A Guest Post by Adrienne McGuire
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Now that the days are getting shorter and colder, you may be thinking about the home improvement project you just didn’t get to during the hustle and bustle of summer. Many homeowners feel like they can’t take on big building projects in the cold winter months. The good news is if you’re looking to do a home remodeling project, the winter may be the best time to do it! Here are a few reasons why:
1. Contractors Often Have More Availability
Although home remodeling is not a seasonal thing, the warmer months are typically a more popular time for homeowners to tackle big projects. During the summer, more people are active and tend to have more free time. As a result, many contractors have full schedules and long wait lists for services. Working on many projects simultaneously can also result in longer construction times. While this isn’t always the case, contractor’s workloads tend to lighten when the weather gets cooler and people start thinking about the expenses of upcoming holidays and travel. Taking advantage of the slower winter months can potentially get your project done at a quicker pace. The less time your project takes, the less money you will spend on labor and planning services.
Another perk to contractors being less busy is that they will really have the time and resources to give their full focus to your remodel. Instead of 19 projects during the spring, a contractor may have 3 or 4 during the winter months. This allows plenty of time to think and plan out your remodel, leading to more quality work in less time.
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2. Sale Prices on Budget Items can Save You Money
If your project includes a lot of budget items (items such as appliances, countertops, flooring, etc.), you can often find good deals on them during the winter. New product lines tend to appear in the spring with premium price tags attached, increasing the overall cost of a remodel. As the weather gets colder and the end of the year approaches, these prices drop off, meaning you can get more bang for your buck during the winter months. Holiday and seasonal sales are a great way to save on big purchases like appliances and flooring. A winter remodel means you can take advantage of budget-friendly prices to get that refrigerator or those countertops you’ve had your eyes on all year!
Since less people undertake big remodel projects in the winter, you might also have a wider selection of inventory products. You won’t have to worry as much about inventory running low or fighting for deals with other consumers. The winter months will allow you to take your time and really look over all of your options before deciding on the exact products you want.
3. Faster Approvals by the City
You may find that the people at your local zoning office will be more available during the winter months. With less build projects to appraise and approve, you’ll likely be granted a permit much faster than during the rush of spring and summer. Finding an inspector readily available to come in at critical points during your remodel is also much easier during the slower winter months. Faster approvals and shorter waits for inspections will allow your project to move more swiftly from design to construction and onto completion.
4. Have Your Designs Completed During the Holidays
One of the biggest reasons homeowners decide not to undertake remodeling projects during the winter is because of their busy holiday schedule and more time spent cozied up indoors with family and friends. We understand the immense value of your time and especially how important that time is around the holidays. Even if you’re not quite ready to take on the construction (we completely understand wanting to wait until after the holiday chaos to attempt a remodel!), the holiday season is still a great time to begin the design portion of your project.
At Medford Design-Build, the design process typically takes a few weeks after your initial consultation with us, followed by a review meeting to discuss the designs and go over the scope of work. After any revisions are made and the design is finalized, the following 4 weeks are spent obtaining the necessary permits from the city and ordering all of your budget items. It’s not until all of your products and materials are delivered that we start the construction. Realistically, that is a 6 to 8 week timeframe from our first meeting with you to the day demolition begins – so you can see how getting started with the designs during the holidays or early winter can make a lot of sense if you’d like to have the entire remodel completed by spring!
If you’re interested in remodeling your home this winter, now is a great time to get started! Contact us today for more information!
Warm Regards,
The Medford Design-Build Team
