With nearly half of those doing 2021 K&B projects still working remotely, homeowners remain ardent about renovations.
By Robert Isler
The coronavirus pandemic remains in a state of flux, with the outlook seemingly changing by the week. When the fieldwork was completed for the July update of NKBA’s 2021 Kitchen & Bath Market Outlook, the crisis was easing. Many states saw the number of new cases dropping rapidly. Then came the onslaught from the more serious Delta variant of COVID-19, which, according to the CDC, now makes up over 80% of all new cases in the U.S. Suddenly, caution is once again the word of the day. This, however, has not dampened homeowner enthusiasm to move forward with remodels.
According to the updated Market Outlook, a shade under half of all homeowners who are doing a kitchen or bath remodel in 2021 are still working from home, with 19% of them saying they will continue to do so indefinitely, and the other 30% either expecting to return to the office or aren’t really sure yet. Nearly six in 10 of these homeowners have either eased their precautions or returned to normal, but a significant number continue to practice strict social distancing. With so many still tethered to their homes in every which way, it’s no wonder remodels are maintaining their robust pace.
Age-wise, homeowners between ages 35 and 44 are the overwhelming sweet spot for use of designer services.
So how have homeowner habits changed when comparing a pre-pandemic world to the present day? Leading the list of activities, they are more likely to pursue going forward are DIY home improvements, cited by 62% of respondents. Other activities mentioned by at least 50% of respondents include entertaining friends outside (56%), cooking/grilling outdoors (54%), entertaining friends inside (53%), and cooking meals at home (50%). All of these undertakings are directly linked to having been isolated for so long, with the next highest activity on the list, hiring a remodeling pro (49%), bringing it all together.
Among the activities specifically related to a remodel, 70% said they plan to or have already visited a big-box store, while at least 40% have visited a product manufacturer website, hired or were guided by a general contractor, or visited a product showroom or a smaller home-improvement retailer.
Turning specifically to remodelers, of the three basic types, the general contractor is the most sought after, with fully 44% of those who have or plan to remodel in 2021 either hiring or being guided by one, compared to 28% for a pro remodeler/architect and 17% for an interior designer. Examining each of those categories for concentration by age, there is a clear correlation with older demographic groups using a general contractor — the older the homeowner, the more likely they are to hire a GC. The sweet spot, age-wise, for employing designers are older Millennials, aged 35 to 44, and Gen-Xers, 45 to 54. Homeowners below age 35 tend to lag in usage of professional remodelers.