Home Renovation Considerations During Coronavirus
Slowly but surely, we are seeing the coronavirus pandemic affect nearly aspect of daily life. One of the many industries being impacted so far is the construction industry, which you may not have thought about unless you’ve been planning a home renovation project that has been disrupted.
Here are some home renovation and home construction during coronavirus considerations to keep in mind as you navigate this challenging time as a homeowner.
Store Closings
Due to social distancing protocols, homeowners may find that the stores they were relying upon have closed their doors or added new restrictions to purchasing home renovation materials. For example, at Central Plumbing Specialties, we have been able to keep our supply counters open during normal business hours but have had to temporarily close our showroom in Rockland County on Wednesday evenings and New York City showrooms on Thursday evenings.
Check our website for the most up-to-date information about store hours and how we are taking steps to keep our workplaces as safe and clean as possible.
Essential Business Designations
Across America, states have been deciding which local businesses are deemed “essential” and which ones are not. According to executive orders, the state of New York has categorized certain health care organizations, infrastructure services, manufacturing businesses, retail companies, news media groups, financial institutions, and construction operations to be essential.
With regard to home construction during coronavirus, all non-essential construction must cease except for emergency construction that poses health and safety risks to occupants. However, essential construction jobs in New York may include construction work being completed by a single worker who is the sole employee at a job site, construction that is for an existing part of an essential business, and affordable housing construction.
Supply Shortages
Even if you are lawfully able to move forward with your construction or renovation project, you might face supply shortages as businesses you rely on remain temporarily closed. This could mean backorder issues for home renovation products that you’ve been wanting and longer lead times to get the supplies you need.
However, some products are less in-demand and still readily available, so you may be able to stock up on everything you need now before the home renovation industry picks up and gets busier again.
Extra Safety Precautions
Homeowners who are moving forward with their renovation projects during coronavirus should also keep heightened safety precautions in mind at all times. Since this contagious virus is so easily spread from one person to the next, you will need to be extra careful about letting contractors into your home. It is recommended that if you are hiring outside contractors or doing renovation work in another person’s home that everyone wears masks, maintains a personal distance of at least six feet, and disinfects clothing and materials effectively according to strict protocols.
Pricing Considerations
There are both pros and cons with regard to pricing if you are planning home construction during coronavirus. Property values are dropping, which means more real estate opportunities and many companies eager to get back to work in the near future.
On the other hand, prices may go up for in-demand supplies due to scarcity and reduced manufacturing capabilities. Therefore, this is a better time to be in the early stages of a home renovation project than right in the middle of a project that has become stuck and can’t move forward.
Virtual Communications
Chances are that you’ve already been participating in virtual communications with friends, family members, and coworkers as part of your commitment to flattening the curve and social distancing. Construction and renovation projects are no exception, as remodelers are increasingly using online platforms and video chats to meet with their teams, partners, and clients. As a homeowner, you may need to coordinate with your remodeling professionals online or over the phone instead of in-person on a more frequent basis.
Assessing Your Timeline
With New York being so hard-hit by the coronavirus, this is a good time to reassess your home renovation timeline and determine what is crucial to complete now, versus what would be safer to wait on for a while. Understandably, many homeowners don’t want construction contractors in their homes right now to work on non-essential projects. But with a little more time on your hands at home, this might be an ideal time to shop for the supplies you need from businesses that are still open as a way of preparing for post-pandemic life to resume, having something to look forward to, and supporting your local economy.