Your Timeline for Holiday Home Repairs

The holidays are fast approaching, and while you're planning the Thanksgiving dinner and who's staying in which room, maybe you're also thinking your home may need a few repairs. But when is the best time to complete everything before your guests come?

Here is our timeline for those holiday home repairs, so you can rest easy and your home can look its best when you host:

Now (ideally late September-early October):

As the weather turns, now is the time to check your home for any maintenance. The summer sun, heat, and humidity can be hard on a home, and you'll want to be aware of any repairs or maintenance that need to be completed before the holidays.

• Exterior: Walk around your property. Check for peeling or cracked paint, damaged siding, damaged or clogged gutters (here's what to look for), uneven steps, and wobbly railings (your guests will likely need those!). In the backyard, check for damaged areas of fencing and loose deck boards. Damaged trim or cracked caulking make your heating systems work harder, and any gaps you find as you walk around can let in pests. These are all good projects to complete during the fall, as the weather is more comfortable, so get any exterior work your home needs booked now.

• Interior: It's time to check the inside for seasonal maintenance. Since October is fire safety month, test your detectors and replace the batteries if needed. Look under your sinks and around your toilets to make sure you don't have any slow leaks, moisture, or drips. Walk around your home and look for any lightbulbs that need to be replaced, outlets that aren't working, or wobbly ceiling fans. Check for drafty windows and doors. Have any drywall dings or repairs that need to be made before your guests come? Now is also a good time to walk around your basement and attic to make sure everything is good to go. Hunter Handyman Services can assist you with any of these issues. Additionally, you'll want to get your HVAC system serviced during the early fall as well.

• General questions: How many people are coming to stay? Can your home handle the extra load? Do you have enough extra towels, phone chargers, plates and silverware, blankets, and air mattresses? Are there any guests with accessibility concerns? Now is the time to make any adjustments so that everyone is comfortable. Do you have enough extra storage for clothing, and areas for kids to play? More people means more demand on your home, so now is the time to assess what's needed.

Four to six weeks in advance:

• Interior painting: If you're hiring a professional, now is the time to book your interior painting projects if you want them completed before the holidays. Start thinking about your colors and book your preferred date. You have a little more leeway with the actual painting--you can complete your painting projects between 2-4 weeks before your holiday hosting (this also goes for drywall repair), but don't forget to give yourself enough time for the paint to cure and give yourself time to move furniture and hang any pictures or decorations on the walls before company comes.

• Choose your flooring: Once again, schedule your professionals (like Hunter Handyman Services) to install your new flooring now. Visit showrooms and order the flooring that you like in order to avoid backorders or delivery issues. When choosing your date, keep in mind that, depending on how many rooms you are re-flooring, it will take extra time to remove the old flooring and move the furniture. Most standard flooring takes 1-3 days to install and you'll need to wait around 24-48 hours before moving furniture back into the room, so backtrack from there when scheduling your flooring installation.

• Bathroom, kitchen, bedroom, dining room, and living room updates: Get your bathroom and kitchen updates (and other room remodeling projects) on the schedule now! You'll need time to plan with your service professional and order your appliances, fixtures, and flooring, and leave time to install and complete each project before your guests come. Don't forget about your entryways and hallways--areas that often are heavy traffic but get overlooked because they aren't "rooms".

One month ahead:

• Install new appliances: Hunter Handyman Services recommends installing new appliances about a month before the big hosting day! Why? You'll need time to test and get used to them. This also gives you a buffer in case anything goes wrong or there's a delivery delay.

• Small jobs: Hanging a new TV, assembling furniture, installing extra shelves, changing a light fixture, making sure all your doors close properly, and other issues like these should be scheduled at least a month before your guests come.

One week before:

• Pretend you're a guest and do a walkthrough of your home. This isn't the time to add new projects; it's simply time to confirm that everything is working as it should be.

  • How long does it take for the water to heat up in the shower? Flush the toilet and run the sinks. Is everything draining properly?

  • Is your plumbing system making any strange leaks, noises, creaks, or changing water temperature?

  • Is your heating system responding when you set your home to its normal occupied temperature? Check temperature and airflow in each bedroom and gathering place to make sure everyone will be comfortable.

Preparing for your guests now will save you from headaches later. Whether you have small repairs like drywall patches or need a ceiling fan changed, or want a kitchen or bathroom upgrade before your guests come, Hunter Handyman Services is here to help. Call (815) 780-7884 for a free estimate.

If you have a larger project, Hunter Handyman Services has partnered with Enhancify to offer financing. Enhancify uses a soft credit pull and can fund your project in 3-5 business days, so you can get started quickly. Find out what you qualify for here.