Building a Deck in Seattle Winter: Why Off-Season Builds Are Often Your Smartest Move

Seattle homeowners who want to build a deck in winter almost always ask the same thing first: "Is that actually a good idea?" The instinct to wait for spring is understandable — the national narrative around outdoor construction assumes winters that freeze the ground, halt concrete cures, and make active job sites genuinely dangerous. That narrative is built around Minneapolis, Chicago, and Denver. It doesn't describe Seattle.

King County's winter climate is wet, not frozen. January average temperatures in the low-to-mid 40s°F. Ground that rarely freezes more than a few inches deep. Precipitation that falls as rain, not snow, roughly 350 days a year. Concrete cures in these conditions. Composite and PVC decking boards install identically at 45°F as they do at 75°F. Framing crews work year-round. And from a project planning standpoint — contractor availability, permit processing speed, railing lead times — scheduling a deck build between October and March often delivers a smoother, faster project than the spring rush that most homeowners default to without ever questioning whether the timing actually makes sense.

We've built decks in every month of the year in King County. We know what winter construction in the PNW actually requires, what it doesn't require, and when — for a small category of specific project types — waiting for spring is genuinely the better call. This guide gives you the complete picture, including the real timeline for a winter build from first phone call to finished inspection.

Seattle's Winter Climate: What the Data Actually Says

The national "don't build in winter" guidance is calibrated to climates that are categorically different from King County's. When the conversation is about Seattle specifically, the data matters.

NOAA Seattle weather data for King County shows:

• Average December high / low: 47°F / 38°F
• Average January high / low: 47°F / 36°F
• Average February high / low: 51°F / 38°F
• Annual measurable snowfall: approximately 4–6 days per year on average
• Sustained below-freezing days: fewer than 10 per year on average, often fewer
• Annual rainfall: 37.7 inches, concentrated October–April
• January average rainfall: 5.4 inches

The primary construction challenge Seattle winters create is rain management. Not temperature — rain. We work around the roughly 5–6 inches of monthly winter rainfall through site tarping, weather forecasting, and schedule flexibility. Concrete pours are planned for precipitation windows that King County's largely mild weather provides regularly even during its wet season. This is routine practice for any experienced PNW contractor, not an exceptional accommodation.

The variables that actually do stop construction in Seattle winters are narrow:

• Sustained temperatures below 28°F for multiple days — essentially never happens in King County proper
• Frozen ground to significant depth — essentially never happens below King County's lowland elevations
• Active snowfall during concrete placement — occurs perhaps 4–6 days annually and can be worked around with forecast monitoring

The variables that require management — not stopping — are:

• Active rain during concrete pours: planned around forecast precipitation windows
• Saturated soil for earthwork: affects heavy grading and cut-and-fill work, not deck footings
• Reduced daylight hours: crews work adjusted hours; project pacing accounts for shorter workdays in December–January

A contractor who tells you "we can't build in Seattle in January" either has no experience building in Seattle winters or is at full capacity during the season you're calling and prefers to schedule you for spring. Both are honest reasons. Neither means winter construction is technically infeasible.

Reason 1: Contractor Availability Is Completely Different Off-Season

The spring scheduling reality in King County is worth understanding before you assume that calling in March gives you the same options as calling in October.

Between March and June, established deck contractors in King County are typically booked 8–12 weeks out. The homeowner who calls in April hoping for a July 4th deck is looking at August at the earliest — assuming they can even get a site visit within two weeks of calling. The spring surge hits simultaneously for everyone who had the same "wait until the weather gets better" instinct, and the labor pool doesn't scale up fast enough to absorb it.

The contractor availability picture from October through February is categorically different. Quote lead times drop from 2–3 weeks to days. Crew scheduling has room to accommodate project-specific timing. Site visits happen within a week. The same project that would be scheduled for July if booked in April can be scheduled for January if booked in October.

The homeowner who contacts us in September, schedules a site visit in October, submits permits before Thanksgiving, and begins construction in January has a finished deck before the neighbors who called in May have received their first quote. That's not a theoretical scenario — it's the outcome we see repeatedly when homeowners plan ahead and don't default to the spring assumption.

The quality of contractor attention also differs. Spring and summer projects are managed in a queue environment — multiple active projects, tight scheduling, crews moving between jobs rapidly. Off-season projects get more focused crew attention, shorter waiting periods between project phases, and faster problem resolution when questions come up. The project experience is often materially better off-season, independent of any weather-related considerations.

