I’ve never been a big fan of winter, but I’ve also never had to be out in the cold as much as I have this year while building our home in an owner-builder program—I’ve had to adapt and add some new winter essentials to my wardrobe!
We’re outside working four days a week, three of which are 4-9:30 pm shifts that are especially freezing since we’re building in the dark. The sunlight makes a huge difference!
Needless to say the slower start to winter this year has definitely been appreciated by me and my neighbors as we’ve been building our homes.
Being in a low-income sweat equity program means you likely don’t have a bunch of extra money to drop on gear that’s just going to get ruined—I know my husband and I were hesitant to spend too much on work gear.
To help you decide which items you need for the build as well as which ones you’ll want to spend more on versus going with a more affordable option, today I’m sharing 15 winter essentials that have helped my husband and me to build more comfortably through the winter.
Keep in mind that while I recommend all of these items, you can find ways to keep things more affordable by using what you already have on hand, thrifting items, or buying clearance winter gear.
So how exactly do you stay warm while building in below-freezing temperatures? You need all of the cold weather hacks that you can get your hands on, especially these 15 owner-builder-specific winter essentials!
Owner-Builder Winter Essentials
LOTS of Layers
This one goes without saying, but layers are absolutely crucial to keep you warm while building your own home!
Make sure your layers are easy to put on as the temperature drops or remove if you get too warm while working.
I typically wear a thermal shirt, long-sleeve t-shirt, heated vest, hoodie, and large outer coat, in that order. Depending on the work and weather, my outer coat will go on and off throughout any given build shift, and I only turn on my heated vest when I get cold.
Heated Vest
If your sweat equity program is starting out during the colder months and you get cold easily, a heated vest, in my opinion, is essential!
I purchased a heated vest to wear under my outer layers and when I get cold it is hands down my favorite layer! I chose this vest because it is high quality, has great reviews, and has all the features I was looking for.
There are warming elements throughout the vest including the neck and in the pockets, the battery lasts for 10 hours on low, 6 on medium, and 3 on high, and the battery is included.
A heated vest makes those cold building days much easier and as a bonus it will be nice to have a heated vest to wear in the cold when our house is finished, too.
Neck Gaiter
Before building, I had used a neck gaiter maybe once or twice, but my husband used to put up Christmas lights professionally and he wore them all the time.
He gave me one to wear for our first day building and I don’t go without one now! It helps keep your neck and face warmer which means you’ll be that much more comfortable as you’re working.
I even used one as a headband halfway through our first shift because my ears were cold. Make sure you have a neck gaiter on hand to keep you a little bit warmer during those extra chilly shifts.
Thermals
A set of thermals to wear as your base layer is another winter essential for sweat equity program participants.
Every extra layer counts and thermals will retain heat much better than your work pants will, so make sure you have a couple of sets to wear on the construction site.
Warm Socks
As I mentioned in my winter hacks post, my feet get cold so easily, so having warm socks is one of those winter essentials that just goes without saying. If your feet are warm you’ll feel a lot better throughout the build, guaranteed!
I wear two pairs of socks under my boots, a thin pair of boot socks, and a thick pair of wool socks over top. I’ve also considered getting some heated socks, but for now, the double-layer combo has worked fine (plus hand warmers in the toes for extra cold days).
Find the right combination that works for you so your feet aren’t freezing all winter!
Waterproof Work Boots
Another essential purchase for owner-builders is a good pair of steel-toe work boots. Make sure you choose a durable, waterproof pair with good traction.
If I were to buy my boots again, I would have also considered a pair that went higher than the ankle so I had a little more protection against snow and mud (a winter essential as some days you’re tromping through a foot of snow or mud), but keep in mind that higher boots would mean more difficult movement as they’d be stiffer.
Regardless of the style of work boot you choose, make sure they’re looser-fitting if you’re planning to wear two pairs of socks with them or place hand warmers in the toes as I do.
Either way, with the time you’ll spend climbing, lifting, kicking walls into place, etc., you need a good pair of steel-toe boots. You’ll feel a lot safer using the big ‘ol framing guns and lifting stacks of heavy wood with some additional foot protection.
Hand Warmers
During the colder build months, hand warmers will be your best friend! I like to put some in my gloves and the toes of my shoes on extra cold days for a nice little heat boost.
I highly recommend keeping some hand warmers on hand so you can always add extra warmth whenever you need it!
Warm Gloves
Warm gloves are another winter construction essential! They’ll keep your hands warmer, cleaner, and splinter-free.
