The DC Property Year
Month by Month

January Is When Pipes Burst

Nor'easter season runs from September into April and peaks in December and January. Water and freezing account for roughly 22 percent of home insurance claims, and most winter claims are filed within about two weeks of the event, so the rebuild work arrives fast. If a pipe lets go, shut the main off, photograph everything before cleanup and read what to do before the plumber arrives. The rebuild after the dry out is insurance reconstruction, and that is our work.

February Is When the Rebuilds Start

February is when the January damage turns into construction. Once the moisture readings confirm the structure is dry, the rebuild runs in order: framing, insulation, drywall, ceilings, flooring, trim and paint. See what happens after the dry out.

Moves concentrate in summer, with August the peak month, so a rental that sits empty in February is the time for the larger work that only fits when nobody lives there, like new flooring through a whole rental house.

March Is the Listing Month

DC listings peak in March. Sellers want floors finished before the photos, and landlords want units ready before the spring rush. Severe wind and hail pick up from March through June, and about one in four home insurance claims is linked to weather. If the house is going on the market, book the flooring now.

April Opens the Outdoor Work

The average last spring freeze in Washington is around April 1. After that, the outside of a rental is back on the calendar: deck boards, loose railings, fence sections and exterior trim. Those are part of a house turnover scope when a tenant leaves in spring.

May Starts the Wet Season

May, June and July are usually the wettest months in Washington, mostly from thunderstorms. Basements are where that shows. LVP is the floor we recommend most for basements, and the slab gets a moisture test first so the method and the vapor barrier match the readings. See LVP flooring.

June Starts Turn Season and Hurricane Season

Atlantic hurricane season starts on June 1 and peaks around September 10. Moves build through the summer toward the August peak, so June is when property managers find out whether their turn vendors can keep up. One crew on one schedule is how a three day unit stays a three day unit. See apartment turnovers.

July Humidity Moves Wood Floors

July highs in Washington run around 89 to 90 degrees with high humidity. Solid wood takes that moisture on and gives it back when the heat comes on in winter. That is why new hardwood sits in the room before install, and why both the boards and the subfloor get moisture readings. See hardwood flooring.

August Is the Biggest Moving Month

August is the peak month for moves, and leases end on the last day of the month, so the work arrives in a wave at month end. DC home sales hit a lull in August before the fall uptick. For a property manager this is the month the turn schedule gets tested. Give us the move out and move in dates and we will tell you up front whether the window is real. See rental turnovers.

September Is the Storm Peak

The peak of hurricane season falls around September 10. The DC area rarely takes a direct hit. What it gets is the rain from storm remnants, inches of it in a few hours, and that water ends up in basements. Nor'easter season starts in September as well. If the basement took water, start with basement water damage repair.

October Is for Planning Spring

Design, permits and scheduling take months, which is why fall is the time to plan spring work. A commercial suite you want open in spring is one to price now, because permits and material lead times usually set the start date more than the crew does. See commercial interiors.

November Brings the First Freeze

The average first freeze in Washington is around November 12. Remodeling contractors describe a scramble to finish projects by mid November, and DC housing slows over the holidays. If new floors need to be down before guests arrive, book them in October rather than November. See carpet installation.

December Is for Damage and Next Year's Calendar

Nor'easters peak in December and January, and the cold that comes with them is when the winter water losses start. December is also when owners plan the next year. A rental house that will turn in summer, or a floor you already know is failing, can be scoped now and scheduled ahead of the spring rush. Start with an online estimate.

Before You Book Anything This Year

Whatever the month, the same two worries come up. You want to know when the crew is actually coming, and you do not want to be left with the mess. When a visit is booked, the date, the time and the address come to you by text, so nobody is guessing. Removal and disposal belong in the written scope, and on our flooring jobs the room is cleaned and walked with you at the end. Ask any contractor you hire, us included, to put the cleanup in writing.

How We Work in Any Month

We answer every day from 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM, and a request that comes in after hours is answered during business hours. When a visit is booked you get a text with the date, the time and the address. After the walkthrough, the written estimate comes within 24 to 48 hours. We work within 30 miles of Washington, DC, and out to 45 miles for larger projects. Check your address.