Save Big By Hiring Contractors Off-Season
Updated: Aug. 17, 2021
Choosing the right time to hire home contractors can save you money and get better quality work. Here’s the best time to hire contractors.v
Choosing the right time to hire home contractors can save you money, get better quality work, ensure that you’ll get the job done on schedule and make the whole process a lot less frustrating. Contractors of all types have slow seasons when they’re more willing to negotiate lower costs and shorten lead times and are less likely to rush through the job. If your job isn’t an emergency, it’s often worth waiting for a slow period.
Hiring a Roofing Contractor
The busiest season for most roofers is the fall as homeowners scramble to prepare for winter. Spring is also hectic because there is a push to address problems occurring in winter and early spring. The standard rule is to schedule your roofing project between the Fourth of July and Labor Day. If your roof covering is other than asphalt shingles, such as metal, rubber on tile, then you have more flexibility and could strike a good deal for a winter job.
Hiring an Exterior Painting Contractor
Summer is the busiest season for house painters, in part because some homeowners prefer to have the loud, messy work done while they’re away on vacation. January and February are slow months for most contractors, so if it’s possible to apply paint at that time in your area, start then. Otherwise, the trade does tend to lag a bit in September and October.
Thinking about painting your house? These are the most popular exterior colors.
Hiring an Interior Painting Contractor
Most people paint when they have just purchased a house (that spikes a bit in the spring) or are preparing for the holidays. Across the board, January and February are considered the slow seasons for interior painting.
See what the best interior paint colors are before starting a project.
Hiring a Concrete Contractor
Spring and summer are the peak seasons, so consider colder months. Concrete work is less subject to cold weather than other exterior jobs because you can pour concrete even at low temperatures. For major projects that require a concrete truck to traverse your driveway or yard, frozen ground is preferable. Here’s how to estimate a concrete order so you have an idea of what an estimate should look like.
Hiring an HVAC Contractor
When the weather changes—becoming hot in late spring or cold in the fall—systems break down and HVAC people get busy. Have your air conditioning system serviced or replaced in the off-peak times. Early fall and spring are good periods. These are 12 things you should check before calling an HVAC tech.
Hiring an Interior Remodeling Contractor
If you can work around the mess and inconvenience of a kitchen or bathroom remodeling project during November or February, the months on either side of the holiday season, there’s a good chance you’ll find more and better choices of contractors and be able to strike a better deal.
