If you’re looking to build a patio, winter is the best time to build one. That might be counterintuitive, but there are at least five great reasons that building a patio in winter is more convenient, cost-effective and easier on your existing landscaping.
The first, and simplest reason is that construction slows down in the winter. At high-demand landscapers, waiting lists can be months long, but not in the winter. Plus, you’ll get these five benefits when you build your patio in the off-season.
Construction is Easier to Live Through
Building a patio involves a lot of construction, including machinery, materials and several of our staff. In the height of summer, this can be a challenge for you to live through. But, in winter, when you don’t head into your yard much anyway, the construction barely disturbs you.
Children and pets, which must be kept out of the yard during construction, aren’t clamoring to go outside in winter the same way they are in summer. You also don’t have to skip any of your entertaining events, as in the winter you likely hold them indoors. Construction in the summer may mean that you miss out on some backyard BBQ parties and other events while work in underway.
Less Damage to Turf, Plants and Irrigation
Once the ground is frozen over, it protects the delicate plant roots that are sitting beneath it. Machinery rolling by, people walking around, and other construction activities may otherwise damage your turf, plants and even irrigation system. The soft and wet ground in spring, when most people want to build, gives particularly easily and causes the most damage. In winter, even plants that are damaged have the spring to recover and may still perform well in summer.
Timing
When your patio is built over the winter, it’s ready in time for spring. That means you can hold spring events, like Easter, on your new patio. If you wait until spring to call a landscaper, they won’t have your patio ready for spring. If they have a waitlist, it may not even be done by summer. So, by building in the winter you make sure your patio is ready for use all year.
You also have to consider that most people aren’t ready to entertain when their patio is done. Typically, they plan for another feature, from a firepit to a whole outdoor kitchen. If you build in winter and find out you want to add something to your outdoor living space, you can add it before summer.
Save Some Money
Depending on the company you’re working with, you may be able to save some money when you build in the winter. Most landscaping companies, and other vendors in the green industry, update their pricing in the spring when their business gets busy again. By signing your contract in winter (even if the work won’t begin until spring) you can take advantage of their old pricing scheme. If you wait, you may end up paying their new, increased pricing scheme.
Permits and Approvals
Even for a patio, the construction process involves getting permits and approvals from various organizations, including the city, HOA, and the region. Usually, these organizations are swamped come spring with requests of this nature, and it takes some time. This is frustrating for us because we have no control over this delay. But, in winter, everything settles down in the permits department. Therefore, the bureaucracy may move much faster for you in the winter. This makes your life more convenient and cuts unnecessary delay from your build.
Get Your Patio Built This Winter
Are you ready to get started building your patio? At High Prairie Landscaping, we can design, build and maintain your patio space. We use the Legacy Method, a combination of European and American building styles that creates a better, longer-term patio. We’re so confident in the quality that we offer an amazing 25-year warranty. Of course, we also work hard to create just the right style you’re looking for in your patio.
Plus, you’ll be surprised at how a new patio opens up your outdoor living space and gives you more room for every other outdoor living feature you’ve been dreaming of. From there, it may be easy to imagine a new fire feature, outdoor kitchen, or additional flower beds. Get started and reach out to us at High Prairie Landscape today.
