I've never heard of off season building rates, but i think depending on your location, is the timing to get it dried in before any rainy/snow season if you have those conditions where you are.Allow a little extra time or in another words, a little head start to allow for delays that usually crop up on most any build.Best laid plans......

I'd be interested in knowing WHY there's an off-season for building. The reason for that may throw up a caution for you. I.e., maybe there's a real good reason for NOT building then--good prices or not.

July and August is not off season, it is the height of the season. Things don't die down here until the ground is frozen and there is snow, late November or early December usually. And that only really applies to excavation and concrete work. The framers keep going all winter. Once a place is dried in it doesn't matter. "Off season" is January, February and March here. I don't think you will find the rates are low enough to offset the hassle of building during the winter. Plowing the site, paying for heating the structure (kerosene and propane are expensive), worrying about materials getting damaged, etc.

I thought the majority of home are started in the early part of the year, Feb, Mar.Would contractor rates not be better in Nov., Dec, Jan.?

We've found that the current housing market decline is the PERFECT time to build. Subs are hungry. They want the work. We aren't competing with large builders for their availability. Plus, in our area, the cost of building has greatly decreased so our over all cost to build will be less than what it would have been two years ago. Of course this will probably wash with the proceeds when our current home sells since it won't sell for what it would have two years ago.

We are in Texas and the local "Service Magic" company sent an email stating that the down season is here. According to a few subs that we have spoken with, the down season starts in Sept. and ends in Dec (around here). The early months of the year are busy because most people want to start,finish building, and then move in in time for the next school year. From the quotes I have gotten, it seems to be true but we also have to take into consideration the housing market and how much that plays into it.

Be forewarned that the season you are talking about starting in is the beginning of hurricane season...

As far as I'm aware there really is no down time to building. Most people like to start in the summer b/c then you're well on your way before bad weather sets in. By starting in Dec or Jan winter weather could stop your excavation, foundation or framing. But like Sierraeast said, once you're roughed in weather won't matter. Anything after that is covered and so long as your not evacuated for fire, flood, hurricane, earthquake, tornado, wind etc. your GC will continue to build b/c that's how he gets paid.

arond here the off season is off for a good reason. namely rain. if the framing is not up and the roof done before the rains hit, you ain't getting anything done until spring.

davidandkasie,

Yea, but millican is talking about July or August. I don't know where he/she's from but for most of the US (except monsoonal states) that's probably one of the better times to start a build, hence high season if there is such a thing.

i know, i meant the real off season.

many people start building here in Jluy/August as well so that they can do the inside work during the fall/winter. a lot of folks tend to do the fininsh work themselves here, so they try to time it so that it is not hot nor freezing when they plan on working on their house.

i have seen MANY homes started in Sept/Oct that literally sit for months with nothing but the framing up because no one can work on them. by the time things dry up enough to actually work, they end up have to replace a lot of framing that has warped due to the water.

we don't get much freezing weather, usually only over night lows are below freezing, but we stay wet from mid november to about April.