Homes special
During the pandemic, we have become our own teachers, chefs, gym instructors and, increasingly, it seems, painters, plumbers, and joiners too.
Stuck indoors, staring at the same four walls, a growing number of homeowners have turned to DIY during lockdown, with new research finding more than 80% of us have taken on home improvement projects in the last 12 months.
According to DIY giants B&Q, adapting to life during coronavirus was the main motivation for renovations, with one in seven customers adding a home office to their space – and the trend for painting, decorating and improving our humble abodes looks set to continue.
“When lockdown hit, all of a sudden families were using their house as school, work, gym and restaurant, and their spaces needed to flex with these changes,” explained Paul White, B&Q trading director.
“People’s confidence with home renovations has increased massively, too, with many attempting jobs themselves. There will always be some jobs where professional tradespeople are best placed to step in, but many have attempted smaller jobs recently.
“Plus, we’ve seen how spending more time indoors has led to people falling back in love with their homes, discovering different ways to get the most out of them. And we don’t expect this love of home improvement to slow down anytime soon.”
The pandemic- boosted boom in DIY has been good news for business, as retailers Kingfisher –owners of Screw fix and B& Q– saw pre- tax profits rise by more than 600% in the last year, while paint manufacturer Dulux was forced to limit purchases after a surge in demand during the first lockdown.
But it’s not just stores and shops that will reap the rewards.
Estate agent Jamie Osborne, an associate partner at Rettie in Glasgow’s West End, has seen a huge increase in “turnkey” homes coming to the market, and he says lockdown projects could net owners a tidy profit in the years to come.
He said: “There are a lot more quality, market- ready properties right now. Quite often, when
I visit people’s houses, they are looking for me to tell them what improvements they need to make to get the best price – but lately the work has already been done.
“Six out of 10 properties I’ve seen recently have had work done or the owners are planning a new project, and you’ll always get more money for a turnkey property. People will pay more money for a home that they can just walk into. Life is just too busy for a lot of people, and they want to make it easier. So, the increase in DIY is good news for the market.”
Over the past 12 months, some of the most popular purchases by homeowners have included room dividers, which saw a 51% increase in sales year- on- year at B& Q, as well as calming paint colours and storage units to hide clutter while on Zoom calls.
As well as having more time on our hands, experts also say social media is influencing our decision to give our homes a lick of paint. On Instagram alone, there are more than 1.1 million posts tagged with #Diydecor, while #homedecor has been used 90 million times.
It’s not just our homes that are getting new attention during lockdown but we’re spending more on our green spaces, whatever their size.
Marcus Eyles, horticultural director at Dobbies Garden Centres, which is headquartered in Scotland, says more people than ever have discovered their green fingers, as housebound Scots have turned to growing flowers, plants, fruit and veg.
“Grow your own has seen a big rise in interest,” explained Marcus. “With more time at home, new gardeners have been giving growing a go, while those who already had an interest have taken the opportunity to try different fruit and veg. Microgreens, pots of salads, herbs on patios and veg in flowerbeds have all been trends.
“With more people working from home and looking to create a space that separates work from home life, an exterior room or shed has provided a good solution, too.
“We’ve also seen a trend for turning your home office space into a green space with plants. They provide a nice backdrop for Zoom meetings.”