Homeowners always want renovations done in time for the holidays -- there's this big rush to make sure the house looks good when company comes. And, this year there's added pressure to take advantage of the home renovation tax credit before the end of 2009. I'm even hearing ads from big box stores: "It's your last chance to save the tax."
I'm never in favour of rushing a job -- not to save money, not to impress your guests -- because odds are if you rush the job, it'll cost you more in the end.
The question of whether or not it's a good idea to renovate just before the holiday season has to be answered by you, the homeowner. If you're the sort of person who gets stressed out by the holiday season, a renovation project might put you over the edge. In that case, waiting to start any major home alterations would be the way to go.
Is there any good reason to renovate in the weeks leading up to December 25? The best one I can think of is contractor availability. Many homeowners don't want to get into a renovation project in December, so this turns into a typically slow period for certain types of contractors who are otherwise booked solid the rest of the year. For this reason alone you might choose to chance it and hope it gets done in time, or this may be the only time slot your preferred contractor has until next December 2010 -- so it becomes a take it or leave it situation.
So let's say you are going to go for it -- here are a couple of points to keep in mind.
The holiday season can get you where it hurts the most -- in the wallet. And there's almost nothing more expensive than a big reno project. A common situation occurs when the renovation budget gets slashed at the last minute because of a cash flow problem caused by the overlapping events.
The month of December is a busy social time for homeowners and contractors alike. If your project is running behind schedule (and by that I mean it's not ready for the day your 26 family members descend on your house for Holiday dinner) don't expect that your contractors will miss their own family obligations to get your project done in time. Your contractor has a life and family and the holidays can also be a stressful time for them too.
If you are renovating a part of your home that is critical to the success of your holiday get-together, like your main bathroom or your kitchen, make sure the completion date has loads of contingency built into it. Be prepared for the unexpected -- things that could throw your reno schedule out the window -- like snowstorms or backlogged custom ordered products. At this time of year, Santa's workshop is working overtime and so are many suppliers and retailers. If a shipment is ever going to get lost, you know it is going to be at this time of year. If something critical is required for your renovation, it's wise to order it well in advance of the start date, and not rely on it arriving on time.
If your holiday renovation project includes demolition, sawing wood or sanding drywall (and show me a renovation that doesn't), you can bet there will be dust. Unless you like the idea of a dropsheet over your tree, it might be wise to delay putting up all the inside decorations until construction is complete. But then again, a sprinkling of white drywall dust all over the house might look just right at this time of year.
If your contractor makes the effort to be as clean as possible and you've left a margin of safety in the construction schedule, a pre-holiday reno can be smooth sailing. You just need to make sure that you've left nothing to chance, so you can save your holiday stress for the shopping mall and your 26 visiting relatives.
But on the other hand, you have some family always overstaying their welcome, there's nothing like a home in the middle of a renovation to get Aunt Matilda to take the first available bus back to her Florida condo. I'm just saying.
-- Canwest News Service
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