You might think there is a better time than the end of the year to start working on the remodeling project you have in mind. After all, who wants their house all torn up over the holidays? There will be plenty of time to start after the first of the year to get it done by spring.

Actually, right now might be the best time you’re likely to see for a while.

In any year, starting a remodeling project in late fall can be a shrewd move. I shouldn’t tell you this, but you are likely to find contractors a little bit slow this time of year, and perhaps more eager to negotiate pricing. And since on most projects there are a number of steps that must be taken before the construction begins, even starting now, you are probably looking at January before any construction work could begin-well after the holidays.

In the case of larger projects like second story additions or room additions, the design of the addition is the first priority. Working through the design process usually takes place during meetings with the designer and homeowner. Each meeting lasts about an hour or two, and can be scheduled around holiday activities. In our experience, projects that are not rushed during the design stage seem to come out better.

After the design is finalized, the construction drawings can be created. This will also take a few weeks, depending on how busy the draftsman is. The completed construction drawings are then submitted to the City’s Development Services Department where they are reviewed in preparation for issuing a permit. The City’s review process can take several weeks in the best of times but the already-overloaded Department is experiencing additional delays because of the large number of construction projects going on right now. If you wait to submit plans until just before you want to start the work, you could miss your desired start date.

Once the permit has been issued, construction can start at any time. For example, if the permit is issued January 10th, the actual construction can start January 11th or February 25th, or March 3rd- whenever is most convenient for you and your contractor.

For some people, it’s not the holidays that are the concern, it’s the rain. Homeowners fear that having construction going on during our annual rainy season will mean lengthy delays in the project or damage from the rain.

We are accustomed to dealing with the rain here and have the tools and techniques to cope with it. The weather patterns are predictable so we are not surprised by rain, and can plan ahead to take the appropriate precautions. Properly protected homes should not suffer rain damage, even if the roof is completely off the house. Although there are one or two days each year that we can’t work on the outside of a home, the rainy season does not delay our jobs to any great extent.

There’s another thing to consider this year-sadly, many people lost their homes and businesses in the hurricanes along the Gulf Coast. If you’ve been reading the newspaper, you know that the reconstruction of these areas will be a mammoth job.

That impacts anyone doing construction in San Diego, because there is an enormous need for construction materials-plywood, lumber, etc.-and some suppliers will be short of inventory. This is another reason to start a project now. Jobs on the books with signed contracts can justify placing orders for supplies, even if the work won’t be done for some time. Contractors have only so many resources for these materials, and the good ones plan ahead when they can.

Signing a contract now also freezes the price you will pay for your remodeling project. Once a contract is signed for a specific price for a specific scope of work, increases in building material prices should not affect your costs.

Remember– the best time to start anything is when YOU are ready-regardless of the time of year.

Tags: city building permits, construction drawings, construction in San Diego, San Diego remodeling, submitting building plans, Time to remodel