What's the best time of year to renovate?

Barring another once-in-a-lifetime pandemic, there’s usually a standard flow to the pace of a year when it comes to renovations. 

In early spring when the holidays are over and the weather gets nicer, demand for renovation builds. 

In summer when school’s out and weather’s at it’s best, construction peaks - continuing into the fall. 

In winter everything slows down again as people host family for holidays, cram all their work in before year-end and make travel plans.

Based on this cycle, let’s talk about when’s the best time to plan a renovation and start construction. 

We’ll break down the pros and cons of each season, as well as the overall best time of year to renovate - and when you need to start planning.

Best Time of Year to Renovate: Fall

Here at RenoFi, we think the best time of year to renovate is fall. There are a few reasons for this. Number one - contractors are generally not yet at their busiest. Peak season is May-July. 

Call your builder up and ask for a June 1st construction start date? Get in line. Call them up and ask for September 1st construction start date? You have a much better chance of getting your name on the list. 

Also, some projects require warmer weather. It’s risky to start an addition project in the dead of winter when snow could cause delays.

The other great part about renovating in the fall is that planning takes place in summer, when many folks are in the middle of their projects.

However, fall is only the best season to renovate if you’re preparing in advance! This means getting estimates, financing, and contracts finished during the summer, before it’s too late.

Most Underrated Time of Year to Renovate: Winter

While summer truly is peak renovation season, we think winter is the most underrated time of year to renovate. If your renovation is completely indoor and doesn’t require warmer weather, why wait until the busiest time of year for contractors to renovate?

Winter is the perfect time to complete construction. It’s the least popular time for renovation projects. Everyone is spending a lot of time indoors and hosting holiday gatherings - and pushing their remodeling to other points of the year. 

Take advantage of the renovation season lull and set your construction start date for winter. You’ll be finished with your project by the time most people are calling contractors to get in their schedule.

Pros and Cons of Each Season

If you’re still not decided on which season of the year to renovate, we’ll break down the pros and cons of each so you can evaluate them based on your personal project and preferences.

Summer

Summer is the most popular time of year to renovate. Folks emerge from the holiday season ready to start planning, and therefore construction starts a few months later during June, July and August. 

Pros: Best weather

Cons: Most popular time of year to renovate, kids off school, could interfere with vacation plans, high humidity could interfere with painting jobs

When to start planning: Winter 

Fall 

Fall is another popular time to renovate, as it’s the last chance to break ground on outdoor projects before the weather turns cold. Many folks that waited until the peak of renovation season to start planning can still get their project in that year if they schedule it for fall.

Pros: Get it done before the holiday season, materials may be more affordable during a lull in projects

Cons: May be too cold for outdoor project

When to start planning: Spring/early summer

Winter 

Winter is the least popular time of year to renovate, as folks are consumed with holidays and the weather is cold. This is also why some people see it as the best time to renovate, as your contractor probably won’t have as much going on. If you’re looking for more attention and your project is inside and not weather dependent, this might be the perfect time to schedule construction.

Pros: Least popular time of year to renovate, good time of year to pour concrete

Cons: Weather could cause delays, get in the way of holiday celebrations, folks take off for holidays

When to start planning: Late summer/early fall

Spring

Spring is busy season! Don’t expect to call up contractors in the spring and get a renovation date right away. They’ll already be fully booked! If you get your research and financing plans out of the way the year before, you can come into the spring renovation season ahead of the curve and first on your contractor’s to-do list. 

Pros: Most temperate weather, fewest extreme heat/cold days

Cons: Most popular time of year to renovate, materials harder to source in busy season

When to start planning: Late fall/early winter

The moral of the story? Whatever season you choose to start construction, you need to plan ahead. It’s best to plan far ahead with getting estimates, renovation plans, securing financing, considering furniture and finishes, and permitting, because it will all take longer than you think. 

Best Time to Renovate for Top Home Improvement Projects

Kitchen

The best time of year to renovate a kitchen is whenever you can go without cooking for several weeks (or maybe a couple months). You don’t need to plan around the weather unless you’re planning on expanding your home’s footprint as part of the project.

For many people, the best season to renovate a kitchen is summer, because it’s easier to go without a kitchen if you’re on vacation. However, summer is also when contractors are at their busiest.

If you truly want to renovate during the summer, make sure to lock down a contractor in the spring.

Addition

The best time of year to add an addition to the home is early spring because the ground temperatures are perfect for laying additional foundation.

Not to mention, this is before peak renovation season, so chances are you’ll get more attention on your project.

Pool

While you may want your pool installed right before the summer swimming season, so does everyone else.

The industry secret is to schedule your pool renovation for fall, when most contractors’ calendars start to slow down.

Builders also say that the ground is drier in the fall which makes it a faster and easier installation process.

Landscaping

Spring is the busy season for landscapers, because the best time to begin planting is April or May, so that plants have a chance to grow before winter.

We recommend talking to a landscaper in early spring so you can get on their list and get everything planted at the right time of year.

Bathroom

Fall is the busy season for bathroom renovations, as folks are trying to get the house in shape before the holidays.

Late winter or early spring is the best time of year to start your bathroom renovation because it’s a slow season, so you’ll see better prices and more attention from contractors for your bathroom project.

Full Home Remodel

If you’re willing to withstand a few curveballs due to weather, winter is the cheapest time to start a full home renovation. You’ll get the lowest prices and the most calls back from contractors.

But factoring in weather, fall is the best time of year to renovate. You’ll miss the spring/summer rush and won’t have to worry about any snowstorms.

Overall, the best time of year to renovate is the best time for you and your family after you’ve done the research and planning required.

It’s always better to be prepared and push back your project rather than jump in and start something you can’t afford or you aren’t going to be happy with.

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