Summer is the right time for a remodeling project

If you’re planning to remodel your kitchen this year, summer could be the best time to do it.

A major kitchen renovation can take some time to do right, which means there could be days or even weeks when your family won’t have easy access to the stove and oven. During the warm weather months, that’s an easy problem to solve: Cook outdoors. Work with your design/build remodeler to put together a solid schedule that will let you know when your kitchen will be out of commission so you can plan your family’s meals in advance—so you won’t have to figure them out on the fly or eat out every night. Plan to grill and eat outdoors as often as possible.

More: 10 ways to brighten up your kitchen

Schedule some menus featuring meals that don’t need cooking: summer salads, cold soups, lots of fresh fruit and veggies. Start a weekly movie night tradition: Grab some take-out food and gather everyone in front of the TV in the family room to eat while watching a fun flick.

A few side benefits: Meal prep is easier, you can serve on disposable dishes so clean-up is a breeze, and your cooking won’t heat up the house, meaning your air conditioner won’t have to work so hard, which could save you a few bucks on your energy bill. No room to eat outside? Enlarge your patio or porch before you start on the indoor kitchen so there’s room for a dining or picnic table, a grill and some outdoor storage for dishes and utensils. If your indoor kitchen is in good shape, then consider spending part of the summer having an outdoor kitchen installed.

Adding a built-in grill, some weather-resistant stainless steel cabinets, a small refrigerator and counter space—along with room for eating and entertaining—will turn your yard into an outdoor room that your family will use all spring, summer and fall. If you start on it this summer, it will be ready by the time LSU football season begins. Add an outdoor-rated flat screen, and your patio will be full of friends all fall.

While summer might seem too early to think about the winter holidays, it’s the perfect time to update the guest bathroom—especially if last Christmas had you wishing you had done it before your extended family arrived. And it’s a good time to consider adding a guest suite—with a roomy bedroom and another bathroom—onto the house. I’ve worked with lots of couples who have expanded their family homes once grandchildren were in the picture so the whole brood can stay overnight—instead of at a nearby hotel—when they visit during summer vacations and winter holidays.

Summer is a great time for remodeling projects that will make your home more comfortable all year round.

Jeb Breithaupt, B. Arch., MBA, has been president of JEB Design/Build in Shreveport since 1983. You can contact him at 318-865-4914 or by visiting www.jebdesignbuild.com.