Pandemic Home Improvement Is Booming: What Are Your Neighbors Doing?

 

Online home remodeling platforms reported a 58% annual increase in project leads for home professionals in June. The money that folks have saved from not eating out or going on vacation is now being used to add value back into their homes as an investment. Sheltering at home influenced demand in a lot of home remodeling projects, as more than three-quarters of all U.S. homeowners said they had done some type of home improvement project during the pandemic. 

Kitchen and bath continue to be popular remodeling choices, but even those saw a 40% jump in demand in June compared to a year ago. With more and more people cooking and eating at home, kitchens are now, even more, the center of family life.  Home extensions and additions jumped 52%, and security and privacy also saw much greater demand with interest in fence installation and repairs up 166%. 

Major home renovations may not be in the spending range for everyone, but there are still some fall DIY projects that any homeowner can sink their teeth into! Here are a few budget-friendly DIY home improvement projects to consider:

Paint the Front Door

Hands down, the easiest exterior project is also the one that reaps the biggest rewards. A freshly painted front door will help your home stand out from the block, and can be finished in less than an afternoon. Fall is an ideal time to get your exterior paint job done; just choose your afternoon wisely. Normally, exterior painting should be done at a time when the temps are at least or above 50°F/10°C and aren’t dipping below the 40°F/5°C at night. This allows the paint to adhere properly and prevents it from freezing before it is fully dry. If you need to refinish first to ensure proper paint adhesion or want to change to stain we recommend using a safe stripper. Caution: Most paint stripping products are toxic. Only use products you are comfortable with using based on your level of expertise. For safe DIY wood/fiberglass/metal refinishing, we recommend using EZ Strip Paint & Varnish Stripper

Clean & Cover the Grill

It’s time to break out the cleaners and steel-bristle brushes because your grill needs attention. Get rid of any remaining scraps of food or grease, turn off the gas, and cover the grill to protect it from weather and pests. Overwhelmed with grease? Cleaning your grill after a busy summer of BBQ delights can seem a little daunting but we have a solution that will transform your grill into the beauty it was when you bought it. EZ Strip All Purpose Remover is the non toxic option for tough baked-on grease.

Repair & Treat Wood Furniture

Is your outdoor wood furniture starting to splinter, fading, or peeling paint? Then it’s time to get those repairs in before the snowfalls! If it is not properly treated for water damage prevention, the project will just be more work after the snow melts. For damaged water sealants or peeling paint, always strip off the damaged coating. This will ensure you are getting the proper coating adhesion to protect your wood from water, weather, pests, and wood rot. For safe DIY furniture refinishing, we recommend EZ Strip Paint & Varnish Stripper

As the weather starts to cool down and we continue to stay home, take this perfect opportunity to clean up summer messes and prepare your home for colder days. Use this time to get these fall maintenance and renovation projects done before it’s too late!

For more information on safe removal products from EZ Strip visit the website @ EZstrip.ca