Are you considering completing home renovations and wondering when is the best time to renovate your house? Renovation timing is critical to the success of your project, with each season presenting different benefits and drawbacks. Therefore, it’s important to determine what time of year is best for your renovation so you can plan ahead.
As an experienced and award-winning Vancouver custom home builder, we know a thing or two about the best time to renovate – and the answer might surprise you!
Below, we discuss the pros and cons of renovating in different seasons and share our insight on the best time to start specific renovation projects. Our home renovation experts also share their recommendations for the best time to renovate in general.
Ready to learn about the best time of year to do home renovations? Let’s get into it!
Table of Contents:
Quick Answers
Pros and Cons of Different Seasons
Best Time to Renovate Based on Project Type
Timing Considerations
Get Help Deciding When to Renovate
A Quick Look at The Best Time To Renovate
Best Time to Renovate Indoor Spaces: Winter
Winter is the best time to renovate bathrooms, kitchens, basements, and other rooms and areas inside your home.
Why? Winter is the slow season for many Vancouver home builders. Therefore, you’ll have an easier time scheduling your contractor of choice. Building and finishing materials may also be cheaper at this time due to lower demand.
Best Time for Whole Home & Outdoor Renovations: Fall or Spring
Spring or Fall is the best time to renovate or remodel your whole home or an outdoor space, like a patio, deck, or landscaping.
Why? Spring offers the best weather in Vancouver for outdoor renovations, meaning less interruption due to extreme heat, rain, snow, etc. Fall weather and temperatures are also typically suitable for outdoor and whole home renos. However, Fall offers the added benefit of being less busy than the Spring and Summer months. Therefore, scheduling your project with a top-rated builder may be easier, and materials may be slightly cheaper.
The Pros and Cons of Renovating in Different Seasons
Before we explore the details, here’s a quick overview of the benefits and drawbacks of renovating during each season.
| Season | Pros | Cons |
| Spring | – Temperate weather allows for indoor and outdoor renovations. – Fewer weather-related delays. – Longer days allow for more working hours. | – Busy season. – Best contractors in Vancouver may not be available (unless you plan in advance). – Building and finishing materials may be more expensive due to high demand. – Rainy weather (especially in early Spring) can affect outdoor renovations. |
| Summer | – Best time to renovate outdoor areas, including decks/outdoor living spaces, landscaping and exterior upgrades. – Warm, dry weather minimizes weather-related delays. – Longer daylight hours offer more time for construction. | – Busy season. – Top contractors may not be available (unless you plan in advance). – Building and finishing materials may be more costly due to high demand. – Project could interfere with Summer vacation plans. Similarly, vacation plans may disrupt your ability to oversee the project. |
| Fall | – Possible to complete both indoor and outdoor renovations. – Less busy than Spring and Summer, so home builders typically have more availability. – Construction materials may be more affordable during this downtime. | – Shorter days may slow down construction in some cases. – Sudden rain, flooding, or colder weather can impact outdoor projects. |
| Winter | – Least popular time for renovations. – Better builder availability. – Building materials, finishes, and appliances may be less expensive due to special pricing and/or lower demand. – Your home builder may be able to complete your renovation faster due to fewer scheduled projects. – Obtaining permits and scheduling inspections may be quicker and easier during this slower period. – If you plan to go away on holiday, you can avoid the disruption in your home, as construction is completed while you’re away. | – Limited outdoor work due to cold, wet weather. – Unpredictable weather may impact or delay your project timeline. – Supply chain delays are common during the holiday season. – Renovation could impact your holiday or vacation plans. Vice versa, if you are away for the holidays, it may impact project progress. |
Now, let’s discuss some more detailed reasons to (or not to) renovate during certain seasons.
Spring (March, April, May)
Although Spring can be wet in Vancouver, the temperate weather allows for both indoor and outdoor renovation projects. However, for most Vancouver contractors, Spring is the busiest season for home-building projects and renovations. Therefore, if you contact popular residential construction companies in the Spring, you may have difficulty finding someone who can start immediately. That said, if a Spring renovation works best for you, it can be done – you’ll just need to plan ahead! If you do your research, find a home contractor and begin the design and planning phase in the Winter months, you’ll be able to start your renovation project in the Spring.
PRO TIP: The planning stage of a renovation project can take up to 4 months, including up to 2 months to hire a home builder (depending on their availability). Therefore, if you want to start your renovation in the Spring, you should begin planning in December – or earlier.
Summer (June, July, August)
Summer in Vancouver offers the perfect weather for both indoor and outdoor home renovations. However, because Summer is the best time to renovate for all types of projects, it’s a very busy time for renovators in Vancouver and the surrounding areas. Therefore, finding a good renovation contractor to take on your Summer project may be difficult (especially if you don’t plan ahead). Due to high demand at this time, costs for building materials and finishes may also be higher. It’s also important to consider any Summer vacations you have planned. A home renovation could impact your holiday, and being away could affect communication and slow progress.