Reason 2: Seattle Permits Move Faster in Winter

The Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections (SDCI) processes permit applications during winter significantly faster than during the spring and summer surge. This isn't a guarantee for every project type — hillside lots with environmentally critical area overlays, complex structural designs, and shoreline projects carry their own processing requirements regardless of season — but the baseline processing window for standard residential deck permits is consistently shorter between October and February.

STFI permits (Subject to Field Inspection, available for qualifying lower-complexity decks that don't exceed certain area and height thresholds) can often be issued same-day at SDCI's downtown office during winter months. In spring and summer, same-day STFI availability becomes unpredictable as walk-in application volume increases.

For projects requiring full permit review rather than STFI — larger decks, elevated structures with structural complexity, hillside lots with setback or critical area conditions — permit processing typically runs:

• Winter (October–February): 1–3 weeks for standard residential applications
• Spring/summer (March–August): 3–6 weeks, with peaks pushing to 8+ weeks during high-volume months

That 2–5 week difference in permit processing directly affects your completion date. A homeowner who wants a finished deck by Memorial Day weekend has a much better shot starting the permit process in October than in March. The permit process is the pacing constraint that most homeowners underestimate — materials can be ordered and construction can be scheduled with reasonable flexibility, but you cannot start framing before the permit is in hand, and you cannot control how long the permit office takes to process your application. You can only control when you submit.

Eastside cities — Bellevue, Sammamish, Redmond: These cities are known for thorough permit review processes. Bellevue and Sammamish in particular do not issue same-day permits for deck projects in the way that SDCI's STFI process allows; expect 2–4 weeks minimum even in winter. Homeowners in Sammamish Plateau, Issaquah Highlands, and similar HOA communities should add 3–4 weeks for HOA architectural approval before permit submission — meaning an October contact date becomes even more valuable for an April completion target.

King County Department of Local Services handles permits for unincorporated King County areas. Seattle SDCI handles Seattle city limits. Each jurisdiction has distinct permit submission and review processes that we navigate as part of project management on every build.

Reason 3: Material Lead Times Work in Your Favor

Composite and PVC decking boards are generally in stock at regional distributors year-round. Railing systems are a very different story.

Glass panel railing, cable railing systems, and custom powder-coated aluminum posts run 6–10 weeks lead time under normal conditions — longer during spring and summer when order volumes peak. Custom curved railing configurations, special powder-coat colors, and tempered-glass panel orders with specific dimensions can push to 10–14 weeks.

The timing math:

October order for cable or glass railing: Materials arrive December–January, aligned with typical winter build window. Project finishes on schedule.

April order for the same railing on a spring project: Materials arrive June–July. Project completion pushed to mid-summer at best, late summer if any complication arises.

This is the lead-time issue that catches spring homeowners off-guard most often. The framing is complete, the decking is down, and the project is waiting on a railing system that was ordered when the project started and isn't arriving for another six weeks. In May and June, that sequence pushes completion into August.

For composite decking boards, PVC boards, and standard pressure-treated lumber, material availability is usually straightforward year-round. Specialty items — matching fascia in specific colors, stainless steel cable hardware in longer runs, glass tempered to custom panel dimensions — benefit from earlier ordering regardless of season. October ordering for all specialty components ensures availability for a January–February build window with minimal risk.

Reason 4: Price Stability and Contractor Attention

Construction pricing in King County reflects supply and demand conditions. During spring and summer peak season, some contractors add peak-season surcharges, and subcontractor rates for concrete work and specialized trades run higher when demand peaks. Off-season projects are generally priced on stable base rates without the demand premiums that appear during peak season.

This isn't a dramatic cost difference — 5–10% is typical when the effect appears at all, and it doesn't appear on every project. But for homeowners who are price-sensitive and comparing quotes, the off-season pricing environment is modestly more favorable.

The crew attention variable is more consistently meaningful. Off-season projects get more focused attention because crews aren't managing multiple active sites simultaneously under compressed schedules. Questions get answered faster. Problems get resolved sooner. The project manager has bandwidth to be genuinely responsive. The construction experience quality tends to be higher off-season in ways that don't show up in the quote but do show up in the project experience.

