In St. Louis, home remodeling is not tied to warm-weather seasons. In fact, many people choose to remodel during the winter months. Most trades have no problem working in all types of weather, but there are some downsides to winter home renovation projects. Daylight hours are shorter and colder weather means crews must wear bulkier clothing that slows them down. That’s why most of our clients stay indoors and opt for basement, kitchen, and bathroom remodels during the winter months.
Basements are the most popular winter home renovation. Bathrooms and kitchens, as well as dining rooms, follow close behind, with many people deciding to upgrade these rooms in time for holiday celebrations.
Winter Basement Remodel
Winter is the perfect time to get interior projects done, especially basements. Whether your home has a half-finished, unfinished, or absolutely-needs-to-be-made-over basement, the colder months are the ideal time for transforming your home’s lower level:
- It’s a great way to give your New Year a fresh start by adding a home theater, game room, or a combination of the two. Other popular remodels include adding an extra bedroom and bath, a second kitchen, or home gym.
- Winter tends to be a less busy time for many tradespeople, so scheduling a winter renovation tends to be easier and quicker.
- If you usually travel over the winter months or holidays, you’ll experience less disruption to your family’s daily activities if most of the work can be done while you’re away.
- You may get faster permit approvals.
Update Your Kitchen or Bath for the Holidays
If you’ve been dreaming of updating your kitchen and/or bath in time for holiday family get-togethers, now’s the time to get started. Simple changes create a warm welcome for friends and family.
- Install new appliances – the fall and winter months can be a fantastic time to buy new appliances – next year’s models are being released and last year’s are being discounted. The weekend after Thanksgiving can see these appliances offered for substantial savings.
- Replace old floors – new tile or hardwood flooring is durable, makes for easy cleanup, and looks great!
- Install a new backsplash – it’s an easy way to add a beautiful focal point to the room and can add value to your home.
- Modernize the bath – changing out old sinks, bathtubs, and showers give the bath an instant updated look.
Winter Home Renovation Challenges
There are some challenges to doing renovation work in the winter, but that shouldn’t hold you back. What makes winter remodels different?
- While it may be easier to arrange for tradespeople during the winter months, you can encounter scheduling problems due to bad weather. Heavy snow or icy conditions mean workers will stay at home so no one gets injured. The safety of your home and family are our top priority, so there might also be those slippery times when we have to put off carrying heavy items in and out of the house.
- Weather conditions might also make things messier, so you’ll need extra mats and tarps laid out.
- Start dates can be impacted by the holidays.
- Factories have separate holiday ordering schedules which makes it important to get your new space designed in time for placing orders.
- Depending on the dates you choose, the building time can be increased.
- Many construction related businesses shut down around Christmas for inventory control and counts.
Just about any renovation project can be done during the winter months. However, we advise our clients that it’s best to save replacing doors and windows until the spring. Some people may tell you it’s perfectly fine to install new windows and doors during colder months, but there are at least three good reasons to wait: you keep out the chill, many caulks adhere better in warmer weather, and, if vinyl siding is being replaced, it must be done in temperatures in the mid 30’s or higher, as it will crack in temperatures below that.
Learn More
Regardless of the time of year, the team at J.T. McDermott can help you realize your holiday home transformation in St. Louis. If you’re interested in finding out all there is to know about doing a winter home renovation this year, contact us now to learn more. We look forward to meeting with you!
