Jobs for the summer months
Updated on
There are some jobs that smart homeowners know to leave until summer. Compared to the dark and damp winter months, warm weather just makes everything feel easier. It doesn’t mean you can’t do these jobs in winter - after all, professionals have ways to deal with short daylight hours, driving rain and cold temperatures.
But if you’ve got the choice, fair weather just makes things easier. When tradespeople aren’t fighting against the weather, they can work faster and with fewer interruptions, and so create less disruption for you and your family. Here are the top four jobs that are best tackled from May to September.
Roofing
Summertime is ideal for roofing - because winter weather is a roofer’s worst enemy. The most obvious challenge is rain. As soon as you start removing slates and tiles, your home’s weather protection drops drastically. This means winter jobs can soon turn into a race against the weather. High winds can also be a nightmare. Gusty weather can lift felt and slates, and make things dodgy for anyone up on the scaffolding. In the summer months, though, it’s very different. With longer dry spells and warmer temperatures, the weather is less of a challenge. And even if things do get soggy, they dry out faster in the warm.
Painting
Painters and decorators love summer jobs. Outdoor jobs obviously benefit. Whether it’s walls, railings, fences or garden sheds, jobs run more smoothly when there’s no risk of rain washing off wet paint or ruining the finish. But summer also brings better light, which is a real help for indoor painting. You can see coverage much better with even light from windows, rather than having to rely on electric lights and site lamps. That means a better job in less time. And the final hidden bonus? Paint dries much faster in warm weather - so decorators can move on to the next coat faster.
Windows
If you’re planning on opening up a big hole in the side of your house, we think summer is the obvious choice. With dry weather and much more daylight it’s a more straightforward job for installers. They can take out the old window, get things ready and fit the replacement glazing without having to worry about rain and wind playing havoc with your home. It helps things run smoother and more quickly - especially if you’re replacing more than one window. It also means you don’t have to worry about losing heat. If the central heating’s off for the summer, you don’t need to worry about a bump in your fuel bill.
Plastering
Whether it’s indoor skimming or outside rendering, summer brings perfect plastering weather. It’s all down to how plaster sets. During a cold snap you can wait days for a room to dry out enough to paint - and the colder it is, the longer it takes. But in summer, warmer weather speeds things up - meaning you can wrap up the job more quickly. Bear in mind that really hot weather can be a problem too. If your external render is getting full summer sun or it’s indoor work in a baking attic or loft conversion, plasterers can find themselves fighting to keep things damp - so it might be worth letting things cool down a bit first.
Make the most of the summer
Of course, you can reroof in December or replace all your windows in February. But really canny customers plan their projects for better weather and book in advance. It’s worth the effort for a smoother and easier job…