Renovating in winter in Calgary, what works and what to wait for

The short answer

Most indoor renovations work well in a Calgary winter. Kitchens, bathrooms, basements and whole-home interiors happen inside a heated house, so the weather barely touches them. Work that depends on digging, pouring concrete or finishing the outside of the house is slower and harder in the cold, and is usually better planned for spring through fall.

Good projects for winter

• Basement developments. The work is below grade and inside, and a finished basement is a welcome extra room by spring.
• Kitchen renovations. With a temporary kitchen set up elsewhere in the house, a kitchen can be rebuilt in 6 to 10 weeks of construction.
• Bathrooms and ensuites.
• Whole-home interior renovations, especially if you are staying somewhere else for the colder months.
• Design and permits for a spring project. Planning, drawings, pricing and permits all take time, and doing them over the winter means construction can start as soon as the ground allows.

Projects that are better in warmer months

• Additions and anything that needs new footings or foundations. Frozen ground has to be thawed or heated before it can be dug, and new concrete has to be protected from freezing while it cures. It can be done, but it costs more and takes longer.
• New siding, stucco, exterior paint and sealants, which need suitable temperatures to bond and cure properly.
• Roofing, decks, landscaping and outdoor kitchens.
• Large window and door replacements, since each opening lets the cold into the house while it is being changed.

Why winter can be a smart time to start

Planning in the quieter months gives you time to make decisions without rushing. Finishes can be chosen calmly at the Showroom, long-lead items like cabinetry can be ordered early, and permits can be in hand before spring. Families who plan an addition over the winter are often first in line when the building season starts.

What changes on a winter job site

• Floors and entries are protected from snow, salt and slush every day.
• The house needs steady heat so drywall compound, paint, tile setting materials and flooring can cure and acclimatize properly. If the furnace is part of the work, temporary heat is planned in.
• Ventilation matters more with windows closed, so dust control and air movement are planned from the start.
• Deliveries and dumpster pickups are scheduled around snow and Calgary's chinook freeze and thaw cycles.

Plan around the holidays

Suppliers, inspectors and trades all slow down over the holiday season. A good schedule allows for that, rather than promising a finish date that depends on everyone working through late December. Our guide to how long a renovation takes shows typical timelines for each kind of project, and our renovation order guide explains why some work has to wait for other work.

Planning a winter renovation with Kay2

Kay2 builds interior renovations year round and plans exterior work and additions for the right season. If you are thinking about a project for this winter or next spring, book a consultation and we will tell you honestly which parts make sense now and which are better left until the weather turns.