Home owners push ahead with renovation work

Of the 2,200 Australian home owners surveyed, 62 per cent – who were in the midst of, or planning, a home renovation or design project when the coronavirus pandemic was declared on 12 March 2020 – were able to continue with their renovations.

Just 2 per cent cancelled an ongoing project, and of the 25 per cent who put their project on hold, more than half felt that their project was not urgent and could resume at a later date (56 per cent). 

A statement from a Houzz spokesperson noted that another key finding from the survey was the rise in people spending time at home, leading to future projects being planned. 

“Confinement to our homes has inspired home owners to upgrade certain areas of the home to better enjoy it,” the statement said.

“In fact, three-quarters of home owners (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).”

Further, the survey found many home owners are spending more time at home decluttering or organising their homes (56 per cent), followed by cleaning and tidying up (51 per cent).

“They also reported doing more cooking and baking (47 per cent) and working from home (26 per cent),” the statement said.

Meanwhile, more than four in five home owners with ongoing home improvement projects are working with home professionals (86 per cent), the statement noted.

“Many home owners 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.”