As spring weather ushers away the final storms of winter, now is the time to get busy with home repairs and improvements. Though many homeowners tend to begin home improvements when summer arrives, you can save time and money by starting them now.

If you wait until summer, expect to get in line behind the multitudes of other homeowners doing projects around the house. Contractors will be swamped with work, which usually means higher rates and longer waits for their services. Home improvement centers become jammed with do-it-yourselfers. And the ticking clock swings into motion — a major summer project that runs longer than expected can scuttle vacation plans and lap over into fall.

[See: 6 Home Renovations You Think Will Pay Off — But Won’t.]

Getting a head start, on the other hand, allows you to get competitive bids from contractors who are eagerly seeking work, navigate the aisles of the home improvement centers without crowds and take the time you need to do your project right.

You can also benefit by attacking problems while they’re still fresh in your mind and solving issues before they get worse. Last but not least, doing projects now that involve getting your house and yard in shape for recreation and entertaining will increase your family’s enjoyment — and your free time — this summer.

Here are eight summer home repair and improvement projects to jump on now.

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8 Summer Home Improvements to Start Now originally appeared on usnews.com