Spring is the time of year when remodeling companies get busy with work of all sorts. Whether it's windows, doors, decks, roofing, or room additions, Pittsburgh homeowners come out of the cold winter months and are ready to make improvements to their homes. As the weather improves this is ordinarily a great time to get work done, and since people spend more time outside in the spring, they are also more likely to notice areas of their home that are in need of work.

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This spring, however, has been a little bit different. The Pittsburgh area has had a tremendous amount of rain that is well in excess of the normal rainfall at this time of year. Furthermore, the weather has remained relatively cool. Due to these factors, many homeowners have delayed making decisions about projects they would like to do at their homes. The weather has also delayed the actual installation of projects that have already been sold. Because of the way the weather has affected the remodeling industry, there is a great opportunity right now for homeowners to save money by placing their order at a time when companies still are not as busy as they would like to be.

In addition to the wet weather, the other factor that has affected the remodeling industry has been the rising price of gas and the adverse affect this has on many people's budgets. When customers have to spend more of their dollars on fueling the family vehicle, there is less left over to spend on other things, including home improvements. Unfortunately, the flip side of this is that the rising fuel costs also has the effect of pushing up the price of remodeling projects. Many products including windows, siding, and roofing are manufactured using petroleum derivatives. For this reason there have been a series of price increases from the companies that make these products with additional future price increases already announced. Add to this the increased costs associated with shipping them and bringing them to the job site and in the end the price to the homeowner could easily be 10-15% higher than it was last year.

Based on the combination of these factors (weather and fuel prices) this is a good time for a homeowner to find aggressive pricing from contractors while at the same time avoiding further price increases that are certain to be coming in the near future. For those people who have been considering replacing windows or updating the exterior of their home with new siding and trim, right now most likely represents the best pricing levels that will be available in 2011. If you are one of these people, then making a decision now will save you money. If you wait until the weather dries up then you will find yourself in line with many other homeowners who have done the same which will result in not only higher pricing, but also a longer wait to have the work actually performed.