3 Reasons to Remodel During Winter

As a Minneapolis contractor, I am constantly faced with a problem that dangerously affects
my quality of life. Okay, that may be a slight overstatement; however, I am writing this post
to help contractors and homeowners come to an agreement about when to schedule upcoming
remodeling projects. The pattern is always the same- I wish I had more work in the winter
months and as soon as the snow melts I hardly have time to breathe until it returns. Summer
is the busy season in the construction industry. However, the problem is that homeowners and
contractors alike want to have time for fun in the summer. Because of this, I have compiled a list
encouraging homeowners and contractors to execute remodeling projects in the winter months.

1. The Weather

Many people avoid scheduling projects in the winter because they assume construction workers
dislike working in the cold weather and will turn out a better product if the weather is nice. This
mostly applies to outdoor projects; however, customers seem concerned for my health even if I
am only cutting wood outside during a Bathroom Remodeling project in winter. I am here to tell
you that many people I work with, including myself, actually prefer working in the cold weather
as opposed to the oppressive heat experienced in the summer. Working physically is actually
much more dangerous on a 90 degree day versus a brisk 20 degree day in winter. In short, we do
not mind working in the cold, many of us actually prefer it to working on a hot day.

2. Your Contractor’s Attention

This point is simple, if your contractor has fewer jobs going at one time, he or she will be able
to devote more time and energy to your project. Who would you rather have working on your
house? A contractor managing 19 jobs in addition to yours? Or a contractor with 3 other projects
who can pay much more attention to you? I think the answer is obvious. Homeowners, take
advantage of the slow season and you will be rewarded with less accidental mix-ups and more
time for problem solving. Please, we beg you.

3. Price

We have all heard the saying “Time is Money”. Basic supply and demand suggests that when
there is less time there must be more money. This means that busy contractors need to charge
more money for projects when time is limited. Because of this, prices will be higher in the
summer due to hiring needs difficulty of coordination. I have often offered customers a $1,000
discount to complete their project during the winter instead of the summer. They always refuse in
favor of scheduling it in the summer.

As you can see, there are significant benefits to completing remodeling projects in the winter.
I hope this article has influenced homeowners interested in getting the best deal and will help
restore sanity to contractors like me in May, June, and July.

Author: Brad Scott, owner of Brad Scott Construction www.bradscottconstruction.com