Choosing the right time for hiring 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, but be warned: Some projects, like roofing, exterior painting and concrete work aren’t ideal projects to undertake when the temperatures are really cold or there’s lots of snow on the ground.

Hire These Contractors in the Off-Season

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.

Roofer Robert O’Sullivan notes a couple issues with hiring contractors to do asphalt roofing in the winter. For one, shingles become brittle in the cold, so you shouldn’t try to install them in temperatures below 40 F. Snow buildup is another obvious issue, so it’s important to clear your roof. He offers this tip if you want to install asphalt shingles in the winter: “Try storing the shingles in a warm place before use and hand-sealing each shingle for better adhesion.”

Learn 10 common roof problems and what to do about them.

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.

According to painting pro Ryan Parr, it is technically possible to paint your house in the winter, but it’s not necessarily advisable. “You want temps to be steady, not dropping below 50 at night, and you want dry days. Paint doesn’t cure right in the cold or if there’s too much humidity.” Winter painting is best done in climates with mild winters.

Thinking about painting your house? These are the most popular exterior colors.

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.

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.

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.

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.

FAQs

What types of projects are ideal for offseason work?

You can do interior projects at any time of the year, but the busy seasons are typically in the warm months. That makes them ideal candidates for off-season work. Keep in mind that the off-season for furnace repair is usually in the summer, so that’s usually the best time to hire an HVAC contractor.

How far in advance should I hire a contractor?

The timeline for hiring contractors depends on the type of work and the contractor’s schedule. Most contractors will come to do an estimate within a week of the initial contact, but as a rule of thumb, you should allow two weeks to a month between the estimate and the commencement of work.

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