Homeowners Have Not Stopped Remodeling Despite Pandemic

The remodeling industry has remained surprisingly strong through the pandemic, with homeowners continually opting in to update their interiors, especially to withstand cleaning and for general comfort. After the pandemic was declared in March, more than half of a surveyed 1,000 homeowners already in the midst of renovations decided to continue their projects, according to Realtor.com. And those who decided to place pauses on projects? Only 1%. Now that homeowners have felt the effects of COVID-19, there are different and more desires to renovate various areas of the home.

Shelley Beatty had been planning a major remodel of her home for more than a year, and she wasn’t going to let the deadly coronavirus pandemic get in the way. She was determined to create a roomier home in the Kansas City suburbs to accommodate her three children, their spouses, and her eight grandkids when they visit for extended holidays and vacations.

But when Beatty, 67, a part-time accountant, and her husband, an emergency room doctor, learned of the COVID-19 outbreaks earlier this year, she made some changes to her plans for a $300,000 renovation of their seven-bedroom, 4,000-square-foot home in Fairway, KS. Now, not only did she want the new kitchen and dining room to accommodate big, boisterous family gatherings, it also had to stand up to constant cleaning to combat the coronavirus.

So she opted for quartz instead of a granite countertop. Instead of stone or textured floor tile, she went with smooth ceramic.

Read More