Advantages of remodeling now

Rising energy costs and a middling economy have dampened consumer confidence, but for many homeowners, recent adjustments to the market may actually have a silver lining. For homeowners who've been looking to make updates to their property, there are a number of reasons that make this an attractive time to tackle a remodeling project.

Lower Costs

While it's unlikely that a contractor will offer to remodel your bathroom or finish your basement for fifty cents on the dollar, many are offering deals to encourage homeowners to invest in their services. Some companies are offering rebates or discounts to attract business. Others are simply more open to negotiating the bottom line. Generally speaking the better deals are for smaller projects, but exceptions can be found.

Shorter Waits, Faster Timelines

With new construction slowing in many areas and fewer homeowners funneling money into their own remodeling projects, many contractors have more time to take on new work. In years past homeowners often had to take a spot at the end of the line with their contractor of choice, as many companies had a backlog of work. In some cases start dates were set weeks or months out, and the total timeline for a project could be extensive if the contractor was working multiple projects at once.

Today, many companies are more able to schedule projects to begin in the short term. Timelines too are becoming more flexible.

Hiring the Best

During periods of construction boom, the average homeowner can have a tough time securing the services of the best local contractors. At those times the consumer has to compete for the contractor's business. While the situation is not completely reversed today, the average homeowner does stand a much greater chance of hiring a top-notch remodeling contractor than would have been possible even a year or two ago. Quality contractors are looking for new avenues of business, even if it means taking on minor jobs that may not have been on their radar in the recent past.