Why Winter is the Best Time of Year for Home Renovations
While most people prefer to do home renovations during summer, they might miss out on many wondrous benefits of rolling out a remodeling plan during winter.
Don’t wait for the summer months to upgrade your home. Discover what makes winter the best time of the year to start your home renovations, as well as winter-approved home improvement projects to inspire you.
Faster Approval of Permits
Winter months are less busy than usual, meaning municipal services are generally more amenable to accepting new requests. Compared to summer, when getting a building permit takes longer, approvals during winter may only take a few days.
This would also mean fewer risks of starting the project later due to delayed issuance or permits. It allows you to upgrade your home with fewer worries about last–minute issues.
Contractor Availability
Contractors commonly experience a slump during the holiday season after working on several projects throughout the summer. The good news for potential clients like you is that you take advantage of this opportunity. Since contractors are more available and have fewer projects, they can better focus on your renovation project.
Given this, the tasks are more likely to push through and end in a timely manner. The contractor can even hire more workers to increase the project’s progress.
Cheaper Labor
Have you tried getting a quote for a summer renovation project? Contact a contractor and ask for a quote this winter — you’ll see a significant price difference. Since remodeling plans are fewer during the cold season, contractors sometimes lower their fees to attract new clients and keep their workers busy. These lower prices apply to both construction materials and labor.
There’s no perfect time than colder months to take advantage of reduced rates, especially when operating only on a specific budget. This is why winter is considered the most underrated season to launch a renovation plan. There’s a significant reduction in demand and rates, making it the perfect time to grab the opportunity.
Enjoy Summer to the Fullest
Many people opt to roll out renovation plans during summer to avoid dust accumulation, which is believed to be more challenging to deal with during winter. However, contractors have special equipment to keep the dust produced during work at bay, regardless of whether work happens during the colder months or summer.
Additionally, launching a remodeling project during winter means you can enjoy summer to the fullest. Since the warm season lasts only a few months, it would be more fun to spend it on the beach than in your home that’s under construction.
7 Winter-Appropriate Renovating Projects
Without planned trips and fewer outdoor activities, you can successfully roll out these remodeling plans when stuck inside your home this winter:
1. Fix a Leaky Roof
Roof leaks during the holiday season are common and can dampen your festive cheer. Here are some problems a leaky roof can cause:
- Ice dams: If you notice melting snow leaking into your home, you may have an ice dam collecting on rooftops.
- Compromised flashing: This is a thin material to guide water away from penetrating inside your home. Melting snow can leak through cracks when damaged.
- Attic condensation: Poor insulation can result in moist air entering your home. Since the temperature is cooler in the attic than in other areas at home, moisture can quickly turn to condensation.
Prevention is key for a leaky roof. Hire a contractor to do a roof inspection. If you notice bulging in your ceiling, chances are there’s water pressure building up caused by the snow’s weight. Raise your concern to your contractor immediately to prevent bursting and flooding in your home before it’s too late.
2. Install Hardwood Flooring
The holiday season calls for hardwood flooring to add warmth and texture to your home. They’re also easier to clean than carpet and have better insulating properties than worn flooring. The colder air helps lessen the adhesive’s drying time during installation.
3. Update Light Fixtures
The holiday season can bring various physical changes to people, such as dry skin and chapped lips. The lack of sunlight and longer nights can also dampen your mood.
If your interior lights affect your productivity and focus, consider replacing your old lights with bright, cheery options to improve illumination. That way, you can enjoy the holidays with positivity.
4. Replace Kitchen Countertops
Winter months call for more indoor gatherings. If you want to brighten your kitchen, consider upgrading the countertops. The average cost of remodeling a kitchen sits between roughly $14,000 and $40,000, with several factors affecting the estimate, such as project scale and kitchen size.
When choosing a design for your kitchen countertops, consider your preferences and how you envision your dream kitchen. Think long-term in terms of design and material. When on a budget, opt for laminated countertops since they are more affordable than other selections.
5. Clean and Upgrade the Laundry Room
While crucial in your day-to-day functioning, the laundry room gets little to no attention when thinking about remodeling. Spend a weekend during the winter to clean the room and think about how to make the space more functional for everyone. Give it a thorough cleaning, upgrade the organizers or replace your washing machine with a new one.
6. Renovate the Attic
Your attic is one of your home’s primary rooms. Insulating this room is one way to ensure your house and family stay warm inside. A well-insulated home means more comfortable nights and lower utility bills. When renovating the attic, you might discover that you must seal up window and door cracks with an insulating spray foam.
7. Repaint the Walls
Maximize your and your family’s time indoors with an easy remodeling project. The winter atmosphere creates an ideal condition for paint to set in quickly during the more humid months. Even better, this can soon become a bonding moment, which can help alleviate feelings of loneliness brought on by the cold weather.
‘Tis the Season to Renovate Your Home
You can accomplish many advantages and remodeling projects, even if the weather is colder and nights are longer. With this information and remodeling ideas, you can successfully roll out a renovation project with your trusted contractor this holiday season.
