Outdoor renovations continue despite coronavirus

Houzz recently surveyed its community of homeowners to find out how the coronavirus pandemic impacted their home improvement projects. The survey of more of 2200 Australian homeowners using Houzz found that four in five homeowners who were in the midst of a home renovation or design project when the coronavirus pandemic was declared on March 12, 2020 (AEDT) were able to continue with their renovations (83 per cent). Less than one per cent cancelled an ongoing project. Of the 15 per cent who put their project on hold, almost half felt that their project was not urgent and could resume at a later date (47 per cent).

The survey also found that 30 per cent of homeowners were looking at improving their property with an outdoor project.

Other key findings

• Spending time at home inspires future projects: Confinement to our homes has inspired homeowners to upgrade certain areas of the home to better enjoy it. In fact, three-quarters of homeowners (75 per cent) reported that they are thinking of changes that would help them enjoy their home more, with outdoor, kitchen and bathroom projects topping wish lists (30 per cent, 26 per cent and 24 per cent, respectively).

• More activities in the home: Many Australian homeowners reportedly spent more time at home decluttering or organising their homes (56 per cent) followed by cleaning and tidying up (51 per cent). They also reported to be doing more cooking and baking (47 per cent) and working from home (26 per cent).

• Using online tools to continue renovating: More than four in five homeowners with ongoing home improvement projects are working with home professionals (86 per cent). Many homeowners reported that they find it helpful to utilise online tools for shopping, invoicing and payments, remote communication and contract approvals, in order to move forward with their projects. Tools to accomplish this can be found in the Houzz Pro marketing and management software, which Houzz released last month.

*Data was sourced from an online survey fielded to Australian Houzz users between 29 June and 6 July.

Image: Sunshine Coast pool on Houzz