How We Handle Winter Construction in the PNW

The technical accommodations for King County winter builds are routine, not exceptional. These are the actual practices we use:

Concrete Footings and Piers

Portland cement concrete cures adequately when ambient temperatures remain above 40°F. King County averages meet this threshold for most of the winter — average January lows are 36–38°F, but averages don't represent every day, and temperatures do occasionally drop into the low 30s.

When overnight temperatures briefly drop below 40°F during the critical 24–48 hour initial cure period, we use insulated curing blankets to maintain the concrete temperature. This is standard cold-weather concrete practice and adds minimal cost to a footing pour. Concrete placed in properly managed conditions at 38–45°F achieves full design strength as reliably as concrete placed in warmer temperatures.

Helical pier foundations: For elevated decks, hillside lots, and properties with soil conditions that favor helical piers over concrete piers — common throughout Bellevue, Mercer Island, and North Seattle's hillside neighborhoods — temperature is essentially irrelevant. Helical piers are mechanically driven steel assemblies that bear load through friction along their helical flights. No concrete is placed, no cure period is required, and cold weather has no meaningful effect on installation or performance. On projects where helical piers are the specified foundation system, winter construction has zero added complexity from concrete management.

Rain Management on Active Work Sites

Active framing and decking areas are tarped during precipitation. This is standard practice for any PNW contractor working in the wet season — it's not an exceptional accommodation.

Composite and PVC decking boards are not moisture-sensitive during installation. Both materials are engineered for permanent outdoor exposure. Getting them wet during the installation process doesn't damage them. Cedar and pressure-treated framing lumber are more moisture-sensitive, but proper acclimation practices — which we follow regardless of season — address this. Structural components are end-sealed before installation as standard practice on every project.

The rain management consideration that does affect winter scheduling is the concrete footing pour. We monitor 7–10 day forecasts and schedule pours for windows with the least precipitation risk. King County's winter weather pattern — while consistently wet — provides precipitation windows of 24–48 hours with regularity. We've never been unable to complete a footing pour on a King County project due to weather; we've occasionally adjusted the pour date by 2–4 days to hit a better precipitation window.

Clay Soil Considerations

King County's clay-heavy soils — common in Renton, parts of Sammamish, and Bellevue hillside areas — become saturated and soft in winter. For projects requiring substantial site grading, cut-and-fill work, or retaining wall construction, saturated clay can complicate earthwork sequencing.

Standard deck footings are much less affected than broad earthwork. A drilled or helical pier going through saturated clay reaches competent load-bearing material below the active seasonal layer without the same complications that heavy earthwork faces. If your project involves major cut-and-fill before the deck frame can be set, we'll discuss whether the grading phase has an optimal window in late spring when soils have partially dried — while noting that the deck framing and finishing phases proceed on the winter timeline regardless.

Daylight Hours

December and January in King County: sunrise around 8:15 AM, sunset around 4:15 PM. That's roughly 8 hours of daylight versus the 15+ hours available in June. We adjust crew start and finish times and project daily production targets to reflect winter daylight. It adds calendar days to a project compared to a summer build with long daylight — a 3-week summer project may run 4 weeks in winter — but it doesn't change the quality of the work or the finished result.

A Realistic Winter Build Schedule

For a standard 300–400 sqft composite deck on a typical King County lot, this is what a realistic winter project timeline looks like from first contact:

September–October: Initial consultation, site assessment, design finalization, material selection. HOA submission if applicable — allow 3–4 weeks for HOA review on Sammamish Plateau, Issaquah Highlands, and similar communities.

October–November: Permit application submitted to SDCI or relevant city. Railing system ordered — cable railing hardware, glass panels, or aluminum posts ordered at permit submission to ensure arrival aligns with build window.

November–December: Permit issued (1–3 weeks for standard residential applications in winter). Framing materials and decking delivered. Footings scheduled around precipitation forecast.

December–January: Footing installation, framing, ledger attachment and flashing, decking installation, stairs and fascia.

January–February: Railing system arrives and installs. Built-in benches, planters, or outdoor kitchen blocking if in scope. Final inspection scheduled.

February–March: Project complete. Deck fully weathered, set, and ready for spring use.

This is a standard timeline, not a best-case scenario. It applies to a project where the permit and materials ordering steps begin in October. The permit step and the railing lead time are the two phases that most homeowners underestimate — both take longer than people expect, and both move meaningfully faster in fall and winter than in spring.

