The colder months after the holidays, especially January and February, will be here before you know it. These tend to be times when we put a lot of home maintenance out of mind. But winter can be an excellent time for home renovations. Pros are less busy, certain supplies experience less demand and thus cost less, and you’re not likely to be planning big events around your home for a while after New Year’s. Read on for six renovations you can start preparing right now.
Home addition
Average cost: $80-$200 per square foot
Adding a new room or rooms likely tops the list of things you didn’t think you could or should do in the colder months. But winter provides several advantages for building additions. Humidity is low, and the ground is very dry, which makes the work easier for remodelers. Plus, it’s easier to protect exposed sections from snow than rain, so your pro will spend less time keeping the elements out of your work.
Install hardwood flooring
Average cost: $3,000
As with home additions, the cool, dry air provides considerable advantages for flooring work. This climate allows adhesive to dry more quickly and prevents gapping between freshly placed boards.
Flooring receives a great deal of wear and tear during the holidays, so this may already be on your mind. You’ll also see an immediate benefit, as new hardwood provides better insulation than worn-out flooring.
For a less intensive remodel, you can refinish an existing floor, which gets the same benefits from the cool, dry air and costs about $1,800.
Bathroom remodeling
Average cost: $11,000
Bathroom remodeling is quite popular in winter, and it’s no wonder. After all the use it gets and the guests who’ve been in and out of your house, you may have been considering how you want it to look in 2023. So, it’s a great time to update that bathroom with new fixtures, tubs and sinks, or even a complete overhaul. The cost of your remodel will, of course, depend heavily on the extent of your plans.
Interior painting
Average cost: $2,000
You probably don’t want to put a new coat of paint on your exterior walls in February, but winter is an excellent time for interior painting and giving your rooms a quick spruce-up. Once again, lower humidity plays a role. Paint tends to dry more quickly and evenly in low-humidity conditions, so whether you’re hiring or DIYing the work, you’ll probably get it done faster.
As a bonus, whatever furniture you need to move around to finish the work will give you a head start on spring cleaning.
Finish a basement
Average cost: $18,400
Winter makes the job more manageable if you’ve been thinking about turning that stone-walled basement into a comfortable living area, game room, craft zone, or just plain hang-out space. Basements are prone to mold, but the cooler temperatures make that less of a problem and thus one less thing for remodelers to look out for. In a few days or weeks, you can turn a beat-up storage area into a part of your home you look forward to spending time in!
Re-insulate your home
Average cost: $5,800
Insulation provides one of the most vital lines of defense for keeping hot and cold air on the right sides of your walls. Renewing your insulation could make a significant difference in both comfort and energy bills all year round. And winter isn’t too late to get this work done. Talk to an insulation contractor who can analyze your space, offer you the best options and figure out where you’re most losing air. Your cost will be most affected by which insulation material you select.
