As the course of the COVID-19 virus outbreak proves to be uncertain, people all over the world are being forced to shelter in place or to self-quarantine. Because the COVID-19 pandemic end date is unclear, people have many questions in regard to what they should and shouldn’t do as they practice the recommended social distancing. As areas of the country begin to open up, one of the common questions homeowners are asking is whether or not they should continue or start their home renovations.
If you are a homeowner and had big plans to renovate a part of your home this spring, you are probably wondering if that is something you should still do or not. Here, we will try to answer some of the most common questions in regard to home renovations and the global pandemic.
- Preserve Your Health, and the Health of Your Contractor
- Should Contractors Still Come Into My Home?
- Should I Try a DIY Project?
- Plan Now, Execute Later
Preserve Your Health, and the Health of Your Contractor
The main concern when it comes to whether or not you should continue with your home renovation plans is the health of you and your family, along with the health of your selected contractor. A repairman that specializes in AC repairs in Sicklerville, New Jersey, pointed out that ultimately the choice is up to the homeowner when it comes to whether or not they are comfortable with another person coming into their home. He stressed that he and his team of technicians are taking the necessary precautions to comply with Centers for Disease Control (CDC) guidelines to prevent spread of COVID-19, but the homeowner needs to weigh this against whether their home renovation is indeed urgent or not.
Should Contractors Still Come Into My Home?
Again, this choice is up to the homeowner but overall, it’s recommended that you don’t bring a contractor into your home unless your renovation is urgent. In other words, if something detrimental happened and requires a repair—perhaps, something flooded and destroyed your flooring—an emergency home renovation may well be necessary. However, if you are simply tired of your current flooring, you should wait to have a contractor enter your home until the COVID-19 pandemic has subsided.
You and your family’s health is important, as is the health of the contractor and his or her family. The entire world is being asked to practice social distancing, so it follows you should be careful here. Whether you show symptoms or not, you could be carrying the COVID-19 virus and subject your contractor to it unknowingly; and vice versa. If your project can wait, then let it.
However, if you do in fact have a contractor come over, or perhaps your contractor was in the middle of a project when the quarantine began, make sure that everyone is taking necessary precautions to minimize risk and stay healthy. That includes remaining 6 feet apart, wearing face masks, and wearing gloves.
Should I Try a DIY Project?
As people are getting restless at home, they are looking for things to keep them busy and many are considering DIY projects. These projects are a great way for homeowners to pass time in a productive way as they are stuck at home. As people are skeptical about having contractors enter their homes, they are wondering if they should do their own home renovation project.
The answer to this question depends on your level of experience of doing DIY projects, as well as what kind of project you are considering. For example, if you have had a positive experience renovating your bathroom in the past, you may be fully capable of installing a new sink in your home. Or you may already know the basics of redoing a backsplash, making your current home renovation decision an easy one. However, if you are unskilled in the needed tasks or don’t know anything about home remodeling and renovations, it’s worth your while to simply wait.
Furthermore, if you complete a home renovation DIY project simply because you are being impatient and don’t want to wait until the COVID-19 virus has subsided, you may well run the risk of damaging your home. In these cases, you may have to call in the professionals to help you recover from the damage.
However, it may be totally OK to perhaps stick to smaller DIY projects while sheltering inside, like painting a room, until you can hire a contractor to come into your home again.
Plan Now, Execute Later
As the COVID-19 pandemic persists, it is probably best to avoid bringing contractors into your home unless you have no choice. You can instead use this time to plan your home renovation in great detail to ensure that it is exactly what you need. Likewise, you can do ample research on the top contractors to hire while you are stuck at home, then consider scheduling the execution work a bit later down the road. Keep in mind demand may be high for such services once the virus is past.
During this global pandemic, the most important thing to focus on is staying healthy and doing all that you can to keep you and your family safe.
