5 Seasonal Remodeling Hacks for Homeowners

Let’s say you are planning a home upgrade: would you like to get those new windows in the long days of summer or the cold wet days on winter?  What about a new Air Conditioner, would you rather have that installed in the heat of summer or in January after buying all those gifts for family and friends?

If you are like most homeowners, you would say that late spring to early summer would be the best time for you to do a home upgrade.  Improvement in weather, tax refunds, schedule flexibility (School out for summer) among other things all contribute to construction booming in spring/summer and becoming very quiet during the winter months.

In fact, a recent article for the Chicago Federal Reserve highlights this in seasonality of employment with construction three times higher than the next closest sector…retail! Number 3 (Government factors in the seasonality of summer break)   https://www.chicagofed.org/publications/economic-perspectives/2018/3  [Source:  US Bureau of Labor Statistics]

One thing Washington Energy Services prides itself on is being creative and agile during the slower seasons to keep our craftsmen working and providing for their families.  Having a consistent and stable workforce is key to providing exceptional homeowner experiences.

For the homeowner who is also creative and agile, you can use construction seasonality knowledge to improve your experience and price when upgrading your home.

1. For the best home upgrade experience: Purchase between November – March

Benefit 1: Cost of improvement.  As demand falls in the shoulder seasons, so do prices.  You can get a great deal on the improvement.  This is why Washington Energy runs their best deal of the year in January (hint, hint).

Benefit 2: Speed of Improvement.  Less people are in line in front of you so you will wait weeks instead of months in many cases.

Benefit 3: More attention & care.  With less people upgrading their home at the same time, there are more resources dedicated to making your project go smoothly.  Your craftsman will not have been on 6 day work weeks for 2 months straight and will give you the best install you can get.

2. If you want an upgrade in the remodel peak season (May – August) make your purchasing decision no later than middle of April.

Backlogs will increase quickly and dramatically. If you make a purchase decision in July, expect most companies to have multiple month backlogs.  If a company is able to install within a couple days, this is a major red flag.

3. Get the manufacturers & utilities to help with the cost of your remodel

Often during slower times, manufacturers will participate in promotions. Bryant furnaces does Bryant Bonus late fall to early winter offering homeowners thousands in rebates

Takes these with contractor discounts and utility rebates you can save 20-30% off of peak season pricing. For a $10,000 window order, this means thousands of real dollars saved by hacking remodel seasonality

Right now PUD is offering increased rebates between January – March during the….you guessed it…slow season!

4. Deals can be found during the busy season

If you find yourself in need of an upgrade during the busy season, there can be deals to find for the savvy shopper.

For example, Washington Energy typically will do a wait and save promotion at the end of remodel season which gives homeowners non-peak pricing during the peak season.

5. The savviest of them all purchase during December

It’s hard to buy new windows when Santa is coming to town…we all have too much on our plate and minds.

But for those who are truly looking for the best deal, December is great because you are usually getting a great deal and avoiding annual vendor price increases which hit in January.