I use these work gloves as my main pair since they’re thinner and easy to work in.
On colder days when it’s raining or snowing, I’d recommend some thicker waterproof work gloves so your hands can stay dry and warm.
Just remember that they’re a little more difficult to work in since they’re thicker and your movements won’t be quite as precise. That’s why I like having two sets, a thinner and a thicker pair (I keep my winter gloves with me in case I need to change my gloves out), it’s a good system to have in place, especially if your gloves get wet.
Knee Pads
While working on the construction site you’ll spend a *lot* of time on your knees. Even if you’re in your 20s, that much time will be hard on your body.
I’d highly recommend a good pair of knee pads to make it a little easier on yourself. They’ll also keep your legs and pants a little drier if you’re working in snowy or icy conditions, so make sure to have some with you!
The work will still be hard on your knees, but it would’ve been much worse without the added padding!
Food Thermos
On a cold build day, a cold lunch is the last thing I want. It’s just not appealing, and I grew tired of meal planning a cold lunch for one meal a week very quickly after we started construction.
If you get a food thermos, you can easily bring hot meals with you! Just fill your thermos with hot water in the morning to ‘preheat’ the container while you heat up some leftovers or soup for your lunch. Then fill the container and you’re good to go! Simple.
I’m so glad we purchased food thermos containers! Not only do we get to warm up at lunchtime with some hot and comforting food, but we also save money by packing lunch with us that we can put towards our finance goals—plus we get additional build hours since we don’t have to clock out if we eat lunch on the job site.
It’s a win-win-win so it obviously made the owner-builder winter essentials list!
Warm Work Coat
You’ll want a waterproof and wind-resistant outer coat to wear while working on the build site, especially if you’re working in a windy area like we are.
My husband and I purchased some coats from Costco to wear so we didn’t have to spend too much on a warm outer layer (hooray $15 flannel-lined coats!), but if you have an older winter coat or can find one at a thrift store that would work great too!
A little tip to keep in mind before buying a coat: make sure it’s a size or two bigger to accommodate for your inner layers.
Work Pants
Before you start building you’ll want some construction pants to work in. While it is possible to build in an old pair of jeans, construction pants are extra thick and heavy-duty, they’re built to last!
Plus, they have all sorts of pockets and loops so you can keep your tools with you even if you don’t have a tool belt (only one tool belt came in our owner-builder tool kit, but my work pants hold all the tools I need).
This is my favorite pair of construction pants, they fit all of my everyday tools, are easy to work in, and are pretty flattering as far as work pants go.
For the especially freezing days, you might want to wear snow pants—especially if your legs get cold easily like mine do. You could also consider insulated bib overalls that you wear over your pants for an additional layer of warmth, I purchased a pair for my husband as a Christmas gift and he loves them!
Functional Headwear
Warm and functional headwear is another winter essential. You likely already have a beanie or ear warmer headband on hand, but if not I’d recommend this headband set.
I prefer headbands to hats as I can wear my hair in a ponytail or loose bun and still keep my ears warm.
If you’d rather get a hat, this Carhartt beanie is the most popular headwear on the construction site.
Know Your Body
One thing to keep in mind as you’re deciding what winter gear to have for the build: make sure you know your body and what areas get cold easily. If you run warmer than most, you probably don’t need as much winter gear and can skip a layer or two.
If you get cold easily like I do, I’d highly recommend ALL of the winter essentials on this list! They work well together and I use all of them regularly.
Building our own home during the winter would be a completely different experience without my winter construction gear!
All in all, if you plan your winter gear around the areas you need it most, you’ll be much more comfortable during the colder seasons.
Larger Outer Layers
I’ve already mentioned this a time or two, but it’s important that you choose outer layers that are a size or two larger than your normal size so you can still comfortably wear your inner layers with them.
This primarily applies to your work pants or overalls, outer coat, and work boots, but it’s something you should consider for all of your construction gear and winter essentials.
Besides keeping warm, making sure you can actually work in your work clothes is the most important thing! If you can’t move comfortably you won’t be as productive or efficient as you should be, so make it a priority!
Participating in a sweat equity or owner-builder program isn’t easy, especially in winter, but with the right winter gear, you can comfortably build a new home that you and your family will love and appreciate for years to come!
Want more helpful tips on building and designing your home? Check out these posts too!
- 6 Common (But Avoidable) New Home Regrets
- How to Pick Your Design Selections
- How to Choose Your New Construction Home Floor Plan
Leave a Reply