new hardwood floors, in good shape.

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Winter is the Most Underrated Time to Renovate 

Summer may be the peak time for renovations, but if your renovation can be done indoors and doesn’t need warm weather, why not get started? 

Trying to figure out when to remodel or renovate your home can be stressful, especially when considering busy schedules, holidays, and weather. Most people tend to think that the warmer months are the best times to complete a remodel. Although that may be true of outdoor projects like re-shingling a roof or repainting your house, there are quite a few benefits to scheduling an indoor renovation during the colder time of year.

Contractor Availability

Unlike in the summer months, when contractors can be few and far between, you may have an easier time finding a well-qualified professional during colder months. This is because fewer people are in the market for construction work. By waiting until winter, you allow yourself to find the right contractor for you and your project, as opposed to picking the one contractor who is available.

Lower Costs

Winter months are considered off-season, and that means it’s a great time to find deals. Contractors tend to have less work booked and are more likely to lower their costs to get jobs. Wintertime sales are a great time to purchase parts and materials prior to manufacturers raising their costs in the spring when newer versions come out, and the demand outweighs the supply.  

Find Better Inventory

Because you are remodeling your home in the off-season, not only do you have access to lower-cost items and materials, but there are also more of them in stock. Since fewer people are redoing their bathrooms, kitchens, or living rooms this time of the year, you can allow yourself to be pickier and get the exact make, model, and style of materials that you want and in your price range, too!

New Technologies

A big concern people have about conducting a renovation during colder months is the inability to air out the house to prevent dust build-up, inhaling toxic fumes, and creating a bigger mess. Thanks to current technologies, worry no more! Contractors use industrial fans, block doors with heavy plastic, and seal off heat ducts with a filter to help keep your home and the air you breathe clean.

Get Faster Approval

If you are doing a project that needs your local government’s approval, then the winter months are a perfect time. Just like with contractors’ schedules, there are fewer permit requests coming through zoning and planning board meetings at this time. Officials tend to have more availability to review your proposals and conduct on-site inspections, if necessary.

Vacation Time

Sure, summertime is when the kids are off school, but winter is a great time to take the family on a getaway from being cooped up inside the house while your home gets a face-lift. This way, you don’t have to navigate your day-to-day around the remodel and can take some time to relax in a stress-free environment. Plus, your contractor won’t have to worry about working around your schedule, and they’ll be able to get more done in a shorter period of time. And you may even come home to a finished, remodeled house!

Pan for the Future

Now that you have built a rapport with a contractor, you have first dibs on discussing future projects. That new deck you want to add to the back of the house, the shed you want to be built next to the swingset, or that new siding you’ve wanted for the past ten years, talk to your contractor about estimates now and get your project on the books for when that warmer weather comes around. By doing this, you check off things on your to-do list long before they are on anyone else’s radar, and you won’t have to stress about it once that spring thaw hits and everyone else starts fighting for a contractor.

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Pros and Cons for Each Season 

Summer

When it comes to summer construction projects, longer days and more sun make for a faster completion project. However, with any season, there are pros and cons that come with choosing a roof renovation period. And no matter the season, it should never be a project put off too long. Make sure you understand your summer facts as your project begins. 

Pros: 

• Climate: Warm and dry climates make summer possibly one of the best seasons for a roof update project since it’s the mildest of all the other seasons. 

• Longer days: Longer days mean more time to complete the project, which means your roof update might get done faster than if you wait until autumn.

• Timing: Summer is often one of the best seasons to update your roof because you do not want to deal with roof issues in winter. Cold weather conditions can make it dangerous to have a roof that isn’t updated, so it’s best to get all your renovations done in summer to prepare for the next few seasons. 

Cons: 

• Unpredictable weather: Sometimes, some areas experience heavy summer storms that can delay roofing projects significantly. You’ll have to know the weather forecast before starting anything major. 

• Heat: Extreme heat might take a lot out of workers. Of course, they’ll still work hard to complete your roof project. However, try to avoid any heatwave days. 

• Delays: The two cons above will most likely lead to delays on the roofing project. It can’t be helped, but if you are willing to be patient with the timing, then the project as a whole will have been worth it in the end! 

Fall

Cooler autumn weather brings with it conditions that are ideal for diving into that remodel you’ve been dreaming about. And there are some pros and cons to renovating in the fall: 

Pros: 

• The weather is nicer. With the blistering heat of the summer behind you, the cooler months offer better weather conditions both for you and your contractors. This could also mean that you save some money on electricity because you don’t have to blast your air conditioning to keep the house cool.

• Nobody’s home. Since school is back in session, contractors will have more time without distractions or complications because they don’t have to work around so many people. Fall and winter are also popular times to take vacations. Contractors may be able to get more done in a day than in the summer months.

• You can take your time. There might be fewer people in the house, but there are fewer hours of sunlight too. Another option is to space out your renovation, allowing your contractor to take his time on your project and perhaps pay closer attention to the details that you’d like to incorporate.

