Late Season Outdoor Living Construction

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Typically, when people think of the best time to start a patio or outdoor living project, they assume the spring or summer months are the best and most obvious choice. After all, contractors are back in full swing, the weather outside is much more inviting, and the warm weather means the ground isn’t frozen solid.

Contrary to this popular opinion, there are some good reasons to plan and install a patio in the fall and winter months. The weather can be cold, but the advantages of constructing a patio in the frigid months far outweigh the disadvantages. Let’s take a closer look at the benefits of a fall/ winter worksite can have for every homeowner:

PLAN EARLY, AND BE READY FOR SPRING

At the first sign of spring, we all look for an excuse to get outside and put an end to our winter-induced cabin fever. What better time to break in a brand new patio area? Add a fire pit into the works and stay warm even on the crisp cool nights. Wintertime construction opens the door for early spring use of the hardscaping. It also keeps things moving in terms of finishing the landscaping around the patio. When the hardscaping can be done in the winter, and the landscaping in the spring, the backyard can be looking sharp and fresh by the time cookout season hits in summer!

FALL/WINTER SAVINGS

Everyone loves a deal. If there’s a way to invest in the property value of your home, and spend less, that’s a win for everyone. Every spring, the cost of hardscaping materials typically go up anywhere from 5-10%. However, when the planning for a project begins in the fall and the construction starts before the end of the year, the price of materials hasn’t gone up yet. These savings can be lost with even just a few months of delay.

PREVENT DAMAGE TO LAWN AND LANDSCAPE

While the hard ground may seem like something that would prevent hardscaping from happening during the winter, it actually makes the job quite a bit easier. Grass and plants grow dormant in the winter to survive the cold weather, making them less prone to being damaged by equipment and foot traffic. Likewise, as the ground hardens, divets and ruts become less frequent, also minimizing the amount of touchup needed at the end of the project (leading to lower labor costs too). This becomes even more important if a patio or hardscape project is going in around a lot of existing landscaping.

SCHEDULING MADE EASY

Because the busy season for most landscaping companies come during the spring, summer, and fall, a new project can sometimes be at the mercy of the jobs in the queue before it. If one job goes longer than expected, all the jobs afterward get pushed back. But as winter hits and things slow down, the job list shortens. Scheduling becomes easier because contractors and subcontractors are more available, and timelines are quicker than normal.