When is the best time to remodel your home? The truth is that there are better times, depending on what you are renovating. Another consideration is cost-saving, but the ideal time and cost-saving don’t always coincide. Taking all factors into consideration, there are a few guidelines you must follow to keep your project on track.
1st Quarter of the Year
Although working outside in the cold winter sounds like a nasty job, it is the perfect time to start an addition. Cold, hard ground and very dry air are better when doing the foundation and pouring concrete than in the wet season.
When the foundation is done and the addition is framed, you can have it covered before the rainy season. It means you will have fewer rainy days where construction workers have to stand still and materials will not bet damaged by rain.
This time of the year could also turn out to be cost-effective because people are waiting for spring to start their renovation.
2nd Quarter of the Year
This is the busiest time of the year, according to contractors. As a result, it is the most expensive time to renovate. Spring is traditionally home renovation season. This is when people are most likely to have money after going through financial closing time, and they see spring as a great opportunity to start something new.
Outdoor rooms and patios are good at this time because you will be digging by hand and the ground is nice and soft. If you time it right and money is not a big concern, you can have your new deck or outdoor area ready for summer. For other jobs, springtime is not the ideal one for projects like carpeting and painting the walls.
3rd Quarter of the Year
Doing work indoors, like kitchen and bathroom renovation, is better in the summer. Summer is not the ideal time to be working outside or in small spaces. However, roofing is usually done around this time, because your materials need high temperatures to set.
When working on your roof, it is also a good idea to check your attic insulation. It is a relatively cheap repair, costing from $1.25 to $3.00 per square ft. What makes a summer renovation even better is if you go away for the summer holidays, and come back to a newly renovated home.
4th Quarter of the Year
This is the time of year to start rounding off projects. While builders are rushing for that mid-November deadline, you do not need to worry about the quality of work you will receive. Remodeling contractors view their work as a reflection on themselves, and will always put in their best.
If you are willing to share your home with construction crews during the holidays, you will find that contractors and material prices are much cheaper at this time. Business is slower at this time, so many contractors will take on a job on because it means they get paid.
Weather concerns for remodeling
Wet weather is not the best time for an outdoor renovation. Materials can get damaged, and work may have to stop for long periods of time if there is rain. This could cost extra money if deadlines aren’t met.
Work inside the house can happen at any time as soon as everything is undercover. Indoor renovation at any time of the year is possible, as long as you have a covered area for storing materials.
While hot weather is not ideal for outdoor renovations and renovating small rooms, roofs are best renovated in the summer because of the high heat requirements. While researching when to do a renovation, keep in mind what you are renovating and where you will store materials throughout the renovation time. Organizing the renovation process is the key to a successful project that you would actually enjoy seeing.
