Rehabbing during the winter months.

[Jason Fraser]

*** I posted this in the wrong forum originally***

For those of you that do rehabs, do you acquire and rehab projects during the winter months, specifically November, December, of January?

Outside of weather, what are the other challenges you face?

[Roy N.]

@Jason Fraser

Given that winter here can start as early as October (though infrequent) and stays until April, we have little choice but to carry out renovations in the winter. ;-)

Naturally we avoid outside work in the winter as it if far more expensive {heated building surrounds} and uncomfortable to carry out. However, winter also tends to be the time of year when your trades are not over booked and can often focus entirely on your job ... perhaps even give you better rates.

Late fall, winter also tends to be our preferred time to acquire a distressed property - it's not the best time of year to sell a property, especially an empty rental - but it's a good time of year to acquire an empty rental which needs a boatload of work ... since you can {almost} always line-up your trades to have it ready to rent for spring.