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Summer gets all the attention. There’s something about the onslaught of hot weather that causes people to re-evaluate their homes – perhaps it’s because the kids are home from school and running around, or because the warmth is more conducive to hard labor. Whatever the reason, demand for renovations tends to peak along with the temperature.
But that doesn’t mean you can’t buck the trend. Sure, summer has its advantages when it comes to renovation, but winter makes every bit as much sense. As the weather starts to drop in the coming months, consider finding a good contractor and finally getting around to those renos you’ve been putting off.
Why Renovate in the Winter?
The main reason people cite for preferring winter renovations is supply and demand. With summer’s high demand comes a lack of supply – and, as with any other industry, when schedules fill up, the prices rise. And that isn’t the only factor driving a lack of supply: contractors and tradespeople, like everyone else, enjoy a good summer holiday.
Another reason to do renovations in the winter is so that they’ll be finished in time to entertain in the summer. If the purpose of your renovations is to spruce your place up for company, it makes more sense to do it in the dead of winter than in summer.
The summer is also humid (in some places, very humid) and that humidity can affect building materials. It may seem like a trivial concern, but, especially when dealing with wood, humidity can have a sizeable impact on the way in which your renovations turn out.
To recap, the benefits of a winter renovation are:
- A less in-demand workforce
- A timeline that makes sense if you want to finish for summer
- Lower humidity, which is preferable when working with certain building materials
Choosing the Right Renovations
Obviously, the preferred type of renovation for winter is interior. That’s not to say exterior renos are impossible (far from it) but working in a warm house is nicer than toiling in the cold outdoors, especially if the temperature reaches freezing. It’s best to stick to things like kitchen renovations and bathroom renovations.
Other than that, consider renovations that add value. The aforementioned kitchen renovation – popular any time of year – has been shown to get a great ROI, provided you have hired a good contractor and opt for a neutral design with wide appeal.
Hiring the Right Renovators
As much as you love your friends and family, they make lousy referrers. Too often, homeowners choose contractors on the strength of a single recommendation, only to be greeted with poor work and high prices. If you want winter renovations done right, make use of a free service like Reno Assistance that vets contractors based on your planned project and puts you in touch with the best ones. With the dip in demand during winter, you should have your pick of a number of great contractors – you just need to ensure the ones you consider are independently verified and do quality work.
The winter blues shouldn’t extend to your renovation ambitions. Don’t let the weather dictate when you should improve your home. Find the right contractor for the job, and take charge.
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This content is sponsored by Mike John.
Photos: Shutterstock