When a Winter Build Genuinely Doesn't Make Sense

We build decks in winter. We also tell homeowners when their specific project has legitimate reasons to wait for a spring window. The honest cases:

Extensive site grading or retaining wall work. If your project requires major cut-and-fill grading before the deck frame can go in — sloping lots that need significant reshaping, retaining walls supporting a large grade change — saturated winter clay soils in King County can complicate earthwork quality. Not prevent it, but complicate it in ways that may favor a late-spring earthwork window (April–May, after soils have partially drained) followed by immediate deck construction. The deck build itself can still happen in winter; the heavy earthwork phase may have a better window.

Large concrete flatwork alongside the deck. Deck footings in cold weather are routine. A large poured-concrete slab or patio adjacent to the deck — particularly one with finish-grade concrete work — is more sensitive to cold-weather curing conditions. If your design includes significant concrete flatwork alongside the deck, we'll discuss whether that specific phase has a better temperature window.

Homeowner preference for supervising in good weather. Some homeowners simply want to be on-site watching construction during sunny weather. That's a completely valid personal preference that has nothing to do with technical feasibility. If you'd rather watch the deck go up in May sunshine than in January rain, that's a fine reason to schedule in spring — with the understanding that summer completion and spring contractor queue are the trade-offs.

Projects requiring extensive custom stone or tile work. Custom stone or porcelain tile work on a covered deck surface (rare but exists on some high-end designs) has more cold-weather cure sensitivity than standard decking. If your design includes tile or masonry, discuss the cold-weather installation requirements for those specific materials.

For the vast majority of Seattle deck builds — composite or PVC decking, conventional or helical pier framing, cable or glass railing — there is no structural or technical case for waiting. The constraints are scheduling and contractor availability, and those actually favor winter.

The Permit Process in Winter: A Practical Guide

Navigating permits efficiently in winter requires the same steps as in any season — but the off-season timing advantage is real.

Seattle SDCI: The fastest permit processing in winter. Walk-in STFI permits for qualifying simple decks can be issued same-day at the downtown office. For projects requiring full review, expect 1–3 weeks in winter versus 4–6 weeks in spring/summer. Submit complete applications — missing documentation is the biggest cause of permit delays regardless of season.

Bellevue: Thorough review process, 2–4 weeks minimum. Seasonal variation is less pronounced than at SDCI, but winter processing is still generally faster than summer. Full structural drawings with engineer stamp typically required for elevated decks over 18 inches. Submit early.

Sammamish and Issaquah: Similar to Bellevue. HOA approval required before city permit submission in many neighborhoods — allow 3–4 weeks for HOA review and submit to HOA before submitting to the city. HOA architectural committees often have faster response times in fall/winter when fewer applications are pending.

Redmond and Kirkland: Active permit offices with consistent processing. Expect 2–3 weeks in winter for residential deck permits.

Unincorporated King County: King County DLS has consistent permit processing with less seasonal variation than Seattle's downtown office. Expect 2–4 weeks for standard residential deck permits.

We handle the permit application as part of every project — research, preparation, submission, and follow-up with the permit office until the permit is issued. Homeowners don't have to navigate the permit office process independently; it's part of what we manage.

What to Do Right Now If You Want a Summer-Ready Deck

The sequence that produces the best outcome for a homeowner who wants a deck ready for the full summer:

September: Call us for a site visit. We assess the lot, discuss design options, review any HOA or permit complications specific to your address. No commitment yet — just information.

October: Finalize design and material selection. Submit HOA architectural application if required. We prepare permit application documents.

October–November: Permit application submitted. Railing system ordered. Framing materials and decking specified for delivery.

November–December: Permit issued. Footings and framing scheduled.

December–February: Active construction. Footing installation, framing, decking, stairs, railing installation.

February–March: Project complete. Final inspection passed. Deck fully set and ready.

April–June: You're hosting on your new deck while your neighbors who called in March are still waiting for their first site visit.

That's not aspirational — it's the timeline that plays out on winter projects when homeowners start the planning process in fall rather than defaulting to spring without questioning it.

