4 reasons why you should consider renovating in winter
Tony Clarke, MD of the Rawson Property Group, explains why winter may actually be the best time of year for property renovations.
1. Builders are more available:
“Winter weather, particularly in high-rainfall areas like the Western and Southern Cape, can cause delays in large building projects which require a lot of external and structural work,” says Clarke. “Because of this, a lot of developers and architects prefer to break ground on new and large constructions during months with more predictable conditions. That means a lot of contractors who are booked up in summer, become available for smaller projects when the cold weather sets in.”
According to Clarke, this creates a wider-than-usual pool of available contractors, which allows homeowners to be more selective in their choice of builder.
2. It’s cheaper:
The increased builder availability also strengthens homeowners’ ability to negotiate contracts, and incentivises more competitive quotes.
“An idle building team costs a contractor money,” says Clarke. “With the decrease in available work during winter, this puts pressure on builders to stay busy, which makes it easier to convince them to reduce their profit margins in order to win your contract.”
3. Better quality workmanship:
“In peak seasons, most well-established, top quality builders won’t accept a small domestic project,” says Clarke, “at least not at a price point your average homeowner is willing to pay. This leaves no option but to use a local “bakkie” builder, whose quality may not be up to scratch. In winter, however, the larger builders often have spare capacity to accept small jobs at more reasonable rates.” Clarke warns that while some bakkie builders offer excellent service, many use artisans of questionable experience, to the detriment of the final product. “Larger builders registered with the NHBRC, on the other hand, tend to have more reliable quality and better accountability,” he says.
4. Outdoor areas are not in use:
It’s not only about appointing a contractor that makes winter the ideal time to renovate – it can also be the most practical choice, especially when renovating outdoor areas.
