When the pandemic hit in early 2020, almost everyone worldwide was stuck at home with too much time on their hands. Since COVID protocols pretty much temporarily incapacitated people for a while, many of them turned their stress and anxiety into something more productive and even therapeutic — home improvements.
They figured if they were going to spend a lot more time at home indefinitely, they might as well make their houses a lot nicer and comfier to be in.
Spending on home improvements rose by $745 from 2019, making for an average of $8,305 spent on upgrades. The money most people allocated for travel, dining, entertainment, and leisure was used to finance their projects.
Those who had no money on hand at the time settled for mortgage refinancing just so they could make being stuck at home more bearable. It allowed them to do something that helped preserve their mental health in one of the most challenging times in recent history.
Fast forward to a year after, you will still find plenty of people upgrading their properties. As economies reopen, people still prefer to stay at home unless otherwise needed.
11 Popular Home Improvement Projects Amid COVID-19
We have listed down some of the most common home improvement projects that were done in a pandemic by folks who were stuck at home and had plenty of time on their hands.
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Roofing
Roof upgrades can be quite expensive, especially if you’re replacing large portions of it at a given time. But surprisingly enough, 16.3% of those who made home improvements during this season all had some work done on their roofs.
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Fencing
Since more time is spent at home lounging or getting work done, homeowners decided that they need to get their privacy up a bit by installing fences around their properties.
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Interior Painting
Since almost all of us are stuck at home, interior problems that were mostly overlooked started to stand out. One of these is the interior walls. Folks decided to tear down those tired and outdated wallpapers and old paint jobs and give it a new one.
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Exterior Painting
Similarly, people also started to take notice of exterior issues. Although this one is slightly a bit tougher to DIY than interior painting, it never stopped homeowners from giving their houses a much-needed facelift.
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Kitchen Remodeling
Renovating a kitchen is a huge and expensive undertaking, so it was surprising to find out that in the midst of a pandemic, 45% of those who made updates at home took this project on. With no other option but to cook and eat at home, it helped bring some swanky restaurant vibe to one’s kitchen.
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Flooring
Many people took the time during the pandemic to either give their flooring a deep cleaning or replace it entirely. This popular home improvement project has also become one of the top home updates last year.
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Bathroom Remodeling
It is found that around 65% of those who remodeled last year have invested in their bathrooms. Perhaps the most popular type of bathroom renovation was the bathroom-turned-spa, as folks were looking for ways to relax at home.
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Bedroom Improvement
Depending on the type of work planned, bedroom improvements can either be simple and inexpensive or dramatic and pricey. Most people typically just repainted their bedrooms, updated their closets, and got new sets of linens.
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Garage Updates
One of the most overlooked areas for home improvements is garages. Those who took the time to improve their garages greatly benefited. Some were given a cleaner new look, while others were converted as a home office, a workshop, a gym, a playroom, and a man cave.
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Landscaping
Who among you doesn’t know anyone who turned into plant parents during the pandemic? None? We thought so. The interest in indoor plants has also caused a ripple effect in the landscaping and gardening industry that 24% of homeowners that updated their houses had some landscaping job done.
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Decks and Porches
Smarter homeowners decided to add decks and porches to their properties to get more bang for their buck. Decks can get you a greater return on investment, especially those who decided to go with wood boards and not just composite boards.
Have you done any updates in your home over the past year of being in a pandemic? If you have, what were some of the upgrades you did? Chime in on the comments section below to share your brilliant ideas and solutions. We’d love to hear from you.
