Are Michigan Winters Buildable?

Anyone who has lived in Michigan for a time knows how harsh the winters here can be. Some years are better than others, but for the most part, when the snow starts flying, much of the outdoor work in Michigan comes to a crawl. This week’s journal is dedicated to some of the questions our homeowners have about building in the winter. Is it safe? is it even possible? if so, how can it be done in a way that won’t jeopardize the integrity of my home? Will it affect the building schedule?

Friends, rest assured, with the proper techniques, care, and timing, your construction project can continue as planned with likely only minor delays for certain situations. The best way to explain is with examples.

Scenario 1: let’s say your project got underway in the late summer/fall. The foundation is poured, the walls are framed, doors and windows are in, and the roof is finished. There is no real need to worry about the timeline of your project. When the house is “dried in” work should be able to continue without delays as the majority of the work left to be performed is indoors with the exception of maybe a deck or patio.

Scenario 2: What if the project starts in the late fall/early winter? What happens then?

This depends on how far along the project has gotten before the ground freezes. This timing varies year over year depending on the severity of the weather conditions. If you have been able to at least get concrete footings and foundation walls poured, your project should have no problem continuing as framing can happen anytime in the winter with only slight delays for severe weather. If you have the excavation done but not the footings and foundation, a good builder will try to work with the concrete companies to find a day when the temps will be suitable to pour concrete. A note here, the weather needs to be watched closely as concrete needs time to set, the temps shouldn’t be dropping below freezing in the midst of the curing process or this can affect the strength of the concrete.

Scenario 3: Starting a house in the dead of winter?

This is again going to be determined by the weather of the season. If the ground is frozen for the winter, you will likely need to wait until the spring thaw before beginning excavation and foundation work. If you have waited until now to begin the process of planning a new home build, there will likely be so many design details to be decided upon that it can be nice to take time to think through things and have everything else planned out so that when the ground thaws and construction can begin, you and your builder are ready to hit the ground running.