Whether they’ve gone the DIY route or hired contractors to take care of their requirements, people have been doing more home remodels. Let’s examine some of the factors that have led to this.
People are home much more of the time
During lockdowns, people seldom leave the house, heading out only to exercise, or to shop for essential supplies. The result is that people become much more aware of their immediate home environment. They notice the little flaws, areas of minor damage, and things that could be improved. As a consequence, many are using the opportunity to make changes and improvements while they are at home.
Even when restrictions are relaxed, many are still wary of the danger the pandemic has brought. They tend to remain home more, limiting their interaction with people outside of their immediate circles as much as possible. This focus on their home surroundings has resulted in a lot of much needed and long postponed, home repairs being undertaken.
Changes in working conditions
Many people are now working remotely from home, which often requires modification to their available workspace. In the commercial sector too, with social distancing and safety an absolute priority, companies are making the necessary changes to their workspaces. The need for safer conditions for staff and personnel has made these changes essential.
People have more time on their hands
Many have found that they have more spare time in this pandemic. This means free time to get around to doing household projects that have long been shelved or postponed. With all the old excuses out of the window, people are now rolling up their sleeves and getting to work. Being confined largely to the indoors, there is no reason any longer to delay getting these tasks done.
People need to convert spaces in their homes
Because of the uncertain nature of this pandemic, most people are still contending with the need to adapt to the ‘new normal’. Being comfortable working from home often requires converting rooms and living areas into usable home offices.
Others have found new hobbies like baking or gaming and are thus creating dedicated spaces for their new interests. All these and more are making people pick up tools to turn existing spaces to ones that suit whatever they require.
People have reallocated budgets
Many were definitely hit hard financially by the pandemic, as workplaces and businesses shut down or folded. For those fortunate enough to retain their livelihood, being locked down means budgets have been redirected. Money previously allotted for gas or travel expenses has now become more available, based on the need to stay at home.
Instead, those funds could go to home improvement and other renovations. According to a household improvement survey, spending on house services grew by over 40% on average year-on-year compared to 2019. That could be bumped up a bit by constraints at the onset of the pandemic. As a result, home improvement contractors are often fully booked for months ahead.
The coronavirus pandemic has truly reshaped people’s lives. As people prefer to keep safe by staying home, the focus shifts to improving the spaces we call home. It doesn’t matter whether it’s for work or recreation, or just to make living situations more bearable. Home remodeling is trending up, and we don’t see this changing anytime soon.