As builders and remodelers, Experts in Your Home has heard just about every contractor joke known to man – and woman. Some of the jokes are even funny.

For homeowners, the upshot is not always worth cracking a smile about. Consider the age-old, “When is the best time to undertake a home improvement project?” Answer: “When you don't have to be home to deal with it.”

The upshot here is that home improvement projects are disruptive and stressful. While it's true that many of them can be, it's equally true that an experienced company knows exactly how to minimize the disruptions and stress until a project is complete.

The same type of company will level with you about “the best” time of year to undertake certain (non-emergency-type) projects. Sometimes, it can be a tough call. But since the Experts receive many calls about installing new flooring at this time of year, we have to say that autumn is a particularly splendid time for this particular project. And there are four principal reasons why:

The Kids are Back in School

Don't get the Experts wrong. We like kids. Many of our team members have kids. And so we know that kids tend to enjoy routine and don't always take kindly to taking the detours around a home that are often necessary when a new floor is being installed. Yes, they usually promise to “stay out of the way.” But they can't help themselves. They're playful and curious, and so they've been known to plant a foot in a patch of adhesive or dance across a floor while we “rack the boards” (shop talk for laying out wood boards in the order in which we plan to install them). Fall is a good time to install new flooring because teachers can amuse kids more than the Experts ever could.

The Weather is Cooperative

You can't beat fall for the cool, dry, moderate temperatures in northern California. (A close second: spring.) Fall also precedes the wettest month of the year in our region: January. Of course, these are generalities. And rest assured that our experts always consult the weather forecast before any remodeling job, and especially one like flooring that involves some degree of going in and out of a home (with or without the kids in tow after they get home from school).

Your Floor Will Be Installed in Time for the Holidays

It's common to hear people say that they “ran out of time” to address one home improvement project or another before the holidays. And this much seems true from our experience: once the holiday decorations go up, many people are reluctant to undertake even a small project. Fall is a good time to install new flooring because you can take all the time you need to consult with us and mull your options. And your options are plentiful: solid wood, laminate, engineered wood, vinyl, linoleum or ceramic. (See two previous articles – “Types of flooring to install in your home" and “Types of tile flooring and how to choose the perfect fit” – to get you started.)

You'll Be Spending More Time at Home and Indoors

The Experts call it “nesting,” and you probably do, too. It's what many northern Californians do during the winter. And with a new floor underfoot, everyone will be able to fully enjoy it, especially the kids.

You may have your own reasons why you're tempted to install new flooring this fall. And the Experts will be ready, knowing that a new floor can invigorate a home, alter its personality and imbue it with greater warmth and style. And that – as we know – is no joke.