Winter Is a Great Time to Build an Outdoor Project

The backlog of work for my construction crews is the lowest it has been for years. And while the economy has slowed in our area (near Washington, DC), that is not the main reason for our current reduced number of projects waiting to be built. The primary reason is good weather. The Mid-Atlantic region has had a very warm and dry fall and early winter season this year. We are more than half way through January and we finally had our first snow (a measly inch or two) and really cold temperatures this week. As a result we have had many more days available to build than normal – we have worked ourselves out of work!

Every year there is a slow down in sales during the winter months. Homeowner’s minds turn to interior projects and projects like decks and porches are forgotten until spring. Reasons for this include the belief that contractors don’t build in the winter and if they did the quality of construction would be lower than if the project were built in warmer weather. Actually for most of the country neither is true.

With the exception of the very most northern states, construction of decks and porches is not affected by winter weather very much. The main problem in the coldest states is that the ground freezes so hard the crews cannot dig footings even with power augers. These areas have the deepest footing requirements, often 36” or more deep, so it becomes impractical to dig them in winter.

For the rest of the country this is typically not much of a problem. In fact there are several reasons why building an outdoor project in winter may be the best time:

• Construction crews want to keep their best crews busy so that there’s less chance of loosing them to a busier company. Crews only get paid if they are working and they have bills like everybody else.
• Material prices tend to be lower. Building material prices tend to increase less and even decline with the lower demand of winter.
• Builders are often more willing to offer discounts or other incentives to get the work. The competition is the same, but there’s less work – supply and demand works in this market too.
• The quality of the materials is often better. Many outdoor projects are built using pressure treated lumber. This material is shipped with a high level of moisture in it. As the lumber dries it wants to cup, warp, and check, as the cells shrink. If the wood dries slower it tends to have less stress to distort and the fasteners are better able to keep it true.
• The workmanship is often better. The crews have less pressure on them to quickly finish a job so that they can move on to the next anxious customer. Good crews are not going to do sloppy work no matter what but having a little extra time can make a difference.
• Avoid the spring rush. As soon as the weather starts to turn warm it seems everybody wants a deck or porch and they want it in time for summer. It won’t happen for many of them. Backlogs for good companies quickly build to 8 to 10 weeks or more by early spring.

Not all of these reasons may be true in your region, but there are probably enough good reasons for you to consider having your project built now rather than waiting until spring like everybody else. To learn more about deck and porch construction visit www.backyardamerica.com .