PRO TIP: If a Summer renovation project works best for you, be sure to start planning in the early Spring or late Winter (e.g. February or March). This will ensure you have enough time to find a builder and plan your renovation before Summer arrives.
Fall (September, October, November)
For many homeowners, Fall is the best time to renovate! While the rainy weather in Vancouver can cause challenges from time to time, Fall, for the most part, allows for both indoor and outdoor renovations. This time of year is also much less busy than Spring and Summer. Therefore, you should be able to hire your home builder of choice! That said, it’s still important to plan ahead so everything is in order and your contractor is booked and ready to start building in the Fall.
PRO TIP: The planning process (including finding and hiring a custom home builder) can take up to a few months to complete. Therefore, to start your home renovation in the Fall, you’ll want to start planning in the Summer! Our recommendation – begin the planning process in June (or earlier)!
Winter (December, January, February)
In Vancouver, Winter is the least popular time for renovations. The weather is ugly, and many people are busy with holiday preparations and don’t have time to undertake a project. Therefore, local contractors are not nearly as busy as in the Spring, Summer, and even Fall. Thus, you should be able to hire a great home builder easily! Similarly, local authorities are often less busy during the Winter months. Therefore, getting permits and inspections may be faster at this time. So, if you want to complete an indoor home renovation project (e.g., kitchen, bathroom, basement renos) that won’t be impacted by weather, Winter may be the best time to renovate! That said, if you plan to have friends and family over for the holidays or are going away on vacation, it’s important to consider how a renovation might impact your plans.
PRO TIP: To start your renovation in the Winter, start planning in late Summer or early Fall (i.e., August/September).
Still not sure when is the best time to renovate your house? Here are some specific projects and suggested times.
Best Time to Renovate Based on Project Type
Have a specific reno in mind? Here are our recommendations for the best time to renovate based on the type of project you want to complete.
| Renovation Project | Best Time To Renovate |
| Kitchen | Spring, Early Summer or Winter (if you won’t need your kitchen over the holidays) |
| Bathroom | Late Fall, Winter |
| Basement | Fall/Winter |
| Deck/Outdoor Living Space | Late Spring/Summer |
| Exterior Upgrades & Painting | Late Spring/Early Summer or Early Fall |
| Roof Replacement | Summer or Early Fall |
| Yard/Landscaping | Spring/Early Summer |
| Efficiency Upgrades (e.g., windows, insulation, other building envelope components) | Fall |
| Home Addition | Spring |
| Whole Home Renovation | Spring or Fall |
This should give you a good idea of the best time to renovate your home in general. However, there are some additional considerations, including personal commitments, that you’ll need to consider. Here’s what’s important to keep in mind.
Important Considerations When Deciding on the Best Time to Renovate
Below are the most important things to consider when deciding when to renovate your home.
- Weather – Be sure to consider the type of renovation you want to complete and if the weather could impact your timeline. For example, outdoor renovations, like window replacements, home exterior upgrades, decks and patios, and landscaping projects, are extremely weather-dependent. As a result, it’s best to start these types of renovations in warmer, dryer months to avoid construction delays.
- Contractor Availability – Does quality craftsmanship matter to you? If so, not just any contractor will do; you’ll want to work with a top-rated home builder in Vancouver. Therefore, when deciding on the best time to renovate, be sure to consider when your contractor of choice will be available. If you plan far in advance, you should be able to secure your top builder at the time of year you prefer. But, if time is of the essence, you may want to schedule your reno during a less busy time – like the Winter (if possible).
- Permits and Inspections – Getting permits and scheduling inspections can be time-consuming, and during the busiest months of the year, this process may be even slower. Therefore, if you have a tight timeline, consider completing your renovations during slower times of the year. Regardless, consider planning ahead so your permit applications can be submitted during the slower months.
- Holidays and Personal Commitments – It’s also important to consider personal commitments when deciding on the best time to renovate. Scheduled vacations, summer holidays, Christmas and other celebrations can impact (and be impacted by) your renovation. Therefore, be sure to consider how these personal commitments will factor in and whether undertaking a renovation is possible during important events.
Still not sure when to renovate? Team Hasler can help!
When it comes to deciding on the best time to renovate, our biggest piece of advice is this – Plan Ahead! As experienced builders and renovators, we suggest getting organized 4 to 6 months ahead of time. That is, request estimates and interview potential builders, sign a contract with your builder of choice, secure financing (if necessary), and start the design and permit processes 4 to 6 months before you want to start building. Ensuring you have all your “ducks in a row” far in advance will help your project start (and complete) on time!
If you have a specific completion date in mind or aren’t sure what time of year is best to renovate your home, contact our renovation experts! We’d be happy to discuss your project and provide a personalized timeline to help you get started.
We look forward to hearing from you!
Call: 778-688-7846
Email: info@haslerhomes.ca
Contact Form: https://haslerhomes.ca/contact/
