So you're thinking of renovating your living room? Maybe the old design is no longer inspiring, or you are ready to ditch the hand-me-down sofa you received from your parent's basement in college and upgrade to a beautiful modular sofa that you have noticed trending across interior design media pages. Or perhaps you want a complete remodel! An entire remodel is not such a bad idea because the living room gives visitors and family members their first impression upon entering our home.
Typical considerations when remodeling your living room are style focused: flooring type, lighting style & directionality, furniture layout, or repurposing existing pieces in different ways all contribute to a fabulous refresh. Choosing new window treatments and color palettes that will make it feel like home while still allowing sunlight during those warmer months are rewarding remodeling choices. However, one consideration that many don't factor into their remodeling is timing.
How do you know when it's the right time to renovate your living room?
It might be because a relative is coming to visit, or maybe you want an update before the holidays arrive. This blog post will cover some timing issues that can affect whether this is a good time for renovations, as well as some super tips for timing your living room remodel.
Is there a best time to consider remodeling your living room? The answer will depend on what type of project you are considering. If it's with resale in mind, we recommend not starting during the peak selling season. This will allow for a better opportunity to sell the house, as you will not be staging, cleaning, and mid-renovation when buyers are looking.
If you are considering a living room overhaul before the holidays, be sure that your budget can accommodate any surprises with renovations and find out how much time might be involved in a project of this size. Contractors are often busy or taking a vacation right before the holidays. Ensuring that you have your project people in place before starting will help ease any potential stress. Taking care of some of the smaller details such as waste disposal will ensure that no matter how big or small your remodel is, things will go smoothly. Timing of course is everything, suppose Great Aunt Nancy visits with her new husband and three children. In that case, you want to be sure that your space is welcoming and comfortable before their arrival. Sometimes this might mean waiting until the holidays are over to begin a new project.
If you are considering a living room remodel because your space is not as comfortable or efficient as possible, think about whether you will want to move walls and install new windows. Remember that if work needs to happen outside of your home, please consider the weather conditions in your area.
Similarly, if you are hoping for a refresh before the holidays, consider how much money and time might be involved in a remodeling project.
Summer is the most common time to take on a renovation project. The kids are out of school, curb appeal is on the mind, and fair weather makes it easy to open a house. But there are some key advantages to renovating in the winter, like availability, cost, and timing.
Contractor availability
One advantage of choosing to engage a contractor for a renovation in the winter is less competition. Spring and summer are the busiest times of year for home renovations. Contractors' plates will be full once renovation season is in full swing, which could leave you competing for the best builders.
And a renovation project in the winter months may get you more time and attention from your contractor. While the best contractors and architects won't bite off more than they can chew, working with a contractor who has many projects can mean protracted schedules and slapdash work, which is more likely to happen in peak reno season schedules.
Off-season discounts
When business slows, contractors may reduce their prices a bit to keep their crews busy. If your remodel plan is more than a DIY job, this might be the perfect time to negotiate a great deal with a handyperson.
Loving the trend of beautiful modular sofas? You won't find any better deals than this during these winter months! Many stores offer terrific savings on floor models and electronics as well—especially after-holiday sales where they're slashing 20-50% off items in-store—this might be the perfect time to purchase that new wall-mounted T.V. you've been coveting.
So when is the best time for a renovation?
The bottom line is that while there may be more ideal times than others to consider a remodel, the best time for a renovation is when you are ready.
It is prudent to consider the timing when considering a remodel. If you are hoping for a refresh before the holidays, be sure to have your budget and time in mind! Regardless of what kind of project you're undertaking, it's important not to bite off more than you can chew--plan so that any stress (or costs) from renovations doesn't take away from enjoying your new space this holiday season. The great thing about living room projects is they usually don't require as much planning or permits as others might; keep weather considerations in mind if work needs to happen outside on your property!
