Why You Should Start Building In The Winter
December 16th, 2022 | by Shannon FisherAs the air gets colder, relaxing outside may not be top of mind. However, Winter is one of the best times of year to start on an outdoor living project! A lot of people like to wait until Spring or Summer to start building, but with that being the busy season and the time you want to actually enjoy your deck, it may not be the best option. Building your outdoor living space in the Winter has some unique benefits that you won’t want to miss out on.
Ready to Enjoy
One advantage of building in the Winter we already touched on is having prime real estate in the contractor’s schedule. If you build in the Spring or Summer, your dream contractor may have their books filled, delaying your project, meaning less time relaxing in your new backyard retreat. With open schedules, contractors can not only get you in faster, but spend more time working on your project, so it would likely take less time to build overall. Most importantly, building in the Winter can ensure your outdoor living space is ready to be enjoyed on that first warm sunny day.
Keeping a Luscious Lawn
With any new project, there are bound to be some unforeseen drawbacks. One that many people do not think about with home projects, is the toll it takes on the landscape. When starting a new build in the Spring or Summer, that gorgeous green lawn may not keep that look for long due to heavy foot traffic and machinery. However, if you build in the Winter, your backyard won’t take as much of a hit because the ground is firmer and the grass is dormant. Come Spring and Summer, your landscape will be looking just as beautiful as your new outdoor living space.
Extra Tips
If you’re planning to use wood framing for your new deck, something to keep in mind is humidity. During the Winter, there is much less humidity in the air than Spring and Summer. So if you build in the Winter, your wood framing will dry out more consistently, creating a more stabilized frame. The Winter is also a great time to add custom pieces to your build such as outdoor kitchen appliances. This is the time of year many manufacturers of these pieces will reduce the price of larger items to clear out their inventory, resulting in more material cost savings for you, the homeowner.
Building in the Winter may seem a bit intimidating, but when working with an experienced builder that’s used to colder weather and has the right tools and systems in place, it should be business as usual. So, if you want to get ahead of the game, start planning your build this Winter. You’ll definitely be thanking yourself next Spring!