With so many people staying home over the past 16 months, home renovation projects were more popular than ever. Due to the Covid restrictions during 2020 and into 2021, many people started looking at their homes differently and realized that they needed to or had time to make some small adjustments and/or large changes.
This all happened when many homeowners started working from home at least part time, they stopped traveling as much and/or have been less social overall by going out less than they used to. All of these things meant that people spent more time home which means plenty of time to work on home based projects.
Not only do these projects make homes more comfortable to be in, they also increase home values.
In fact, throughout the second half of 2020, some homeowners were able to increase the value of their properties by more than 25 percent through simple home improvements, and the average amount spent on home improvements from the start of the pandemic jumped from $745 to $8, 305.
Stay At Home Remodeling Trends
It will be interesting to see, let’s say 20 years from now, what the trends of Covid remodeling were. I think it’s safe to say we will see a lot more home offices, basements converted into playrooms and upgrades to air quality systems.
When you’re spending more time at home, you’re more likely to pay attention to chipping paint, lack of space for children playing, a lackluster garage; all things that are easier to glance over when you’re spending most of your day away from home.
When parks closed, changes had to be made for children’s entertainment. When the offices shut down, well now you need a space to work. The time home also allowed more time for hobbies to bloom and some home renovations/repairs resulted in that.
One of the biggest home renovations that people were seeing during the surge of the pandemic were decks and patios.
These outdoor areas make a lot of sense when you think about needing space outside to socialize, as well as creating multiple areas for your family to spend time in. “Deck construction is up 275%,”, quoting increases from March to July of this year. “Hiring landscapers is at 238%. Fence construction installation is at 144%,”.
Whether the goal is a large outdoor space that is “social distancing friendly”, or creating a comfortable area for your kids to spend time outdoors, decks and patios were widely being built and Googled. Adding a deck is also one of the easier home projects, of course depending on size and previous building experience.
Another huge trend was gardens, greenhouses and areas to grow food.
This is one of the most sustainable home renovations that will hike up the value of your property, provide food to feed your family and loved ones, and take demand off of grocery stores. When people started building gardens, they took back some semblance of normality, and created a way to bond with their children, as well as save money eating from home.
There has been a pronounced interest among homeowners looking to connect with nature by adding native plants in their garden that will attract more songbirds and pollinators.
People are interested not just in escaping the boredom of confinement, but in using their yards to create a meaningful connection to nature. A lot more videos have been uploaded to Youtube on how to build and maintain a garden from home.
Kitchen renovations have always been popular, and these past few months have proved to be no different.
Remodeling an outdated kitchen increases the value of the home by 19 percent. A lot more people were/are cooking from home and the need for more space ( a LOT more space), and better appliances was proven time and time again.
A lot of aesthetic improvements were also done, to create a more welcoming, cozy home environment. Any issues that could have slipped by before are now under the microscope so to speak, and became more pressing issues as time went on.
Home offices are now being seen as a necessity, whereas before they were not as common.
In fact, in the last year or so, 18% of people planning home renovations intend to make that renovation either building a home office, or improving upon a previous one. Adding spaces to work from home has also pushed people to be more creative, and to find ways to work from their comfort zone, and making work from home feel even better than going into your office.
Even when the pandemic is over, there is a good chance that many people will still work from home. Making this more likely is the use of home technology which is also increasing as households install items such as ethernet cables for computer networks and Bluetooth speakers.
In addition to major remodels, people have also been taking on smaller projects.
The pandemic has also informed people’s decisions around fixtures and finishes, prompting some to choose an antimicrobial metal surface like copper, for instance, or touchless entrances activated by motion sensors.
These things wouldn’t have really been on the top of anyone’s list before, but now health is even more of a priority. Home renovations are starting to reflect trends like that as well. It will be fascinating to watch the progression of home improvements and renovations and see the trends that continue to emerge.
Bear Creek Lumber prides themselves on delivering the highest quality lumber, for truly unbeatable prices to assist you in any of your renovating needs and desires! As always, reach out if you need help.
Just in case you are looking for the perfect wood for your next building project, request a quote here and/or call us at (800) 597-7191 with any questions.
Timberline Blog 
Leave a Reply