FAQ

The Right Time to Call Is Now — Not After the Snow Melts

The Seattle deck-building calendar works opposite to how most homeowners assume. Spring feels like the right time to build — the weather breaks, the impulse to be outside returns, the planning feels natural. But the contractor who calls in September finishes in February. The contractor who calls in May finishes in August. The weather doesn't explain that gap. The schedule does.

If you're thinking about a deck for this year, September and October are the action months. That's when permits go in fast, contractor schedules have room, railing systems get ordered ahead of the lead-time crunch, and your project can realistically be done before the rest of King County has gotten their first spring quote.

We build year-round in King County. We'll tell you exactly what your specific project requires in winter conditions — and if there's a genuine reason to wait, we'll tell you that too.

Call (425) 675-6259 or request a free estimate. We'll come out, assess your lot, and give you a realistic winter project timeline so you can make an informed decision — not one based on assumptions about Seattle weather that apply to a different climate entirely.

Choosing Materials for a Winter Build: What Changes in Cold Weather

Material selection for a winter deck build follows the same criteria as any King County project — the governing material considerations are Seattle's year-round moisture environment, not the temperature at the time of installation. But there are a few installation-specific notes for cold-weather construction that homeowners should understand.

Composite and PVC decking boards: Both install identically at 45°F as at 75°F. Neither material is temperature-sensitive during installation. Cold-weather installation of composite boards does require attention to thermal expansion gaps — composite boards are slightly stiffer in cold temperatures, which means the gap set during winter installation will open slightly more than expected in summer heat. Manufacturer specifications account for this in their gap tables by ambient temperature range; certified installers follow these tables regardless of season.

Pressure-treated framing lumber: Pressure-treated lumber contains moisture from the treatment process and naturally continues to dry after installation. In winter conditions, drying is slower, which means that lumber installed in January will still be acclimating through spring. We select properly dried lumber for winter builds and specify it appropriately, but any new wood-frame deck structure — regardless of season — will go through a drying period that may produce minor checking and slight shrinkage in the lumber over the first 6–12 months.

Concrete: As noted, concrete cures adequately above 40°F with appropriate cold-weather management. We don't use concrete accelerators as a shortcut — accelerators can affect long-term strength gain and are unnecessary in Seattle's mild winters when proper blanket curing is used instead.

Cedar: Cedar decking and trim installed in winter King County conditions requires the same end-sealing and acclimation practices as any season, plus attention to moisture content in the delivered lumber. We use a moisture meter to verify lumber moisture content before framing — high-moisture lumber that's immediately enclosed in a structure can cause problems as it dries that properly acclimated lumber avoids.

Railing systems: Aluminum railing posts, glass panels, and cable hardware all install without temperature complications in Seattle's winter temperatures. Glass panels require clean, dry installation surfaces for proper seal and sealant adhesion — we manage this through active surface preparation and timing installation around rain events.

Working with King County Municipalities in Winter: Practical Tips

The permit process is where the winter advantage is most concrete, but navigating it efficiently still requires knowing which municipality your project falls under and what each office's specific processes are.

Seattle SDCI in winter: SDCI's downtown Seattle permit center has shorter wait times from October through February than during the spring/summer surge. For STFI permits (qualifying decks that don't require full structural review), walk-in service is the fastest path — arrive early in the morning, bring complete application documentation, and same-day permit issuance is achievable for qualifying projects. Full review permits (larger decks, elevated structures, hillside locations with critical area overlays) still require mail-in or online submission and wait through review queues, but those queues are shorter in winter.

For Seattle projects, review SDCI's deck permit page for current requirements and submit complete packages — missing documentation is the most common source of delay at any permit office in any season. We handle all permit documentation preparation and submission for every project.

Bellevue in winter: Bellevue's Development Services department processes residential permits year-round. Bellevue is known for thorough review — expect 3–4 weeks minimum for full permit review of residential deck projects. Bellevue doesn't have the same STFI shortcut that Seattle offers; all deck projects above a certain size and complexity go through standard review. The good news is that Bellevue's reviewers are consistent and responsive to complete, well-documented applications. Winter processing is generally 1–2 weeks faster than summer.

Sammamish in winter: Sammamish permit applications are submitted online through the city's permit portal. Review times vary but generally track the same seasonal pattern as other King County municipalities. Sammamish Plateau HOA communities require a separate HOA architectural review before city permit submission — this is an additional step that takes 3–4 weeks and doesn't move faster in winter. Submit to the HOA immediately after design is finalized, then submit the city permit application as soon as HOA approval is received.

