HOME IMPROVEMENT ON A SMALLER SCALE
Big ticket renovations dry up as nervous homeowners pinch pennies during pandemic
Many major interior home renovations, particularly bigger ticket jobs, have succumbed to COVID -19.
That’s what a survey of western Canadians — including Edmontonians — shows, according to Renovationfind, an online home improvement directory that connects homeowners with certified home-improvement companies.
However, while more costly interior home improvements have gone out the window, so to speak, the Edmonton-based company found that outdoor work and smaller scale home repairs are now front and centre even as the pandemic continues.
Citing dollar amounts, Keith Riley, Renovationfind’s CEO, noted those who planned to spend more than $25,000 on home renos prior to COVID-19 were the most reluctant to go forward. Some 62 per cent of those respondents say they have now cancelled those projects.
But for those looking to spend less than $5,000, the numbers rose. PRE-COVID, the survey indicated 232 respondents were ready to spend up to $5,000 on their home. POST-COVID, that number increased to 321.
That wasn’t totally unexpected, said Vivian Riley, Renovationfind’s COO. People were losing their jobs, were unsure what was happening, and they became more conservative about what they were willing to spend their home renovation dollars on, she said.
Also not surprising is that outdoor projects, such as landscaping and decks, are still going forward. Keith attributes this in good measure to the time of year, and because outdoor work means contractors aren’t coming into people’s homes.
Yet, some of those surveyed said they have taken renovations off the table.
“Our surprise was, when we were asking the question what are the projects PRE-COVID and what are your projects POST-COVID, 15 per cent of people are deciding not to do projects altogether,” he said, pointing out it was not as high as some expected.
The survey, done via Survey Monkey at the end of April and into the beginning of May, canvassed local Renovationfind members as well as those in Calgary, Vancouver and Winnipeg, and elicited 641 responses. It was conducted to see what effects COVID-19 was having on the home improvement industry.
“When it (COVID) first hit, you had a lot of contractors that thought the world was ending — everybody’s shut down, everybody’s locked in their house, we’re going out of business,” said Keith.
Nonetheless, he noted there were essential service designations allowing a good number to continue, though he added a few contractors did shut down.
“The ones (contractors) who are successful that we’ve talked to have actually increased their advertising and marketing budgets,” he said.
“Contractors aren’t as worried as they were before but they still have to fight a little bit harder to get that money.”
The survey also shows homeowners spending more time online when it comes to renovation or repair information. Some 18 per cent said online was their option prior to COVID-19. POST-COVID it’s 32 per cent.
The Rileys, meanwhile, point out their website traffic — you can find vetted contractors for no charge at Renovationfind — has surged 59 per cent since February. They say part of this may be because other ways homeowners would find out about contactors, such as home shows, aren’t currently active.
Angela Wong is one of those who turned to Renovationfind for help when her father’s furnace broke in his Riverbend-area home, just as the lockdown to fight COVID-19 was coming into play.
“Oh, I had no idea,” said Wong when asked about how she could help resolve her father’s problem. The mother of two had just started a career, and home repairs are not her forte. Combine that with trying to find a repair person when businesses were closing down and Wong found herself in a predicament.
The repair man, found via Renovationfind, came within hours, wore a mask, gloves, and used hand sanitizer so the family felt it was safe to let him in.
“We were happy with the service overall,” said Wong, adding she would turn to Renovationfind again if she found herself in a similar situation.
“We are a research-based website, we do background checks and monitor seven different criteria,” said Keith. “People coming to our site, they want to know more about the contractors they’re hiring.”