• Focus on the inside. Renovating your kitchen or bathroom can significantly increase the value of your home. People spend a big portion of their time in the kitchen and care that the bathroom is up to date and clean. Buyers are looking for these two spaces to be pristine. Colder weather will allow you to focus on these two interior spaces rather than having to worry about the exterior.

• Save money. Fall and winter are slower times for contractors. Because they are looking for work, they could be willing to offer a discount for services during this part of the year. Materials are also cheaper during this off-season, so you’ll be able to save money on both ends of your project. 

Cons: 

• Outdoor weather can be a little chilly. Sometimes fall can mean more rainfall, meaning it’s not ideal for outdoor renovations. Not to mention, the colder weather makes it less attractive for some contractors. 

Winter

You bet they do, and we do tons of remodels during the winter. The summer may be a great time to get outdoor work and cold-season-preparatory work finished, but the winter is an excellent chance to finish up interior remodels.

If you are planning on having a kitchen remodel, master bedroom remodel, or bathroom remodels, winter is often a great time to do it. The off-season may mean your remodeling company will have a smaller workload and be able to dedicate more focus and time to your specific remodeling project.

Here are the pros and cons of remodeling in the winter: 

Pros: 

• There’s a wide variety of contractors to choose from. Not surprisingly, most homeowners plan to have remodeling work done in the springtime. It seems like the most natural choice due to the warmer weather and feelings of renewal that come with the season. So when you opt to have remodeling work done in the winter, you have a larger pool of contractors to choose from than you would in the spring.

• San Diego weather is warm. These conditions are ideal for contractors to tackle your remodeling project. In the springtime, contractors have to contend with rainy days and avoid bringing mud into your home.

• Contractors provide discounts in the off-season. Choosing to do some remodeling in the winter means you benefit from off-season discount prices on materials used by contractors.

• It’s the perfect time to take a road trip or go on a vacation. The best way to enjoy a remodeling project is from far away. So once the contractors take the reins of the project if the road conditions are good, back the RV out of the carport and take a road trip; when you return, you’ll be pleasantly surprised by the new look of your kitchen, bathroom, hallway, or all of the above. It will be kind of like returning to a brand-new home!

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Cons: 

• A lack of time during the holidays. Preparing for and celebrating the holidays is one of the best things about the winter season. Some people shy away from the thought of getting remodeling work done at such a busy time of year.

• Waiting for materials in the off-season. Having remodeling work done in the off-season means you may have to wait a little longer for materials that are not as readily available as they are in the springtime.

• Fewer hours of daylight to work. The winter brings shorter days, which means fewer daylight hours for your remodeling work. Of course, one solution to increase the number of work hours your contractors do each day is to hook up some additional lights.

• Higher electric bills due to evening work. When contractors have to use extra lights to keep working after the sun goes down, it can result in higher electric bills for you. The alternative is for your contractors to stop working when the sun disappears, but this can add days to your project. 

Spring

Spring is a season of “freshening up.” We replace soil, plant trees, replace the mulch, clean our sidewalks, and everything else that involves preparing for the summer. The same is true for remodels.

If your home is in need of a remodel for both interior and exterior design elements – windows, doors, patios, decks – spring is a great time to do it. It's the perfect time to prep your house for summer gatherings with family and friends. Spring is the best time to get everything done that will be used in the warm season. Some of the projects that can be efficiently accomplished in spring include window replacements, basement waterproofing and foundation repair, bathroom remodels, basement finishing, and more!

Pros

• When spring comes around, the weather is usually much warmer, and this allows for flexibility. There are a variety of projects you can accomplish without worrying about colder weather.

• If the weather permits, you can work on interior and exterior renovations without any problems. During the winter, you are restricted by the cold weather and may not be able to do a lot of exterior renovations. Spring is a great time to accomplish both interior and exterior projects.

• Warm enough for landscaping. Spring is a great season to get landscaping done, as it gets the property and basement ready for the summer.

• Identify issues in the house. During your yearly spring cleaning, you can discover any moisture issues in the basement that may require repairs.

Cons

• Spring is usually the season when all the snow is thawing. This means that there is a lot of excess moisture around the property that may make waterproofing and excavations slightly more challenging if handled by inexperienced crews.

• Spring is also known for rain. Due to the high volume of rain in the spring, it may be difficult to conduct exterior renovations with ease.

• Busy season for contractors. This means they may have trouble sourcing materials. 

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Choose US Window & Door to Boost Curb Appeal

If you’re looking to boost your home’s curb appeal or perhaps improve the energy efficiency and insulation of your home, there’s nothing better than replacing old and drafty windows or doors. They can help to keep your energy bills at bay while also elevating the exterior and interior design of your home. No matter the season you choose to renovate your home, US Window and Door can help. We offer the best quality windows and doors in San Diego to help you build equity faster. Schedule an in-home estimate* today, and let us level up your home.