Unincorporated King County: King County Department of Local Services handles permits for unincorporated areas and processes consistently year-round. Applications can be submitted online or in person at the permit center. King County DLS permit review is generally 2–4 weeks for standard residential deck projects.

Winter Builds and HOA Approval Processes

For homeowners in communities governed by Homeowners Associations — particularly common in Sammamish Plateau, Issaquah Highlands, Bellevue's planned communities, and many newer East King County developments — the HOA architectural review process is an additional step that runs before the city or county permit application can be submitted.

HOA architectural approval processes typically involve:

• Submission of deck design drawings (plan view and elevation views showing the deck layout, dimensions, and railing design)
• Material samples or specifications identifying decking product, color, and railing system
• Review by the HOA architectural committee, which meets on a schedule (often monthly or bi-monthly)
• Written approval or conditional approval, sometimes with modification requests

This process takes 3–4 weeks minimum in most HOAs, and longer if the committee requests revisions or has questions that require back-and-forth. The good news for winter builders: HOA architectural committees typically have lighter application volumes in fall and winter, which means review periods can be slightly faster and the committee gives more individual attention to each project.

We prepare HOA submission packages — design drawings, material specifications, product data sheets — as part of our project management process. The HOA submission doesn't require the homeowner to independently compile technical documentation; we provide what the committee needs.

Start the HOA process as soon as design is finalized. For homeowners targeting a December–January build start, HOA submission should happen in September or October at the latest. A November HOA approval allows permit submission in November and permits issued in December — right at the start of the preferred construction window. A November HOA submission (because the homeowner was still evaluating design options in October) shifts the whole timeline by 4 weeks, pushing construction into February or March.

The Long-Term Value of a Deck Built Right, Any Season

The season in which a deck is built has no effect on its long-term quality, durability, or value. A properly built composite deck built in January performs identically to the same deck built in July — because both are built to the same specifications, with the same materials, by the same certified installers, following the same installation protocols for end-sealing, fastener spacing, and ledger flashing.

The long-term value of the deck is determined by:

• Material selection: Fully capped composite or PVC for the PNW environment
• Installation quality: Certified installation practices, particularly end-sealing and fastener protocols
• Structural design: Engineer-reviewed when site conditions warrant, proper joist sizing and span design
• Permit compliance: All work inspected and signed off under permit

None of these factors change with the season. What changes with winter scheduling is:

• Your cost: Stable pricing without peak-season demand pressure
• Your timeline: Shorter permit wait, faster contractor availability, deck done before summer
• Your summer: A completed deck to enjoy from April through September rather than watching construction happen in June

The homeowner who builds in winter gets the same deck with a better process experience and a finished result before the best months of the year start. We've said it before and it bears repeating: in Seattle specifically, the constraint is the schedule, not the weather. The weather is manageable. The spring queue is not.

Composite and PVC Decking for Year-Round Seattle Use

Whatever season you build in, the decking material you choose determines how that deck performs through Seattle's year-round climate — including those same winter conditions we've been discussing throughout this guide.

The decking material isn't relevant to construction season. But it is very relevant to how the deck holds up through the same conditions your builders are managing during construction: 37+ inches of annual rainfall, sustained ambient humidity, moss-prone surfaces in shaded locations, and zero maintenance tolerance for materials that require seasonal sealing or treatment.

Composite decking — fully 4-sided capped products from Trex (Transcend, Enhance), Fiberon (Symmetry, Horizon), and TimberTech (PRO, Legacy) — requires annual cleaning and nothing else through King County's year-round climate. It doesn't gray in winter rain, doesn't develop moss as readily as cedar, and doesn't require sealing before the wet season begins each fall.

PVC decking (AZEK) requires even less maintenance — the all-polymer construction is impervious to moisture and biological growth at a level composite approaches but doesn't quite match. For heavily shaded lots, north-facing decks, or any application near water, PVC is the specification that closes the remaining small moisture-vulnerability gap that even fully capped composite carries.

For more on material selection for Seattle's year-round climate, see our guides to composite decking, PVC decking, and Trex vs. Fiberon vs. TimberTech.

Building in winter doesn't change the material decision. It just means you're making that decision now, in the season when your contractor is most available, your permit goes through fastest, and your railing system arrives at exactly the right time.