The pandemic has inspired a wave of home renovations as owners are spending more time in their homes. And renovators say it’s been good for their mental health, according to a new study conducted by CouponFollow of more than 1,000 homeowners and renters about do-it-yourself home projects they've tackled during the pandemic.
Thirty-four percent of respondents said DIY home improvement projects have aided their mental health during quarantine. Also, 49% of respondents said it’s given them a sense of enjoyment while being sheltered.
Fifty-five percent of homeowners were motivated to tackle a home improvement project due to social distancing mandates keeping them in their dwellings more than they may have been accustomed to.
“The results of this study showed some of the few silver linings of the COVID-19 lockdown,” the researchers noted in the study. “For many, months spent stuck at home became productive times for home improvement. And by the results of these projects, homeowners and renters are pretty handy: Over half of those who took on DIY home improvement projects were successful.”
Eventual financial benefits of these home renovations also proved a motivator. About a quarter of respondents said they were looking to sell their homes within the next five years. Sixty-nine percent said they were holding off due to the pandemic.
The top three DIY projects during the pandemic have been bathroom repair, interior house painting, and bathroom decor. Broken out by generation, baby boomers have focused on their bedroom decor, while millennials have been more interested in bathroom upgrades and repairs. Generation X has focused on interior house painting projects.
Source: “Home Improvement Spending,” Couponfollow.com (2020)
